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Thread: How to date a P14 Rifle?

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  1. #11
    Legacy Member m4a3sherman's Avatar
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    Hello Patrick, i see that like me, you get around on these forums! Thanks for the continually useful and educating posts. Now to business; mine has the asterisk on the top of the chamber and on the bolt extractor. I know this may be incorrect, but I had always been told that the asterisk was indeed denoting of a lengthened and strengthened bolt but that it had been a sort of conversion that most rifles underwent. I have only seen a precious few without the stamping and they seem to sell for very high. Perhaps you could shed some light on this? Additionally, the receiver on my P14 has a two stamped just a few centimeters above the asterisk; any idea of its meaning? Additionally, Though mine has gone through Weedon repair, I am restoring it to WWI configuration (I just love volley sights) as it does not have the stock neck cartouche (probably faded away) and one can't readily check the barrel date. The replacement volley sights are supposed to arrive today so perhaps I'll put pictures up once I install them and get her going.

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  4. #12
    Legacy Member vintage hunter's Avatar
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    I made a mistake, mine has a 5 digit serial number, 60405, and the left bolt lug measures .625''. , still has the volley sights and a mysterious 1 pc handgard. Until recently my interest in milsurp rifles was shooting and hunting with them so I was satisfied with just knowing who made it and when. At one time in the early 90's I had 4 P14's, all Eddy's. In light of Patricks and m4a3sherman's posts I guess I was lucky to have kept the one I have left, I have it simply because it had the best bore of the lot. It's all matching, except rear sight, and has all Eddystone parts. This is pure sreculation on my part but judging by the ser. # it's possible it was among the first batch to be sent over. Patrick, 'Sherm, any thoughts?

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  6. #13
    Advisory Panel Patrick Chadwick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by m4a3sherman View Post
    Additionally, the receiver on my P14 has a two stamped just a few centimeters above the asterisk

    No idea about that at the moment. Pictures please! - I am at present puzzled by what you mean by "a few centimeters above the asterisk"

    I do not know, but I find it plausible, that any Mk 1 rifles that were pulled in for overhaul or "Weedoning" would have been upgraded to the* configuration at the same time.

    A one-piece handguard may be an emergency repair using something adpted from another rifle. Impossible to even guess without pics of the outside and the inside (rivet holes etc may provide clues).

    But a P14 Mk 1 (no star) that has kept its volley sight is indeed a comparative rarity. Assuming, for lack of precise information, a regular production (approx 1.2 million rifles in 18 months, half of them from Eddystone), then the number would indeed suggest the first or second month of production. As to the delivery batches - quien sabe?

    Patrick

  7. #14
    Legacy Member m4a3sherman's Avatar
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    Hello, I will indeed post pictures once I get home this evening from my war-gaming event. My friend in real life and on here, Sht_lee is an enfield collector and the more we discussed the rifle in question at work today, he seems to think that based on one of Skinnerton's books (there are so many to keep up with, but Sht_lee has them all so I just go with it) all of the barrel's produced for the P14's were produced during the initial run. Beyond that, my '27 dated barrel is marked to eddystone which would make the 1927 date an inspection date rather than manufacture date. Add to this, the P14 I received today to pull parts from is also stamped '27 on the barrel and based on the serial number, is earlier production than mine. I've had a hard time locating any other dates on either barrel and am pretty satisfied with 1916 as a general date. Strange things indeed. Anywho, I will get pictures up tonight I hope, cheers!

  8. #15
    Legacy Member m4a3sherman's Avatar
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    Ok, show and tell time.






    Ok, so there is the two I am curious about- I haven't seen another with a number there but it could be a lot of things and mean nothing so, it's whatever.

  9. #16
    Advisory Panel Patrick Chadwick's Avatar
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    Thanks for the pics. You have an Eddystone with what is known a "fat boy" stock. And I am still puzzling over the 2.

    From its position and orientation it looks as if it was applied at the same time as the asterisk. Maybe some indication of who/when?

    Patrick
    Last edited by Patrick Chadwick; 06-23-2011 at 01:05 PM.

  10. #17
    Legacy Member vintage hunter's Avatar
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    If the '27 is only an inspection date, what happened to the original manufacture date? If it was'nt re-barreled should'nt it still be there? How bout post some pics of the knox form where the '27 is.
    Last edited by vintage hunter; 06-23-2011 at 01:16 PM.

  11. #18
    Contributing Member Tom in N.J.'s Avatar
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    I had a super "Fat Boy" stocked ERA, with long range sights, it had the number '3' stamped on the receiver. This rifle had never been Weedon repaired or updated. It now belongs to a lucky teacher in Richmond, VA.
    Acording to C.S. Stratton, the '2' on the receiver on a ERA Pattn '14 indicates it has a fourth type receiver, which has to do with a change in the feed ramp.

    Attachment 24089
    Last edited by Tom in N.J.; 06-23-2011 at 01:49 PM.

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  13. #19
    Legacy Member m4a3sherman's Avatar
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    Ok, pictures of the bbl markings along knox form soon to come- in the mean time, check out this-





    This is an M1917 Bolt that has unformately had the bolt face torn asunder or otherwise destroyed- What's curious are the markings- They appear to be USMC (US Marine Corps) and a flaming bomb. I haven't been able to find any other examples; does anyone know what this is?

  14. #20
    Legacy Member vintage hunter's Avatar
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    The USMC is for United Shoe Machine Company, IIRC.

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