Also (later) known as the “Rifle, No3, Mark I*”.
I purchased a P14 sporter from a gentleman in Dundas a while ago. I always had in mind to restore this beauty to its former glory. However, there are no full stocks to be had on the market.
Here is a view showing the issue date:
and the proof stamps and (matching) serial numbers.
So this rifle was manufactured under contract by Remington USA, and accepted (proofed) for England in 1917. It would likely have seen minimal use - probably as home guard, security, training or other second echelon duty.
The bolt is a replacement with different serial number. The gun runs really well, except it had a tendency to drop its floor plate from time to time. I purchased a kit of parts including hand-guards with a mind to refurbishing this, but I was still missing the full lower stock piece (that should run almost to the end of the barrel). I was considering making one myself - or scarfing a small piece onto what I had.
Recently (as readers will know), I refurbished my S.M.L.E., using a complete furniture kit I purchased from a gentleman in Faro YT, which left me with a spare butt-stock and a sporter-forestock. One night I was struck by an idea - I could use the old S.M.L.E. forestock to create the piece missing from the P14 forestock. The wood would be of the right age, and the diameter of the groove for the barrel seems just about right - so it saves me from a bunch of work that I don’t have the ideal tools to perform.
By purest coincidence, a C&Rsenal’s Anvil just released a cool new episode where Mark repairs a Kar98 that has a duffle cut forestock. A little more research told me that a duffle cut is where a serviceman takes apart the weapon to fit it in their duffle bag - and cuts the stock under the lower band to make it shorter. Mark performs a beautiful repair - which shows me basically everything I need to know to fasten a new front end to my forestock.
Just to be clear, my intention is not to “pass this off” as an original condition firearm. What I want is to be able to shoot this as a “Military Service Rifle” in competition, as well as have it on my wall in what looks like its original condition.
Here is the gun and all the parts ready for the job.
Closer inspection reveals that I am missing 2 spring-steel handguard liners.