Eddystone P.14 Sniper

[Seaspriter]

Does anyone have any thoughts on why this rifle used an Eddystone as its foundation, rather than a Winchester P-14, which was the standard sniper configuration?

[Kiwi]

If you also read "'27" on the barrel, would in 1927 the barrel still have the original Eddystone serial number on it? Or would the British use original Eddystone stamps? Was it an overstamp? Basically this doesn't make yet enough sense...

Did a quick search on the net and found the 2014 thread on the CMP forum relating to this rifle (http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=150859) , but the picture of the date date (attached) didn't shed any light on the barrel date stamping. Another P14 Eddystone barrel stamping I found and attached a picture of (Eddystone Serial 547696) looks like the one on your rifle, but the 1 has been stamped much clearer. The 1 used in the year stamping has quite a serif at the bottom and in conjunction with the ' before the 17, I think what you are seeing as a '27 is in fact a '17.

As you know Promo my P14 tastes lay with the Winchester sniper variants (I'm slowly but surely working on my No.3 (T) A rebuild!) and for the time being I don't own an Eddystone to see one up close to confirm otherwise, but my money is on an original 1917 dated barrel with a lightly stamped 1.

[henry r]

it probably has no relation to your rifle, but a knowledgeable gentleman told me the Australian converted ww2 P14 snipers weren't built on winchester rifles.

[Promo]

Andrew, I suppose this is you? Thanks for the comparison pictures. That would then be a sloppy stamped '17, but not a 27. Which would fit to the rifles serial number.

I also have no idea why they would use an Eddystone action for such a rifle, since as said the Commonwealth for snipers used only the Winchester manufactured rifles. It could either be an inter-war trial where they just used what was at hand. But it can also be that this rifle was NOT a UK trials rifle, but in fact an US trials. I've also seen Frankford Arsenal made sniper rifles, which used a P.14 action (and this particular rifle had quite an odd design with gearings to adjust the scope). Would the UK mark any of their trials rifle with a certain marking?

Rob, the picture of the P.14 with the A5 telescope also shows that the scope is quite HIGH to what it needs to be. I believe it can be lower with modified scope rings. But again, this is just an idea. I'll place a scope backwards on the bases, to see if everything would clear. And measure the distance between the scope bases, to see if it would fit to the 6" spacing of the A5.

[DocAV]

No4 Magazine Body, was the Last Design of Magazine for the SMLE No1 Mark III*...Nothing to do with the "Rifle No.4" of the 1930s. No4 Rifle Magazines have NO number on them, and have a different Latch Piece (shorter than that of Mag Body No.4)

The Piece shown is really a very good Commercial Conversion, and could have been done either in the US or Britain> When I can't say. I have seen several P14s with the ears of the rear sight flattened in that way, to clear a large Scope tube, but none fitted with a 10 round Mag. The Fact that an SMLE mag Body was used is Not indicative of Age. It could have been done any time from 1920 to the 1950s (the fact that it still has the Volley sight in Place makes it a "surplus" of the early 1920s ) Later Surplus ( after 1930s) would be a "Weedon Repair Standard "(No Volley sights, etc)

Maybe the stock shortening was to prevent a Bayonet being Fitted to the rifle ( Not a British requirement, then or now ) If the rifle did come from Europe, there should also be some European Proof Marks on it ( substantial change of construction).

A puzzlement, but obviously Well thought out and done. Just think if the 10 shot mag had been introduced with the original P14...

Doc AV

[Promo]

I just "fell" over this very interesting rifle at the Royal Armouries, a P.14 with an experimental extended magazine: Centrefire bolt-action rifle - Experimental Pattern 1914 Mk.I (W) (about 1918) - Royal Armouries collections .

Edit: to also show the picture directly here...

[browningautorifle]

Construction of that is VERY close to yours.

[Promo]

I agree with you, especially the enforced/thickened floor plate looks identical. For my rifle they just added a detach-function for the SMLE magazine.

Does anyone recognize the magazine used in this rifle? I assume it's a MG magazine.

[Promo]

I've by occasion found a Parker-Hale attributed scope, which is also externally adjustable (and one from Redfield too). Does anyone know which period these scopes date to? Probably they used such a (British made?) scope for this rifle, with modified mounts?