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How rare is a Pattern 1914 MK I Eddystone ? Short bolt lug and non recessed barrel.
I'm looking for more information about how rare my rifle maybe. I have a
Pattern 1914 Enfield MK I made at the Eddystone plant it has matching SN
numbers on the bolt, action and barrel. When I purchased the rifle it was
missing all the sights and handguard wood. I have since replaced those
parts and just last week I fired the gun 8 times. Shot and functioned
great, but just read online they are rather because not many were made and the ones that were had been converted to the new bolt with a longer locking lug and recessed the barrel.
My rifle doesn't have the * marking and I am sure it is the shorter bolt
lug and non recessed barrel.
How rare is my rifle ? Also I'm guessing I should not be shooting this gun
anymore ?
In December 1916, a new bolt with a longer locking lug was approved for the .303 Pattern 1914 Mk I rifle. This necessitated a new barrel with a deeper recess for the lug. These new rifles were designated the Mk I*E (for those manufactured at Eddystone) and Mk I*R (Remington) and Mk I*W (Win- chester). In today’s collector market, original, unaltered P-14 Mk I rifles are rarely encountered, as few were made and many of those were converted to Mk I* configuration.
I read this online http://www.remingtonsociety.org/the-story-of-eddystone/
Information
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03-08-2017 05:04 PM
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DDgunworks17--
It is my understanding that Eddystone and Remington very quickly changed their production to the MKI* from the MKI. I have an Eddystone MKI* in the 47000 serial number that is orginial. I also have a barrel off of a Winchester P14 in the 92000 serial range that is a MKI. Unfortunately the barrel was destroyed when it was remove from its action body (receiver). Winchester did not want to make any changes to their production and dragged their to change to the MKI*. Many of the MKI were converted to MKI* at a later date. An original MKI if in excellent condition could bring in some nice change.
--fjruple
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That Remington Society article is excellent and packed full of info, I learned a lot from it back when I first read it years ago.
No rifles were converted here in the states, they were all done during the Weedon refurb's in Britain prior to WWII. When the new spec was introduced the manufacturers changed over to it on the production lines but made no changes to rifles in inventory.
I have a Remington P14 in the 93,000 serial range. It has the "daisy" stamp all over it indicating it had undergone a Weedon refurb although I don't know where it was done. It has a Remington bolt that had it's original numbers scrubbed and renumbered to force match the receiver. It also has the milling work done to the barrel face for the larger lug.
This was an SOP for all the rifles made before Dec.1916 as it was believed the round would fall off the bolt face in a combat situation. If the rifle wasn't in their stores then it escaped a Weedon refurb. Where was that rifle during 1939-1940 when this work was done? If it could only speak!
Was it hiding it a home guarder's closet? Was it in Canada or somewhere else in the Commonwealth? Without a doubt it was in private hands at that time to have avoided the conversion.
Shoot it within reason, use only new fresh ammo, factory or handloads. Avoid old corrosive surplus rounds that would have the potential to cause damage. The .303 round is so underpowered compared to the strength of that action the only way it could be damaged is if you triple charge a round (which is impossible) or a squib round doesn't escape the barrel and you fire another round behind it. Clean it right after you use it and oil it well to avoid rust and it will be fine.
I added a few pics of the conversion on mine and the markings that went with it. Bill
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Pictures of my P14 MKI E
Hope this works trying to upload pictures of my rifle.
In the one picture you can see that the barrel has never been recessed. For the longer bolt lug. Eddystone SN numbers in the 24,000 range and it's in the original Eddystone ( fat stock ).
Anyone out there know of who I can contact to find out more about the Eddystone original P14 MKI E configuration please let me know.
Thanks and I hope the pictures help
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https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=60146
DD, read post #9 in the above thread and it might explain why your rifle wasn't converted.
This is the first time I'm reading this information and it's news to me.
If this is true then there must have been at least 60,000 Eddystone rifles weren't converted. Bill
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My Eddystone P14 in the 47000 serial number range was converted to MKI* it has a replaced Eddystone MKI* bolt with the serial number re-stamped on it. My rifle has also been through the Weedon process as well. I don't believe there are hard and fast rules regarding the P14 rifle. I have not been able to find a detailed book on the history of the rifle. The P14 rifle seems to be the red-headed step child no body wants except when you are short of rifles in a war time environment. If anyone can direct me to an excellent refernce on the P14 rifle I would deeply appreciate.
Cheers
--fjruple
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Here in Canada, Mk1 P14's are relatively common. I see a few at almost every Gunshow I attend. Mind you, some are sportered, some are full military pattern, but here in Western Canada, they are not particularly rare.
My own example is an early Remington Mfg. from about the first or second day of production. It wears a "Fat Boy" stock, which it appears to be original to the rifle, and has had the volley sights removed, and also the stacking swivel, but still retains the Mk1 bolt and barrel.
It had been issued to India at some point in it's life where it was "Drilled" mercilessly, but shot little. I cleaned it up, installed a PH5B rear sight and it has become one of my better target rifles. Amazing accuracy!
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