British Pattern 1914 with No. 32 Mk.I scope

[Promo]

I now finally have a very long term project back in my hands. It all started years ago, with having seen a drawing of this setup here on the forum, but without dimensions.

Possibly a year later I finally got hold of the original drawings - Simon had copied them in the Pattern Room a very long time ago. I promised him that if I ever have one of those made, he‘ll get one too.

Already drawing it in modern CAD was hell of work, but when it came to considering the production method the original drawing had suggested a casting. Since this would be way too much work for only a handful to be ever made, I decided to have it machined. Due to the complexity and awful amount of curves, angles, holes, threadings, etc. this was another nightmare (for the machinist, not me) to get through.

After having the handful mounts made from the machinist, Roger Payne was included in the „deal“ - I was being given a No. 32 Mk.I scope which Roger and Simon paid for, and on the other hand either of them will get a complete set of bracket with thumb screws (which by the way are of a larger threading size than the one from the normal No. 4 T, was quite a surprise when I tried to fit the normal No. 4 T bracket washer springs!). So we three would be the only one who would have one of them!

I then was very fortunate to also run into a very nice all matching numbers Winchester P.14 rifle which did show traces of having been carried around, but still very nice with original markings all over present. I then spent many hours in my garage manually filing the bracket in a shape that it does not look milled any more but to give it a rather casted look. Prior to the filing the bracket was treated with a needle hammer to make the surface rougher. And I used pictures of original No. 4 T trials sniper brackets and tried to get as close as possible to the finish on those. The bracket was afterwards blued several times with cold blue, I think it did turn out very nice for that.

Then everything was handed over to a friend of mine, together with the correct thread cutters and screws. He did a marvellous job in mounting it to the rifle. The only harder part was the removal of the left „ear“, to clear the scope tube. Not removing it, but also to radius it correctly to make a uniform look. Then it was inletted for the rear base in the correct position. The front base was mainly a result of the bracket, but it appears the dimensions from the drawing were very accurate. The rear sight also had to be modified in removal of the emergency sight, as shown in the drawing and also noted in the drawing for mounting it.

Note that it is an extremely close fitting on the right ear, half a millimeter material had been removed on this side to clear the scope. The scope is very low mounted, a cheek pad might be helpful but it still works without it. The front sight blade is visible when looking through the scope, but it doesn‘t bother you. The rear sight was left normal and not switched to an F-Sight since it is matching numbers to the rifle. I had considered to convert it to an F-Sight, but since it had taken so much work to get to this point I might give it some more years until I would look into this again!

Well, I‘ve now written a lot of text. If you have read through to this point, I would like to thank you for doing this! I am looking forward to any comments of this Tribute Rifle being built and hope you won‘t dislike me for making something which most possibly so far only had existed on drawings.

Moderator edit: Member requested a cross-posting link from 1914/1917 to Lee Enfield Forums for greater exposure, as resulting links appear in both forums.

Information

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[Promo]

Attached the last five pictures. I had planned to also do a side-by-side picture with a No. 4 T rifle, but have not managed to do one yet.

[henry r]

I'm genuinely lost for words to describe how awesome that is.

[rgg_7]

Very impressive work. Was the original a prototype? Did any of these make it into service? Ron (Canada)

[browningautorifle]

Nice looking rig, I'd like to try one out sometime...I'd need a cheek piece though.

[GeeRam]

Wow.......

Fabulous

[Promo]

Very impressive work. Was the original a prototype? Did any of these make it into service? Ron (Canada)

The original drawing is dated "25-5-40", so 25th May 1940. Around the time the very first No. 4 T rifles were set up. So in my opinion they might had not decided yet which rifle to use as basis for the official WWII sniper rifle, but dropped the P.14 with No. 32 scope later in favor of the No. 4 T (whatever the reason might had been).

Jim, the cheekpad might be helpful, but it isn't that uncomfortable without it. In fact I believe the optical axis is even lower than on the No. 3 T with the PPCo scope.

[mrclark303]

Hugely impressive and historically important build, really well done...

[browningautorifle]

the cheekpad might be helpful, but it isn't that uncomfortable without it.

I would LOVE to have a look...even a go for a few rounds to see...

[harry mac]

Much as I hate to use an Americanism; Awesome!
You've done a great job there.