P14 project / questions

[Doco overboard]

I went looking through some local shops today hoping to find a NO4 MK 1 rifle because I have become interested in them from everything that has been written here and I have become interested in the 303 British cartridge. After looking at a few examples and being discouraged with the advertised price vs condition I was ready to leave when I spotted a sported P14. What caught my eye was that the barrel hadn't been chopped but the stock was worked over into an abomination. The price was right and I thought that maybe the p14 design would be better until I learned the cartridge plus it would give me something to bide my time with. The first thing I noticed was that there was a volley sight affixed to the side of the action which is what drew my attention and the bore and crown were better than the no 4 rifles I was checking out not to mention most milsurps I see about. Im certain the bore will clean to near brite and the lands are defined at the crown. Blueing is moderately fair with not a whole lot of inspectors / acceptance marks and no import marks ears and rear sight are there. The other thing is that the breech face was flat and the bolt was numbered on the bottom to the receiver. I faintly remembered from reading here that the rifle may not have been through a refurb, so I couldn't stand it and bought it. My question is, being the rifle is without stock, handgaurds and accompanying bands swivels would it be worth the effort to chase those parts down? The butt-plate and FSB have also fallen victim to bubba's bench grinder but some parts I have in my shop albeit they may not be commonwealth approved. Theirs a LB no 4 there also with a scope mount on it that has "DT" on the wrist as well I didn't know what to think about that either. Advice thoughts or suggestions are all welcome. Thanks, Brian ( sorry no pictures yet because I had to wait to bring it home)

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[Flying10uk]

I did manage to get a stock and hand guards off eBay a year or 2 ago that I need to go on a U.K. deactivated P14. This is because it came with a M1917 stock minus hand guards. The stocks and hand guards don't seem to come up for sale very often on eBay U.K. but the metal parts may be slightly easier.

[Doco overboard]

Thanks, the stock is what I'm worried about. I looked on Ebay over here and one just sold with HG's but a hole was bored through the set near the breech. Ill have to keep looking and just be patient.

[oldfoneguy]

It's a shame you just missed a nice one on eBay that went for $245.50. It came with hand guards but no metal and no holes. The ones with holes are from DP rifles which were deactivated by drilling a hole completely through it at the chamber. Just about all the metal parts you want can be found but 5 to 1 they'll be for a US Model 1917 and marked with an acceptance eagle. If that doesn't bother you all parts can assembled in a couple of weeks.

For a reloader a P14 is a dream come true. No case stretch or deformation. The brass comes out of my P14 looking like it was full length resized, especially compared to the brass fired in my No 4 & No 5.

I wish you luck in this endeavor and hope you'll post some pics of it along it's way. - Bill

[Doco overboard]

I just went out and dug up a butt-plate that is British marked and some m17 parts, a lower band, handgaurd ring, front sight base and a p14 butt swivel without the base. And some rusty screws. I also have another cut down stock that is at least better looking than the one that's on it. Ill get some pictures once I can cobble something together.

[Flying10uk]

You should be able to get a P14 stock set, it's just a case of being patient and keeping your eyes open. Just make sure that it's P14 and not M1917.

[harry mac]

Am I mistaken, or is the M1917 front sight base a different height to a P14 one?

[Patrick Chadwick]

I recommend that you get hold of a copy of "British Enfield Rifles Volume 4, The Pattern 1914 and US Model 1917 Rifles" by Charles Stratton (North Cape Publications) as this describes every part, noting whether the parts are interchangeable between the two rifles or not. For instance: front sight blocks are interchangeable, foresight blades are also interchangeable, but differently marked...

Very much worth getting, and you will probably save its cost pretty quickly in being able to use parts sold as being for M1917s.

---------- Post added at 08:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------

Am I mistaken, or is the M1917 front sight base a different height to a P14 one?

According to Stratton , you are mistaken.

[fjruple]

Am I mistaken, or is the M1917 front sight base a different height to a P14 one?

Harry-- Physically they are the same as well as the heights. The P14 front sight blades are with a '14 and the height. The M1917 front sight blades are marked with the manufacturer's code E, R or W and same height markings. I believe there are 11 or 12 different sight heights.

--fjruple

[Doco overboard]

Thank you for the recommendation about the book I will have to get a copy of the text. I'm pretty sure that the magazine box/ follower is different as well as the ejector and profile of the bolt. Something else I learned but am not sure of is that the stock that accompanies the rifle in its current state may be a early commercial offering of a post war Remington example or at least was done to resemble the profile. Any existing existing marks will surely be wiped if its the original stock because it has been slimmed down significantly. Thanks again for the replies. Hopefully I ll have it home soon.