New to me 22 Patt 14 No1

[CoatiMundi]

Hi all,
Just picked this 22 Patt 14 No1 up and I would like input from you all.
It obviously spent time in Australia and is JJ Jovino import having a very small stamp by the rear sight.
She’s been around for sure, being marked Sparkbrook and Enfield, a LE 1*, a SHTLE Cond II, and 22 Patt 14 No1.
The chapter in Lance’s book on the Patt 14 is very helpful and this one has a lot of the same features as the ones mentioned.
It has two of the “AGP” stamps on the underside of the buttstock and it is marked AG Parker on the right side of the receiver.
The magazine has been cut out on the bottom to let the empties out. Has anyone seen this in service or is it a later modification? It is well done and may have been done on a mill.

Thank you and please tell me what you guys think.

[Sapper740]

What a great find! I love rifles such as this with an interesting history of conversions. I have two .22 trainers in my collection but neither of them have an open bottom to the magazine. Is your magazine stamped .22?

[CoatiMundi]

Thank you !
No, the magazine is not marked .22 like my other one. It is an early RFI mag, that doesn’t seem to match the rest of it, which is mostly Enfield with a couple Ozzy parts from when it was there.

[303 Gunner]

Like Sapper, I have a huge appreciation for the conversion rifles. They’re rare birds too!

[CoatiMundi]

After taking it down and cleaning, I found it has the attributes Skennerton mentions about the COND II rifles including the cut out and replaced bedding area in the stock and the riveted on charger guide.
The unit disk, I believe is from the 4th Royal Munster Fusiliers which makes it even more interesting and after all that, being converted to a Patt ’14 and then ending up in Australia, very cool.
The Volley sight plate is missing, but the screw is still there which is funny. I posted a request for one in the Sale thread.

[bcd8238]

Hi Coati, Yes your rifle was indeed issued to the 4th Royal Munster Fusiliers. I have one exactly the same. The rack number is a few higher. The magazine on mine has the bottom still in it, so the empties just drop into the mag well. If you do a search on the 4th, I'm pretty sure that this regiment didn't see frontline service. Yours is the second one I've seen. Mine also has the sliding charger guide on the converted bolt head. According to Skennerton, there were not too many of these converted rifles made, so are a scarce bird to find. On the rear sight, there should be a small marking around the 400 yard mark stating 25 yards for gallery shooting.

[CoatiMundi]

Thanks for the reply. For some reason someone decided to let the empties fall out but still wanted a magazine in place by cutting the bottom out. It’s not a big deal, but is a curiosity to me.

The rear sight is not marked with the added line like you mentioned, although it looks like someone stamped it with a small dot.

Yours looks a bit nicer and that marked WW1 sling is cool.