1917 US Army Manual on Sniping

[John Beard]

Jim,

In "Sniping in France", Pritchard said the best combination they found was a P14 with a scope mounted over the bore, and is I remember correctly, his scope of choice was the A5. You can download "Sniping in France" for free, and if you need the web site, I can try to find it again. That obviously isn't an A5, but could the rifle be a P14?

Jim

According to Ian Skennerton, the British in WWI fitted Winchester P14 rifles with a special fine-adjustment rear sight for use as sniper rifles. Skennerton went on to add that the rifles were more accurate with iron sights than No. 1 Mark III's fitted with scopes.

J.B.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Jim Tarleton]

According to Ian Skennerton, the British in WWI fitted Winchester P14 rifles with a special fine-adjustment rear sight for use as sniper rifles. Skennerton went on to add that the rifles were more accurate with iron sights than No. 1 Mark III's fitted with scopes.

J.B.

Prichard noted the same rifle (P14) and its iron sights (Appendix C in his book), but he much prefered scoped rifles, and he formed and ran the sniper schools. A lot of the sniping was indeed accomplished with iron sights, but at long distances, I don't think any sniper would prefer iron sights. Comparative accuracy of the two rifles is of no surprise to me.

Jim

[JGaynor]

Jim,

In "Sniping in France", Pritchard said the best combination they found was a P14 with a scope mounted over the bore, and is I remember correctly, his scope of choice was the A5. You can download "Sniping in France" for free, and if you need the web site, I can try to find it again. That obviously isn't an A5, but could the rifle be a P14?

Jim

Jim anotther tell tale is the chunky charger guide that gives the third rifle away as a No. 1 Mk 3.
The brits used a dozen or more separate commercial gunsmiths to mount scopes. Some did just a few - others did 100's. There is a good pic of a No1 Mk3 with an A5 in Skinnerton's sniper book. The scope is mounted well off to the left (not that they were all done that way).

Regards.

Jim

[John Beard]

The rifle in the second picture being used by the Sengaleze sniper appears to be a Swiss straight-pull bolt action. The rifle in the third picture appears to be a British No. 1 Mark III. I further note that the sniper has a No. 1 Mark III bayonet scabbard strapped to his side. I agree with Lancebear.

J.B.