P14/P17 lower and upper handguard.

[Flying10uk]

The floor-plate pictured in post 22 looks to me as if it has rounded corners albeit of a small radius.

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[Buster95]

The floor-plate pictured in post 22 looks to me as if it has rounded corners albeit of a small radius.

Photos of two P14 floor-plates they are both more rounded than the one in post 22.

[Flying10uk]

My deactivated Winchester P14 has a floor-plate similar to one of the examples in post 28 but I haven't looked at my deact ERA P14 to see what that has yet. I don't think that the floor-plate in post 22 can be described as having square corners, only of having a small radius to it's corners.

[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.

[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

[Vincent]

The bottom picture shows a large gap at the right. Is that because it’s a P14 in a P17 stock?

[Flying10uk]

I don't know if this helps, vincent? It may sort of half answer your question in a round about way. I have a known P14 stock which I've marked as such and a Model 1917 stock which I tend to call P17 out of habit and so have marked it as such also. The floor plate came with a U.K. deactivated Winchester P14 in P17 stock but I believe the floor plate to be P14 although I haven't noticed any markings on it. As can be seen there is much greater clearance and in my opinion an excess clearance with the floor plate in the P17 stock. The plan is to build up a complete and accurate deactivated Winchester P14 when all the missing parts have been sourced and time permits.

[fjruple]

Vincent -- The m1917 stock should be easily identified with the Eagle inspection marks and the letters W, E and R stamped on the front end unless the stock was made as part of the WWII rebuild program. The appropriate arsenal should be on the left side just in front of the pistol grip of the stock. Of course this does not take into account the stocks which were never used and the post WWII commercial copies made by Boyds.

--fjruple

[Vincent]

As can be seen there is much greater clearance and in my opinion an excess clearance with the floor plate in the P17 stock.

Yes. I think you will see it pulled toward the rear of the hole when you tighten the screws.