P14 Sniper Wood

[homebythesea1891]

Hi Guys, A number of years ago I acquired a nice P14 Winchester all matching sporter and set at trying to find an original wood stock to restore it into. I recently acquired one, but believe I probably didn't get exactly what I was looking for. (I have attached some pictures of both the stock and the re wooded rifle). What I think I have is a stock that was modified during WWI to mount an Aldis scope. What I'm looking for I guess is confirmation that I still have to continue looking.

Thanks in advance.

Information

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[Roger Payne]

It looks like you have a stock set off a Rifle No3 Mk1* (T) A. It is not off the 'common' P'14 sniper rifle that bears the Model 1918 scope on over bore claw mounts, but from one of the 421 rifles set up by Alex Martin in early WW2 using Great War rifles & Great War Aldis scopes (Aldis for the most part, a few other types of vintage WW1 scopes were also fitted).

I have an original No3 Mk1* (T) A rifle that has been fitted with a replacement stock as it had been sporterised, but the previous owner didn't make the best of jobs of it. If you decide you want to sell your stock I'd be very interested!

[gordong]

Then why does it say Patt.14 on the buttstock?

[Roger Payne]

Because the stock was originally made (& marked) in 1916/17 when the official designation of the rifle was the Pattern '14. The system changed in 1926 when the P'14 rifle became known as the Rifle No3. The two orders for the sniper conversions for which the OP has the woodwork were made in 1940 & 1941, & the correct designation had become the Rifle No3 Mk1* (T) A.

[gordong]

Thanks for the explanation!

[Roger Payne]

No worries!

[Promo]

In all of my collection time I had not seen a single spare Alexander Martin P.14 sniper stock. Very interesting - and at the same time hurtful to look at, because it makes it obvious someone killed a sniper rifle for this stock.


We have one user from NZ here on milsurps.com who has an original Alexander Martin P.14 barreled action, without stock & mount. He had posted it on this forum: https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=67115 . Unfortunately pics are gone. But mating his metal with your stock would result in almost a sniper rifle again. I'd have the spare scope with mount waiting for one of those in my display ... . Well, hadn't it been for Roger who already told you he was interested, I'd had said the same. But the gentlemen from UK has a much better reason than me to get the stock, if you ever decide to part.


General question from my side on this, some of the P.14 sniper rifles have cheek pads, most do not (applies same to the PPCo as well as Alexander Martin rifles). Is there any particular reason as to why some have it and some not?


Edit: did you ever check your stock in very detail if it happens to have a rifle serial stamped somewhere? Some of the P.14 sniper rifles had the serial stamped on them, most I saw was in front of the magazine guard.


Edit2: did you check with the seller of the stock if he has the action to it/where he got it from? Maybe the original sniper action to it is still somewhere around, maybe now in a different stock. It definitely is worth asking him, because the worst outcome could be no outcome.

[Surpmil]

Was it bought in Nova Scotia, or elsewhere in Canada?

[Kiwi]

Could use that stock set alright. Would love to see the inside of the stock where the front bracket would sit around the barrel before it protrudes out through the handguard. I'm guessing the woodwork is relieved in that area. One day I'll get my restoration sorted....

[AD-4NA]

Congrats, (maybe?) I saw that No3 Mk1* (T) A stock on U.S. Ebay and wondered how may viewers knew what they were looking at; or how many forum members noticed it.

That was for a pretty specific model of rifle and I was hoping it would go to a good home. It was very, very, reasonably priced for what it was, but I personally knew the odds of finding the correct project action for it unless someone had it already.

If you were looking for a regular Winchester stock (that is not Drill Purpose cut) they do come up and they can be found if you check the markings. That is a very unique stock and is quite a mismatch if I have understood you correctly.

Edit: I just looked at the listing and the seller again and the seller parted out this entire rifle, chopped receiver included, including the rear No3 Mk1* (T) A aperture rear sight among everything else!
And a complete No4 MkI (T)!
For tenths of pennies on the dollar!