Numrich doesn't have stocks and is sold out of two of the parts I need.
My great Uncle's Rifle - Winchester P-14 made in 1917?
- Thread starter drache
- Start date
Numrich doesn't have stocks and is sold out of two of the parts I need.
Get all the parts you can from whatever source you can. They will only get more difficult to find.
longbranch*
CGN frequent flyer
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- Victoria,BC.
Honestly? I'd leave it as-is. If you really want a full military example then post a WTB and I'm sure you'll be offered something.
Geoff
Geoff
I don't have the spare money to purchase a $500 rifle. The stock is already broken in two places. I might as well put a new stock on it and if I am I might as well do a full wood.
The picture does it more justice due to the flash on my camera
Like I said I'm hoping to put it back to full wood if I can find a stock and the parts!
I'll keep an eye out for a stock, the winchester stocks were slimmer than the Eddystone ones. I also have the barrel bands and sling swivels if you dont have any luck on your side. Boyds do a repro stock I think but Numrich do originals!
MapleSugar
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If you can't find a nice full-wood stock to bring it back to its former glory, then Bell & Carlson makes a really nice fiberglass sporter stock for the P14/M1917 rifles.
Timney makes a nice sportsman's trigger too.
I used to have a BSA sporterized M1917 rifle that was a tack-driver and it improved with the addition of both those items.
Restoring it would be cool though, if you can do so.
Timney makes a nice sportsman's trigger too.
I used to have a BSA sporterized M1917 rifle that was a tack-driver and it improved with the addition of both those items.
Restoring it would be cool though, if you can do so.
Yeah I seen that. About $145 if I remember. They would be nice except it's too nice. The stock would stand out compared to the beat up receiver.
The sporter conversion work definitely was done in England, likely by PH or BSA, both of whom listed rifles such as this in the budget line.
They did a lot to the wood, almost nothing to the metal (thankfully).
If it were mine, I think I would get the parts to make it MilSpec again and also preserve the stock you have. That IS very nice striping on that stock.
That way, you have TWO rifles for the price of one: a full-military to show off..... and Uncle's Bambi-blaster.
P-14 rifles can be made to shoot with quite astonishing accuracy. Forget Timney triggers and the like: the factory 2-stage trigger is just fine once you get used to it. They can be tuned or stoned to give a let-off to rival just about anything else made: crisp, positive, NO creep and very SAFE, all at once. Cheaper than $150, too: my oilstone set cost me $6 and a penny's worth of motor oil.
Uncle has VERY good taste in rifles.
They did a lot to the wood, almost nothing to the metal (thankfully).
If it were mine, I think I would get the parts to make it MilSpec again and also preserve the stock you have. That IS very nice striping on that stock.
That way, you have TWO rifles for the price of one: a full-military to show off..... and Uncle's Bambi-blaster.
P-14 rifles can be made to shoot with quite astonishing accuracy. Forget Timney triggers and the like: the factory 2-stage trigger is just fine once you get used to it. They can be tuned or stoned to give a let-off to rival just about anything else made: crisp, positive, NO creep and very SAFE, all at once. Cheaper than $150, too: my oilstone set cost me $6 and a penny's worth of motor oil.
Uncle has VERY good taste in rifles.
I seriousy doubt if that was factory sportered at BSA or Parker Hale. They generally rebuilt them using new barrels with sporter style front sight ramps and express style on the barrel rear. They also would have used new furniture. The fact that the rifles metal work is unaltered and the original stock is just shortened at the muzzle points to a local smith or home made attempt at lightening the freezer filler. Those were done by the hundreds to attempt to make the hunters life a little easier!
I read that the Winchester P-14's were top of the line for accuracy of all the P-14 makers. Is this true? Something how only Winchester P-14's were made into "sniper" rifles?
@TimC:
Then why are they shown in both companies' catalogues of the post-War period?
Why were so very many cut own perfectly and identically to a particular pattern if they were done in half the garages in North America?
Any why do nearly all of them sport identical sling swivels of a type which was not commonly available on this side of the Pond, one which would have been laughed out of existence if it had been?
Then why are they shown in both companies' catalogues of the post-War period?
Why were so very many cut own perfectly and identically to a particular pattern if they were done in half the garages in North America?
Any why do nearly all of them sport identical sling swivels of a type which was not commonly available on this side of the Pond, one which would have been laughed out of existence if it had been?
Sir then you have me at a disadvantage there, if they were in a catalogue then yes they were sold. I have looked through my old BSA and PH cats and the ones I saw were similar to the M series. The USNRA did a whole load of pamplets on sporterising surplus rifles, I have one for the SMLE which if you followed the instructions would leave you hundreds of rifles all almost identical!
Thats where I was coming from, I didnt mean to sound a know it all.
Please scan in the cat sections and share. I would love to see them.
I have seen one which was a winchester sporterised in an almost identical fashion but it didnt have any PH or BSA stamping anywhere which was quite the normal thing.
My SMLE sporter (nice original factory job) is stamped PH and uses the original rear sight!
A very old (as in age) friend of mine worked for PH during the 1950's and worked on lots of these rifles. Their business plan was as much money in the door for as little work out the door although he spent a lot of his time rebarrelling the P14s to 7.62 x 51 for target conversions. These tended to be ones with poor .303 barrels but otherwise ok.
The decent ones were rebuilt into models similar to the BSA M series.
The one I see in our club has a P-H 'ball-burnished' barrel - that cost two guineas more than the £17.19.6d of the standard P14. It still shoots like stink, too.
Next time Martin turns up with it I'll pay a bit more attention.
tac
Winchester had better control on heat treatment than Remington & Eddystone (who were also Remington). The fact that the P-14/M17 action is longer than others (can take a long cartridge) they were looked after to build sporters, especially the Winchester ones. As far as I know, I never personally saw or experienced better accuracy with any of the three brands.
Just had to add to this thread my P14 day. I just received a front volley sight and 1916 correct sling for my 1916 P14 Mk1 Remington. It is now rebuilt to original standard. I feel like a kid at Christmas. It has a couple of small Eddystone parts but is all there including brass marking disc.
I am just about finished a Mk1* and can't decide if I should leave it as WRS configuration or 1917 standard as I have both butt stocks.
Back to thread
I am just about finished a Mk1* and can't decide if I should leave it as WRS configuration or 1917 standard as I have both butt stocks.
Back to thread
Just had to add to this thread my P14 day. I just received a front volley sight and 1916 correct sling for my 1916 P14 Mk1 Remington. It is now rebuilt to original standard. I feel like a kid at Christmas. It has a couple of small Eddystone parts but is all there including brass marking disc.
I am just about finished a Mk1* and can't decide if I should leave it as WRS configuration or 1917 standard as I have both butt stocks.
Back to thread
stop rubbing it in
Interesting, that's the first time I've heard someone suggest that Winchester had anything over Remington Illion. Remington Eddystone was a different matter of course.
OP, your rifle is an early one that probably saw service in some capacity in WWI. The pitting makes it not worth restoring IMO, but if the barrel is good you have a fine quality rifle with bags of history, superb accuracy and a stock that is one of the best military stock designs ever fielded IMO.
And if the barrel is shot, you still have an action that is worth re-using. The stock has some exceptional grain and would be well worth revamping with some nice checkering etc.
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