P14 sniper rifle - Italy

Tudenom

Tudenom

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Here's an interesting photo I found on the web, supposedly these are Canadian soldiers in Italy. I didn't realize Canada used the P14 as a sniper rifle in WW2.

italy_orsogna.jpg


Some other interesting photo's here:

http://wwii.ca/page24.html

(Scroll to the bottom)
 
Tudenom said:
Here's an interesting photo I found on the web, supposedly these are Canadian soldiers in Italy. I didn't realize Canada used the P14 as a sniper rifle in WW2.

italy_orsogna.jpg


Some other interesting photo's here:

http://wwii.ca/page24.html

(Scroll to the bottom)
Click to expand...

There were a bunch of scopes (150ish IIRC) left in stores from WWI which were installed on P14s as a quickly available sniper rifle.

The British requested more from us, but were told that no more scopes were available.

Recounted in Law's "Without Warning"
 
Especially with the Warner Swazey sight.....
Normally they are have the Patt: 18 PPCo., the Watts or Aldis, but this one is a Warner Swazey....
Nice bit of kit...
 
wheaty said:
Normally they are have the Patt: 18 PPCo., the Watts or Aldis, but this one is a Warner Swazey....
Click to expand...

Don't forget that rare batch of 79 rifles with Model 1918 scopes mfg by BSA between 1935 and 1938. ;)

(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Regards,
Badger
 
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Saw an all original, all matching P-14 sniper for sale on another board. Cost about $10,000. Very very rare. In the 30 year history of that buy-sell board, it was only the second one they had ever seen. Needless to say. I want one. Can anyone loan me $10k?
 
Standard British/Canadian Army utility knife I have seen example of them dating from WW1 right up to my early Militia days in the 1980's.
 
In the "Lee-Enfield Story" by Skennerton he indicates that at the start of World War 2 because of the lack of sniper rifles Alaxander Martin in Glasgow set up 400 Winchester manufactured No. 3 Mk1*(T)A rifles. Setting up of the initial batch of No. 4 Mk 1(T) rifles was done at Enfield in 1940 and all sniper rifles produced became the property of the British War department who doled them out to designated users, irregardless of the country of manufacture.
 
Garand said:
In the "Lee-Enfield Story" by Skennerton he indicates that at the start of World War 2 because of the lack of sniper rifles Alaxander Martin in Glasgow set up 400 Winchester manufactured No. 3 Mk1*(T)A rifles. Setting up of the initial batch of No. 4 Mk 1(T) rifles was done at Enfield in 1940 and all sniper rifles produced became the property of the British War department who doled them out to designated users, irregardless of the country of manufacture.
Click to expand...


With thanks to Advisory Panel members Lance, Wheaty and Terry Hawker, plus regular members Valleysniper and breakeyp for their patient assistance answering questions, there's an excellent entry on this rifle in the England - Milsurp Knowledge Library (click here) http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12

A rare No.3 MkI* (T)A Sniper Rifle (click here) ..... http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=3472

(Click PIC to Enlarge)

This is one of only 421 rifles converted by Alexander Martin of Glasgow. There are several entries with pics noted in the "Collector's Feedback and Comments" section of the main Knowledge Library entry, showing font and stamping examples, as compared against pics provided of other known examples of this rare collectible rifle, which currently reside in collector's hands.

Regards,
Badger
 
Calum said:
I'd love to get my hands on one of those scopes, mounts, and full wood. :D
Click to expand...

i saw one a gun auction i frequented very regularly in the late 80's (south edmonton of 91st street; owner/manger was a trap/skeet shooter in one of the earlier olympics-anyone else go to these actions???) anyways, i saw on of these p-14, full wood, with an offset scope having the sniper reticule. the gun was rather banged up, had lots of interesting markings, and went for about $110 or so. when i got home, i do some digging around in my books and realized it was an original p-14 sniper rifle.

although it's been 20 years since i've seen this gun and i've bought/sold a few hundred rifles since this time, i still give myself a big mental kick in the a$$ every time i think of this auction/gun and ask myself why i didn't buy it.

the fishermans equivalent of the big one that got away!!!
 
The lack of response to your post presumably means all the interested parties are busy PM'ing you about buying it! :D

There is no such database, all that can be said is that if the scope is marked BSA with the stand of three rifles trademark on the scope, it is one of 79 set up by BSA in the 30s for the Irish Free State. The rest were set up in 1918-1919 by the Periscopic Prism Co. of London, which had been taken over by the Ministry of Munitions.

Consider yourself lucky to have even a bubba'd one, if you do.

As for the Warner & Swazey P14s, a friend saw one of these in a collection in Alberta in the late 1950s he once told me, so a few must have escaped apres la guerre.
 
Deanmc said:
I have a p-14 .303 Is there any way of tracking its history? Perhaps a database of serial numbers somewere?

It has been heavily bubba'ed I almost cried when i found out what they are worth

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=21827
Click to expand...

As RRco points out, there is no database, however, you can check markings for authenticity (fakes and repros are becoming more of a problem) against the entry in the MKL.

With thanks to Advisory Panel members Lance and Wheaty, there's an entry to the England - Milsurp Knowledge Library (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12, complete with a 182 picture photo montage.

No.3 MkI* (T) Rifle (BSA Scope) (click here) http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=3701
c/w matching Model 1918 (3x) Scope Serial #226763 (Mfg by B.S.A Guns)


(Click PIC to Enlarge)

Note: Pics of rifle provided courtesy of MILSURPS.COM member ~Angel~.

This is one of only 79 rifles converted by B.S.A Guns, contracted between July 27, 1935 and completed by Dec 9, 1938. The scope and rifle are "all matching" with "all correct" fonts and markings for collector comparisons.

There are several follow up sections with additional pics noted in the "Collector's Feedback and Comments" section of the main library entry, showing the "Fianna Fiel" and BSA font and stamping examples with extreme close-ups, which are helpful in spotting incorrect or reproduction components. There's also a follow up note discussing a No.3 MkI* (T) Rifle (BSA Scope), which is currently being offered for auction on the Internet.


Regards,
Badger
 
Thank you for the help guys.
As it seems more info only brings more questions. After looking on Military Surplus Collectors Forums I am fairly certain my gun is worthless :mad:.However I love my old .303 and I would like to know more about it.
It does not have the original scope nor am i certain it ever did. It belonged to my grandfather who had long ago passed on when my grandmother gave it to me. She has also since passed away.
I thought i had a Winchester. I see now it is not because it does not have any letters in front of the serial number.Most other markings are very close to the gun pictured here though.

http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=3701

.303 bm and nitro proof are stamped over top of the original markings in the top left side of the barrel.Also i should say above the BM there is a crown that is much more elaborate than the one on the Winchester in the above link.I assume BM is British Military. I was hopeing someone could tell me what company manufactured it.If anyone has any knowledge of this send me a pm and I will send you some photos if it will help.

Thank you for your help
 
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