P14 stock disc ID

joseyclosey · Post by **joseyclosey** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:39 pm

Hi Tony, what makes you think Finland/Estonia?

Joe

TonyE · Post by **TonyE** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:48 pm

Estonia had large quantities of British military aid after WWI, including Lewis guns and Pattern 14 rifles. There are plenty of pictures of Estonian troops armed with P.14s.

I included Finland because the style of marking looked vaguely Finnish to me. Whilst I have no confirmation that Finland had any P.14s, they could have got some from Russia.

My main thought though was that the style of the marking on the butt disc did not look British to me.

Regards

TonyE

joseyclosey · Post by **joseyclosey** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:35 pm

Found out today from a previous owner that this stock disc has been a recent addition as there was no disc in the butt when he sold it and suggests the disc is from another rifle such as a Metford, Long Lee or a Martini and has been used to fill the hole.

Joe

Woftam · Post by **Woftam** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:28 pm

and suggests the disc is from another rifle such as a Metford, Long Lee or a Martini and has been used to fill the hole.

So we can start arguing again ?

I actually thought (after reading the link Duncan supplied) that the P14 was too late an era for my suggestion, but if its from an earlier rifle I could be right.

or so could Adam.

joseyclosey · Post by **joseyclosey** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:01 pm

Graham, as a matter of interest the small Maltese cross under the disc, which was only applied to early Mk I P14s, signifies for Emergency use only.It is also a good way of checking that the rifle hasn't been re-stocked (Mk I* usually don't have the Maltese cross). Another re- stock check is if you look at the front of the stock where it protrudes through the end cap there should be a W if it is a Winchester or a E or R if it is a Remington.

The P14 didn't really get issued in great numbers before the end of WW I they were devised and "ordered" in 1914 due to the battlefield losses of the SMLE but by the time the good old USA had got the factories built it was late 1916 before the first rifles got here, by which time the crisis they were intended to prevent had not materialised, subsequently they were not issued in great numbers. With the end of hostilities in 1918 they were placed in war storage until 1939 when they were issued to the LDV (home guard) and also to some rear echelons such as UK based Anti Aircraft units etc .

Joe