Milsurp After Hours

Hi Guys

I've just picked up a P14 thats been converted to a 7.62 Target Rifle, and I'm curious about some of the markings on it. the top of the bolt carries the receiver serial number, W635xx, but underneath it bears a different code; X3004. is this a batch number, or has the bolt been rematched to the action, and is the W prefix on its current serial indication that it was made by Winchester? there are also a host of two and three digit groups on the underside of the receiver which bear no relevance to the serial, and M50 on the right side below and to the rear of the breech. besides that, its a great little number. after 20 years in a club safe it scored a 45.3 at 500, at least two of the dropped points being silly sod mistakes.

cheers

Nick

Nick, The W does indicate a Winchester made rifle.

Regards, Brad

The X3004 COULD INDICATE THE WEEDON REPAIR WAS CARRIED OUT BY COGSWELL AND HARRISON THEY CARRIED OUT 14,323 OF THEM. THE X IS THEIR CODE LETTER.

It is a winchester you have.

The three digit groups will be proof marks or inspection marks or both.

Not sure about the m50

thanks for that info.

just out of interest, what is a weedon repair?

The Pattern 1914 rifle actually saw very limited use during WW1 in 1919 large quantities of them were put into storage as War Reserve.

In the spring of 1939 the British Goverment began to remove these from storage and recondition them to what as come to be known as the weedon repair standard(WRS).

The reconditioning consisted of unpacking and degreasing removing the dial sight pointer and cutting the arm off the volley sight rear aperture.

Some 677,324 p14 fifles are reporeted as having undergone WRS about 55 percent of total production.

A number of firms carried out the repair usually marking the bottom of the pistol grip with the code of the firm carryong out the repair

thanks for that. sad to say I don't think I'll ever know who repaired mine, as its been in target woodwork for the better part of 30 years, and the serial on the underside of the bolt was the only marking that I could find