Pattern 1914 Enfield
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1914
Also known as: P14, Pattern 1914, Rifle No.3 Mk I
Overview
The Pattern 1914 Enfield (P14) was a Mauser-type front-locking bolt-action rifle designed at the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield and, with British capacity fully committed to the SMLE, manufactured during the First World War in the United States by Winchester, Remington and Eddystone. Chambered in .303 British and fed from a five-round internal magazine by stripper clips, it was prized for the accuracy of its receiver-mounted aperture rear sight.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4250 g (149.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1175 mm (46.26") |
| Barrel Length | 660 mm (25.98") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 725 m/s (2379 fps) |
| Effective Range | 732 m (801 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2470 m (2701 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Left Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 5 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .303 British · primary — also known as .303 Mk VII, 7.7x56mmR, .303 Enfield
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Stripper Clip, Internal Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Bolt Sleeve Safety
- Features: Mauser Type Front Locking Action, Receiver Mounted Aperture Sight, Long Range Volley Sights, Stripper Clip Loading
Variants
- Rifle .303 Pattern 1914 Mark I — Original
- Rifle .303 Pattern 1914 Mark I* — Improved
- Pattern 1914 Enfield (Sniper) — Sniper
Service history
Operators
- British Army · adopted 1916 · as Rifle .303 Pattern 1914
- British Home Guard · adopted 1940
- Estonia
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,235,000 · Production years: 1916-1917
Eddystone ~600,000; Remington ~400,000; Winchester ~235,000
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield
Discontinued: 1947
Notes
The strong Mauser-pattern action and excellent rear sight made the P14 a superb sniping platform; the sniper conversion (Mk I*(T)) is held separately. Rifles are marked W, R or E for their maker, and parts are not always interchangeable between manufacturers. The related .30-06 version became the US M1917.
Background
The P14 was a stopgap born of an abandoned ambition: it began as the Pattern 1913 in a hot new .276 cartridge meant to replace the SMLE and .303 entirely, but the First World War broke out before the programme finished. It was rechambered back to .303 and built in America to plug Britain's rifle shortage, and its receiver-mounted sight was so good the British later copied the concept onto the Lee-Enfield No.4.