P 14 Winchester B/A rifle S/H Calibre: .303
£525
Enfield P14 rifle by Winchester S/H. Calibre .303
After the Boer war when the British army was deemed to have been out shot on the veldt by the Boers’ 7mm Mauser rifles Britain sought to replace its Lee Enfields with a Mauser actioned rifle.
This manifested itself in the P (pattern) 13 rifle designed for a new .276 Enfield rimless cartridge. The outbreak of the first world war however meant that production of the SMLE could not be halted to convert to P13 production.
America however had the capacity to produce new rifles and the P13 now designated the P14 as it was chambered for the existing .303″ British round was manufactured by Winchester, Eddystone and Remington. As production of the SMLE increased it was the front line rifle for British and commonwealth troops during WW1. Although deemed more accurate than the SMLE, the SMLE was a better battle rifle lighter, with a higher magazine capacity and faster rate of fire. The Lee Enfield action was Britain’s standard for rifle through to the end of WW2.
When America entered the first world war in 1917 it also had a shortage of rifles and production of the 03 Springfield could not keep up with expanding military. The P14 design was converted to chamber the US Army 30-06 round and was designated the M(model)17. It was this rifle that equipped most of the US troops during the first world war including Sgt Alvin York who won the Congressional Medal of Honour for his bravery and marksmanship with a M17
The P14 soldiered on in the reserve role and many were refurbished to Mk2 standard and Weedon and other factories equipping the Home Guard in the second world war.
This rifle is in very good overall condition, with matching numbers and a sharply d bore. It has been converted to Mk2 standard with the removal of the volley sights.
It is of Winchester manufacture which are considered to be the better quality rifle.
Price £525