P14/P17 lower and upper handguard.

[Flying10uk]

I think that parts made for the SMLE by the various manufacturers were generally interchangeable, please correct me if I'm wrong on this. It seems illogical for the P14 to not be the same with regards to parts interchangeability between the 3 manufacturers. It must have caused headaches just stocking the right spare parts with some parts having to be kept in duplicate or even triplicate from each of the manufacturers. My experience of store-men is that they tend to be temperamental types at the best of times. One can imagine having to take a part back to the stores and trying to explain to an irate store-man that the part he has just given you is wrong because it's made by the wrong company even though the actual part itself is the correct part.

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[browningautorifle]

One can imagine having to take a part back

That's where hand fitting goes into effect.

[fjruple]

I think that parts made for the SMLE by the various manufacturers were generally interchangeable, please correct me if I'm wrong on this. It seems illogical for the P14 to not be the same with regards to parts interchangeability between the 3 manufacturers. It must have caused headaches just stocking the right spare parts with some parts having to be kept in duplicate or even triplicate from each of the manufacturers. My experience of store-men is that they tend to be temperamental types at the best of times. One can imagine having to take a part back to the stores and trying to explain to an irate store-man that the part he has just given you is wrong because it's made by the wrong company even though the actual part itself is the correct part.

Unfortunately that quite true, some parts of the SMLE and M1917 are compatible with the P14s. The parts that are compatible are like the piling or stacking swivel, front and rear sling swivel, front sight blades, etc. for the SMLE The trigger groups, the safety catch parts (excluding the early Winchester P14), nose cap and screw, Buttplate assemblies, lower barrel band, front handguard, and butt swivel backet and screw. The parts that are NOT compatible between P14 manufacturers are barrels, breech bolt and plug, rear sight slide, cocking piece, extractor ring, firing pin, front sight band, magazine bottom plate, magazine case or box, triggerguard, fore-end tie bolt (R & W interchangeable, not E), locking lug cover plate R & E interchangeable, not W), Lower band stop pin (R & E interchangeable, not W) and Magazine platform (R & E interchangeable, not W). As Jim states a lot of hand fitting is required. You also have to bear in mind there were at least six different rifle between the two different MKs of the P14. I did not realize how bad the interchangeablity was until I started to assemble parts for the three manufacturers.

--fjruple