Lightening the cocking force on a P-14

[josquin]

I have a BSA-sporterized P-14 which I will be taking out to the range soon. However, the force required to #### the action (ie close the bolt) is quite stiff in comparison to my SMLE Mk4 Nº1, which is nice and easy.

Now I know that these are different actions, although they both #### on closing (which is OK with me) and no doubt the weight of the firing pin/striker assembly is different, but since the force required to ignite the primer is the same, is it practical to lighten the firing pin spring on the P-14? Brownell's lists Wolff aftermarket "Blitzenschnell" springs for the P-14 but they seem to be stronger than the factory ones rather than lighter.

Stuart

 

[guntech]

The bolt assembly can be altered so the firing pin drop is less and that is when you need a "Blitzenschnell" spring. I think there is a conversion to #### on opening that can be done. Both methods need to be done carefully and not something just anyone can do at home. I have not done either since about 1975. I don't recall the exact procedures at this time.

 

[hiredgun]

Gunparts Corp in New York state has the #### opening kit and magazine boxes, along with lots of P14/17 parts. They are good people to deal with, no border hassels. I had a bunch of P14 parts delviverd right to my door at Christams.

 

[gunrunner100]

The ####-on-opening kit is not compatible with some aftermarket triggers (if this is an issue for you).
You could try another spring, trim it for length a bit at a time. Or another spring of slightly thinner diameter wire. Time and trial...

 

[josquin]

The ####-on-opening kit is not compatible with some aftermarket triggers (if this is an issue for you).
You could try another spring, trim it for length a bit at a time. Or another spring of slightly thinner diameter wire. Time and trial...

I think a bit of experimentation (with a spare spring) may be the answer. I don't mind the ####-on-closing action.

Although I like the P-14, I can see where the relative ease of operation of the SMLE was a real benefit under combat conditions and probably contributed to the gun's rapid-fire capability as much as the position of the bolt handle.

Stuart

 

[MD]

Bsa

Otherwise how do you like the rifle?

I have a BSA converted U.S. Model of 1917.

I had to have the barrel re-crowned due to some previous owner abuse,, do some work on the extractor spring and deal with some bedding and guard screw issues, but it's got a great bore and shoots well.

I still have a minor feeding problem though. Sometimes the next round in the mag will not get picked up by the bolt on cycling the action. Might be a weak mag spring.

 

[josquin]

Otherwise how do you like the rifle?...

Well, I haven't shot it yet; I'm hoping to get it out on the range tomorrow. If it shoots as well as my other P-14 (which I got as a lightly-bubba'd "project gun", with only the extra wood removed and the stock refinished, otherwise as issued I think), I will be pretty happy. After fire-lapping the bore, that one shot a .8 x .4" group at 50m with issue sights, using 43.5gr of RL 15 behind a Sierra 180 gr. I'll probably sell off the other P-14 if this one shoots as well since I don't need two.

I thought I might have a feeding problem with mine as well when some Remington round-nose bullets would hang up on the second round from the mag. but it turned out I had loaded them a bit too long. Re-seating the bullets with the crimp right on the cannelure fixed that.

When I got it apart I discovered that a prev. owner had glass-bedded it and added a Timney trigger as well as installing scope mounts, which were nice bonuses. All I've done so far is to strip the stock and put an oil finish on it and put a Weaver 4x on it.

If this turns out OK, I'm planning to ream it to .303 Epps and take it on a plains safari in 2007!

Stuart

 

[MD]

Nice

Wow,

That is a nice example.

Mine is a bare bones hack and chop of the military stock.

The BSA drilling was off too, so I had to have that re-drilled by a gunsmith to take scope mounts.

It's ugly.

The best thing about it is the bore.

 

[downwindtracker2]

The weakness of the P-14 and M'17 are the ejector springs,they break.On a M'17 it's a simple matter to use the gunparts kit,but the P-14 is different. A fix that was on my M'17 sporter was a heavy flat spring.This made for a stiff bolt throw.

The correct way to have ####-on-opening is like Remington did on their M-30S and M-720 .Roy Dunlap in his Gunsmithing shows how.