P14 Advice

[Potashminer]

I have been working on a number of them here in Manitoba. I found it difficult to find authorative references, compared to stuff that was written about M1917's, but have been going mostly from Charles Stratton's book. Regarding "matching" - the barrel, the receiver, the bolt and the rear sight have identical serial numbers originally, when they left the factory. I have an "E" (Eddystone) cut down stock that also has the last digits of the receiver stamped in the barrel channel. Not seeing those numbers in 5 other cut down stocks here - those 5 all have finger grooves, so are likely "W" or "R" stocks - not enough left for me to know for sure. Then have the Mk.1 and Mk.1* versions made when new. Then have the Wheedon overhaul. Then have the WWII rebuild program in U.K. Much is written and documented about how many parts from one maker and another were not interchangeable - to the extent that Britain adopted them as three different rifles. It makes for an interesting hobby to read and understand how each was different - as posted above, though, very, very difficult to find any complete P14 stock set here in Canada, and then to go with the appropriate metal parts - they were not all the same!!!!

[Surpmil]

The best reference I'm aware of is Skennerton's "The U.S. Enfield".

Pick a couple up while they're so modestly priced perhaps?

[Potashminer]

Breath taking prices shown for those books, in those links!!! I did get one of them in August 2019. A bookstore in Australia as a seller on eBay - was $C 99.50 mailed to me. Information quite consistent, generally, with "Pattern 1914 and U.S. Model of 1917 Rifles" by Charles Stratton. I tend to use the Stratton book more often. It was $C 33.52 mailed to me from Amazon.ca in Feb. 2019 - probably stupid nuts higher price now, I suppose...

[fjruple]

I have been working on a number of them here in Manitoba. I found it difficult to find authorative references, compared to stuff that was written about M1917's, but have been going mostly from Charles Stratton's book. Regarding "matching" - the barrel, the receiver, the bolt and the rear sight have identical serial numbers originally, when they left the factory. I have an "E" (Eddystone) cut down stock that also has the last digits of the receiver stamped in the barrel channel. Not seeing those numbers in 5 other cut down stocks here - those 5 all have finger grooves, so are likely "W" or "R" stocks - not enough left for me to know for sure. Then have the Mk.1 and Mk.1* versions made when new. Then have the Wheedon overhaul. Then have the WWII rebuild program in U.K. Much is written and documented about how many parts from one maker and another were not interchangeable - to the extent that Britain adopted them as three different rifles. It makes for an interesting hobby to read and understand how each was different - as posted above, though, very, very difficult to find any complete P14 stock set here in Canada, and then to go with the appropriate metal parts - they were not all the same!!!!

Potashminer-- That's the one thing I like about the Pattern 14. First you have six major types to deal with. (Each manufacturer E, R and W, plus the MkI and MkI*) then there are changes with each manufacturer. It is amazing that the British Armourers could keep them all straight and working. Fast forward to today when you are trying to figure out what parts you need and then try and find a parts seller who knows what you are talking about. It's almost half the fun of doing the restoration of a bubba P-14. The stocks are becoming a difficult problem here in the US as well. There is an Italian company that is making the walnut M1917 stock, I believe the old Numrich gun parts is selling. I have not tried fitting a P-14 to a M1917 stock. I have better luck having a new front end grafted to the old bubba stock especially if a Eddystock "fat" boy stock. Good luck on your projects.

[Potashminer]

Italian made stocks - purchased from Numrich - I bought one set from them using the part numbers they give for the M1917; they also list or at least used to list stock sets for the P14 with a different part number, but I do not know if they are the same or not. Seemed to be nearly perfect drop in fit for a "W" M1917 that I had here. I also purchased a P14 with what I think is the exact same stock - at least the finger grooves on the sides say "M1917" rather than the P14 configuration. That second stock now has an "E" P14 in it and did not apparently need any modification at all. The finish is much different than on the original military ones, but they seem quite satisfactory if you want to make up a "shooter" or a "looker". Note that the two stocks that I had did not have the threaded brass cross pin between the trigger mortice and the magazine mortice. They were cross drilled for the lower band retaining pin and for the upper band cross screw, but of course, no metal was included there. The front and rear hand guards did come with the metal liners and rivets installed - a point to watch for - several USA vendors sell reproduction hand guards that do not have the liners or rivets, so need to buy and install them separately, if you can find them.

Original P14 and M1917 stocks will have different shaped cavities under the butt plates - one way to tell the difference - USA and Britain used different cleaning kits that stowed in there - I simply neglected to check that stock that got the "E" P14 set into it - I do not remember what cavities it had in there.

[Rockandroll]

Try Libertytreecollectors.com. The have stocks and bands for the P14.