Boer bought a P14. Please can you assist

[Billya]

I recently bought this P14 and would like to know a bit about this rifle could how they ended up here in South Africa. I am absolutely flabbergasted by the amount of knowledge from contributors on this sight. I am firstly a avid hunter and have a few rifle's in the hunting class but this is my first venture in older military rifles. I must admit that I find it fascinating and can see a new addiction in the making.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Nice looking old rifle...and welcome to the neighborhood...

[Bluenoser]

Nice looking P14. A target rear sight and a shim under the upper band, it's pretty clear what this old girl has been up to. What is written on the muzzle end of the bbl?

[CINDERS]

Yes you have the right site others will follow with their knowledge photos assist them in perhaps gleaning info as to information but as Bluenoser said the obvious signs are it has had range rifle time.

Welcome

[ikesdad]

They entered your country the same way the Lee Enfields did, from the Brits. I am told by one of your fellow countrymen that are many, many P17s there....well there was before your current government started cutting up all breeds of Enfields.

[Billya]

I cant provide much more as the rifle is in the custody of the dealer I purchased it from. We have a very slow licensing process here. The photos were sent to me by the dealer as it was a online purchase. I do know the serial number W213410 and The words "TESTED BY PARKER HALE" on the receiver in front of the rear sight. I have not come across or heard of anyone owning a Model 1917 here. I have seen pics of a P13 at a LERASA shoot and apparently the only one in South Africa. I will post more photos when I receive the rifle though.
My Best,
Bill

[Ridolpho]

Billya: Looks like a nice rifle. The W in the serial indicates it's a Winchester, as you're probably aware. Like most it was upgraded to "Weedon Standard" prior to or during WW2 which included removal of volley sights, brass butt disk, etc. My own Winchester (serial quite close to yours) ended up in an Eddystone stock. You may be very pleasantly surprised how well it may shoot with that nice aperture sight installed. I hadn't heard of packing under the nosecap as an accurizing trick and maybe someone can elaborate? As built, they were suppposed to have a few pounds of up-pressure at the forend tip (rest of barrel floating) and the barrel was free to move up in the nosecap during firing. Let us know how it shoots.

Ridolpho

[ikesdad]

I meant P14s.

[Billya]

Yes there are quite a few P14's here but unfortunately most are use as donors for custom hunting calibres particular with the popularity in big bore rifles. Sad but true locally the Action is more in demand than the value for original military nostalgia. There are many of the Lee Enfield's here as well. Again a lot are sportized for hunting but retain the 303 Brit calibre or upgrade to the 303 Epps.
My Best Bill

[ssj]

From the looks of it it is an ex-weedon (pre-ww2) upgraded pattern1914. From what you say about the rear sights and from what I think is written on the muzzle crown (parker hale ball burnished?) This is a Parker Hale regulated target rifle. Looks like there is still grooves at the muzzle so the barrel might well have considerable life in it and shoot well. Quite a few here in New Zealand also as shooting 303british was very popular "in the Colonies". If it has no SA acceptance stamps then it was never in the SA army and hence surplused out, so its probably a private import. Its most likely that the gun was sold to PH as ww2 surplus after ww2 and bought by a SAer and imported for target work. Its fairly lightly used probably because once past 500yds an accurised no4s shoots better and hence no3s were not competitive. I can see some packing at the muzzle but I am un-sure that achieves anything as I am told they didnt respond to "improving" very much. In saying that I'll try it on my gun and see what happens. I do know ppl tried over-packing the no4 in a failed attempt to keep up with Omarks etc (which just didnt work) so this is probably just a home spun attempt, all interesting though!

The high serial number indicates its a * and I think made in 1917. However if you post here, Great War Forum (you will have to find the right forum) there is a guy who did massive research on these, telling me for instance that my gun was accepted into UK service on the 7th July 1917 (wow).