Rifle, .303 Pattern 1914
Continuing our very intermittent series of predominantly British infantry weapons, this morning dear readers we turn our attention to the venerable Pattern 14 (or P14) rifle.
Originally designed before the Great War for .276” caliber, it was ultimately produced in the more usual .303 caliber in the United States under contract by Remington, Winchester & Eddystone as to re-tooling British factories that were running at fully capacity producing SMLE’s would have been impractical. Interestingly, being based upon the Mauser action, it represented a departure from the more usual Enfield style action
During the Boer War the British Army had faced accurate long-range fire from insurgents (eh? Ed) using Model 1895 Mausers chambered for the 7x57mm round.. This smaller, high-velocity cartridge prompted the War Department to develop their own "magnum" round in 1910, using a .276 calibre round patterned from that of the Canadian Ross rifle.
However being prduced by three manufacturers, caused serious production problems;
Each factory produced parts from their own designs, leading to interchangeability issues; Winchester was particularly troublesome in this regard, going so far as to refuse for months to change to the new Mk I* standard. Therefore, the official designation of the rifle was dependent upon its manufacturer: e.g., the Pattern 1914 Mk I W is a Mk I of Winchester manufacture, R would be Remington, or E for Eddystone.
The P14's principal combat use during WWI was as a sniper rifle, since it was deemed to be more accurate than the SMLE at longer ranges, either in standard issue form or with modified or telescopic sights (modified and telescopic sights were used only on Winchester-manufactured rifles).
When the U.S. entered the war, the P14 was modified and standardized by the U.S. Ordinance Department and went into production at the same factories as had produced the P14, production of that rifle having ceased, as the Model of 1917, commonly known as the M1917 Enfield, chambered for the standard US 30-06 cartridge. It enjoyed considerable success as a complement for the Springfield M1903 rifles which were America's official standard issue, soon far surpassing the Springfield in terms of both total production and breadth of issue.
Prior to and during World War II, the P14 was used, after undergoing modification ("Weedon repair standard", formally the Mk II standard) in Britain as a rearguard rifle, primarily to equip the WWII Home Guard (the soldiers of Dad's Army carried P14s); the rifle was also used again as a sniper rifle (the configuration being different from the WWI incarnation
Indeed, as one pundit puts it
the P14 was a British design, based on a German action, manufactured in America.
Therefore, the next time you see some ponytailed protesters waving their 4 x 2 placards about the international arms trade, you might like to politely point out that it really is nothing new!
Comments
I have a 1917 Enfield that was lovingly sporterized by someone. It is a remarkably accurate rifle, equipped with a vernier target rear peep sight and ramped gold bead front sight.
I have actually hit flying clay pigeons with it - with witnesses!
One of these days I'd very much like to find a P14 to go along with it.
Posted by: Kevin Baker | April 25, 2008 12:22 AM