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Thread: P14 Eddystone Fatboy?

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  1. #1
    Legacy Member wkato's Avatar
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    P14 Eddystone Fatboy?

    Ran across this rifle and need your help value wise. What about the "EY" stamp, should I be concerned? I've read so many different things about the "EY" stamp I'm not sure what to think.

    What should I expect to pay for this rifle?

    Rifle is in the US, not Canadaicon.









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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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    i like it , it looks a very nice example , ill leave the EY to others more knowledgeable on that than i am , congrats

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    Thanks A square for the reply. Didn't get any answers I needed so went ahead and made the trade so the rifle will be here in a week.

    So now that I own it I'd appreciate and info the board may provide.

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    Wasn't the EY for Emergency Use only?

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    I'm surprised that several individuals didn't answer here actually...we have a few that should have jumped on this. I'm not one though...I thought Emergency only also...
    Regards, Jim

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    Congratulations!

    You have a well-marked Eddystone with apparently original volley sights. Good P14s are much rarer than M1917s, and the vast majority had their volley sights removed during later overhauls.
    I don't know your market, but that looks to me to be worth at least 50% more than a "normal" example. OK, maybe I'm an optimist, but it is certainly above average.

    As for EY - a century later it is not easy to tell why it was marked thus. The EY indicates that it was "iffy" in some respect, but not a hopeless case. Maybe nothing worse than a bore worn beyond normal service acceptance limits. If it was dangerous to shoot, it would surely have been simply scrapped or marked DP (drill purpose only). The only sensible thing to do is to proceed on the basis that you know nothing for sure - as you would do anyway for an old service rifle!

    BTW, the EY marking is mentioned in several posts on the Lee-Enfield forum. It was apparently used for grenade-launching rifles - but these were usually (???) wire-wrapped as well, to provide extra stability. Nevertheless they were fireable, whatever defects they may have had.

    So give it a thorough examination for barrel damage and wear, rusting beneath the wood, excessive head clearance, rust in the chamber etc. etc. Your photos reveal that it has been removed from the stock since the trigger guard screws were staked a century ago, so you will not be disturbing any original setup, which would in any case no longer apply after a century. And don't waste time and money on headspace gauges on such an old rifle. Over and over again it has been demonstrated on these pages that the typical gunsmith has no idea of how to properly evaluate these old rifles, and will avoid any conceivable liability by condemning it.

    To get the best results out of ancient service rifles, you need to use cases that have been fire-formed in that rifle, especially since the rifle may well have been downgraded to EY because of bore wear. In which case, first test shots with newly formed cases are likely to be disappointing for accuracy. Please take the trouble to search for "head clearance" in the forum contributions, and you will find the matter described in detail on more than one occasion, with test methods that may not measure to the millionth of an inch, but are quite accurate enough to determine whether a rifle is usable or not. Correctly sized bullets and cases can transform the performance of old rifles.

    Study the forum advice, go carefully, and enjoy it
    Last edited by Patrick Chadwick; 01-30-2014 at 05:52 AM.

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    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    One other thing here is the fact it's a "Fat boy" and we discussed these a couple years ago or so. I'd never heard of them at that time...and it's hard to describe them if there's no pic. Well, here it is...
    Regards, Jim

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    that is wounderful example. sure would like more photo closeups

    i have the same rifle but the wood is not as nice as yours
    charles

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    Sorry I've be absent, but nothing much to say until the rifle was actually in my hands. Guess what? She arrived today. WOW! Absolutely gorgeous, not a flaw. I don't believe the rifle has ever been out of her stock since the forward barrel chamber screw is still staked, I can't turn it. Bore is beautiful with strong rifling, wood is perfection with beautiful color. I think this rifle proves the EY definition for the Fatboy I found on the "All About Enfields" website.

    http://www.allaboutenfields.co.nz/history/markings/

    Sold out of Service but over EY, now I will happily be corrected here, but that means that at some stage in the rifles life it was for either emergency use only or it was used as a grenade launcher / line thrower. Emergency Use only could be due many reasons, barrel wear etc through to nothing wrong with it like a P14 fatboy, just not enough to be put into normal use and held back for emergency use only.


    Someone mentioned pics! What is it you wanted to see?
    Last edited by wkato; 01-31-2014 at 11:21 PM.

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    I have heard that EY on p-14's is not quite the same as Lee Enfields. This was just discussed on a different Lee Enfield forum. It seems that many p14's in early configuration were designated as such do to parts compatability not wear. Do some more searches, I believe it was on Gunboards , and by all means examine everything prior to shooting.
    I would be more than pleased to own that one.
    Cheers

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