NZAR # 36 Pattern 53 Enfield Rifle (abridged)

NZART ID: 36,  Arm Type: Rifle,  Date of Draft: (V1) 3 August 2012,       Compiled by: Phil Cregeen

Pattern: 1853 Enfield Rifle (Enfield Long Rifle/ 3 band Enfield) Introduced in to NZ Service:1858, Withdrawn 1880-85

Makers: Enfield; Tower; London Armoury Co; also Leige (2^nd Type), Belgium; and Windsor, USA (2^nd Type).

Calibre: .577 in, 25 bore, Bore: 3 groove uniform or progressive depth rifling RH twist 1turn in 78in.,

Barrel length: 39.0 in. OA Length: 51.75 in. Weight: 9 lb 3 oz. (4.1 kg)

Type of Action: percussion muzzle loader, single shot    

Magazine:  None,  Sights: rear sight bed to 400, leaf to 900 yds. or 1000 yds., foresight barleycorn on fixed block.

Bayonet:  Pat 1853 Socket. (NZAR # 58)

   

In the mid 1800s contemporary analysis of battle casualties indicated that it required 3,000 rounds to put one man out of action using smooth bore muskets, and that their accurate range was no better than 75yds. With other European countries adapting rifles Britain had to do something.  In 1851 the 0.702 calibre Minie rifle was put into production as a replacement service arm for the Pattern 42 Musket and 28,000 were initially ordered.  This rifle followed the same basic design as the Pattern 1842 smooth bore musket with the exception of rifling (4 grooves 1 in 78in twist) and a ladder rear sight. It saw only limited issue although it was used in the Crimea at the battles of Alma and Inkerman. The accuracy of this rifle, although an improvement on the smooth bore was found to be wanting due to difficulty aligning the conoidal bullet, which had no parallel sides, in the bore and thus causing instability in flight. (1)  

During 1852 trials were conducted to determine the best design for a new service rifle using rifles submitted by various private gun makers as well Lovell on behalf of the government.  The result was a new rifle created at Enfield in 1853 incorporating ideas and improvements from the various rifles submitted.  It had a bore of 0.577in. and a barrel length of 39.0 in. with 3 groove uniform rifling with 1 in 78 in. twist firing a hollow based cylindro-conoidal bullet. The barrel was secured in the stock by 3 barrel bands which also held the ram rod and the lock was greatly improved on previous designs incorporating a swivel to reduce friction. Initially made with a fixed rear sight for line infantry and ladder rear sight for rifle regiments this was dropped in 1854 in favour of the ladder sight graduated to 900 yds. The bayonet for this rifle also incorporated a new feature and that was the French designed locking ring used for the first time on the Pattern 53 socket bayonet. As a result of delays and modifications the Pattern 53 Enfield was finally introduced into service in 1855.  During its service life there were a further 15 modifications as well as other improvements developed by Hay, Lancaster and Whitworth and special smoothbore versions for Indian troops following the 1857 mutiny and various pattern of carbine.

There are four main variants all were termed Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle, (frequently referred to as the “Enfield Rifle” or by collectors as “3 band Enfield” to distinguish it from the 2 band Short Rifle) although changes did not all occur at the same time and implementation varied between manufacturers:

1^st Type: screw clamp bands, convex sides to rear sight bed and leaf to 900 yds, narrow ram rod channel and locks dated 1853-55.

2^nd Type: solid bands with spring clips, straight sided rear sight block and leaf to 1000yds, stronger hammer, wider front band and stronger ram rod with jag tip, locks dated 1855-58.

3^rd Type: screw clamp bands, wider rod slot and stronger rod, progressive depth rifling (depth .011 to .013” deep at the breech end reducing to .005” to .007” deep at the muzzle) and butt shortened by 1 inch (LOC 45 dated 5 Dec 1859), locks dated 1858-63.

4^th Type: Baddeley bands with recessed screws, (LOC 292 dated 3 June 1861) nearly all Enfield manufacture and most were converted to Snider. (2)     

                                                

When the Pattern 53 was first adopted the method of manufacture was still as previous in that components were manufactured by contractors in Birmingham and shipped to the store in the Tower from whence they were issued to “setters up” for completion as required.  This changed in 1857 when the Royal Small Arms Manufactory at Enfield started producing rifles using special purpose built machinery commissioned and imported from the USA.  This had the potential to produce 1,200 identical rifles per week, with interchangeable parts. To produce the 63 components of the rifle required 680 machines to undertake 719 separate machining operations.  In the first full year 1858 26,739 rifles were manufactured at Enfield. Rifles manufactured at Enfield, London Armoury and Windsor were considered interchangeable.

For the first time all British soldiers could be armed with a common, quality long range rifle. The School of Musketry was established at Hythe in 1854 to instruct Officers and NCOs in the drill required for the new rifle as well as teaching long range shooting skills.  Such was the accuracy of the Pattern 53 Rifle that it lead to a new sport of target rifle shooting, the formation of the National rifle Association in 1859 and the popularity of the Volunteer Movement.  Many “Volunteer rifles” based on the Pat. 53 were made by private gun makers.  

In the late 1860s a large quantity of Pattern 53 rifles were converted to breech loader by the Snider principle. (See NZAR # 7 & # 87)                          

                           

New Zealand Service 

The Pattern 1853 rifle first saw service in New Zealand with British troops stationed here. One example is the 65^th regiment who served in New Zealand from 1846 to 1865 and received their Pattern 53 Enfield in 1858, the regiment being headquartered in Wellington with detachments stationed at Wanganui, Taranaki and Auckland.  The Enfield rifles seeing action in the 1860 campaigns in Taranaki and the Waikato.(3)

In 1861 a number of Enfield rifles in the hands of the 65^th suffered from burst barrels, as many as 12 in one company in 6 months as reported in the Taranaki Herald of 12 March 1861.  The newspaper speculated that this was due to poor quality of materials and the damaged rifles were to be sent home to the Tower, however the most probable explanation is that the bullets were not properly seated on the powder when loaded thus causing excessive pressure. In combat it proved to be an effective rifle with targets being hit from 400 to 800 yds. (3)

The numbers of Imperial troops varied as hostilities with local Maori dictated and reached a peak of 10,000 men in the early 1860s. However the burden of paying for the Imperial troops almost bankrupted the Colonial Government and from 1865 a self reliant policy was adopted, where colonial forces took over the fighting role and Imperial forces were gradually withdrawn. The last Imperial regiment to leave being the 18^th Regiment in February 1870.

In 1865 the New Zealand Colonial Government placed an order for 5000 Enfield Long Rifles and Bayonets with its London agent. Unfortunately there were no surplus arms available in England and the agent recommended that the order be placed for the superior 25 bore Hay Pattern Enfield Rifle. The New Zealand Government continued to buy more Enfield Rifles and Carbines as available, including Long & Short rifles, Artillery and Cavalry carbines.

In August 1869 a comprehensive return of arms and ammunition (no Snider Enfield’s listed) was prepared for the Select Committee. The return showed the arms and ammunition on issue and in store in the Colony of New Zealand to the Armed Constabulary, Militia, Volunteers and Native Auxiliaries. These included over 20,000 serviceable 25 bore Enfield rifles and carbines (including Hay pattern medium rifles, the principal arm, Long, Short (sword) rifles, Artillery and Cavalry Carbines). There were over 3 million rounds of Enfield Rifle ammunition.

By 1882 only 914 Enfield Rifles (type not specified) were on issue with a further 10,553 held in stores.  This had reduced to 256 Enfield Rifles held in stores by 1884 and none held in 1885 (4).

  

 NZ Marked Pattern 53 observed to date

NZ Marked
Arm	NZ Marked	Maker	Dated
Pat 53 Rifle	B NZ 576	Tower	1862
Pat 53 Rifle	B NZ 973	Tower	1862
Pat 53 Rifle	NZ 1935	Tower	1862
Pat 53 Rifle	NZ 3945	Tower	1856
Pat 53 Rifle 2nd Type	NZ 1231	Tower	1856
Pat 53 Rifle 2nd Type	NZ 129	Tower	1856
Pat 53 Rifle 3rd Type	B NZ 630	Tower	1862

    

Acknowledgements:       Information and photos-John Osborne, Phil Cregeen,

References:                 (1)The Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle by Peter Smithurst

(2).577 Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket & Snider-Enfield by I D Skennerton

                                    (3)1853 Enfield rifle marked to 65^th Regiment of Foot by Tim Ryan & Bruce Cairns

                                    NZAHAA Gazette June 2008.

                                    (4) AJHR 1869 H 4a

NZAR # 82 - 1858 Hay Medium Enfield Rifle (abridged photos)

NZAR # 82, Arm Type: Rifle, Date of Draft: (V1) 1 August 2012, Compiled by: John Osborne & Phil Cregeen

Pattern:  1858 Hay Medium Enfield Rifle    Introduced in to NZ Service: 1865,     Withdrawn 1880 to 85

Makers: Hollis & Sheath, Isaac Hollis & Sons, Tower, Calisher & Terry

Calibre: .577 in, 25 bore, Bore: 3 groove progressive depth rifling RH twist 1turn in 48 in.,

Barrel length: 36.0 in. OA Length: 51.75 in. Weight: 9 lb 9 oz. (4.4 kg)

Type of Action: percussion muzzle loader, single shot          

Magazine:  None,  Sights: rear sight bed to 400, leaf to 1,150 yds., foresight barleycorn on fixed block.

Bayonet:  Pat 1853 Socket with slightly enlarged socket bore to accommodate larger diameter barrel.

Major General Charles Crawford Hay was appointed the first Inspector General of Musketry and Commandant of the Hythe School of Musketry from 1854 to 1867. Hay carried out extensive experimental shooting even up to a mile and found that the 25 bore Pattern 1853 39” barrel three band Enfield Long Rifle shot reasonably well in all conditions with its three groove, progressive depth 1 turn in 78” twist rifling. However, the accuracy obtained from the 1 in 78” twist 33” barrel short “two band” rifle was only fair and the accuracy from the 24” barrel Artillery Carbine and 20” Cavalry Carbine also with 1 in 78” twist was poor.

Hay proved in 1857 that a barrel length of 36” gave the same muzzle velocity as the 39” barrel using the standard British Military issue cartridge. After extensive trials Hay determined that a rifling twist of 1 turn in 48” in the 25 bore gave good accuracy from all barrel lengths with their varying muzzle velocities (the longer the barrel up to 36” the higher the muzzle velocity), even the lowest velocity from the 20” barrel cavalry carbine with 1 in 48” twist rifling was still able to rotate the projectile fast enough at the lower muzzle velocity to stabilize it and achieve relatively good short range accuracy.

Hay also found that the rear V sight on the 1853 Pattern Long Rifle was too close to the eye for clear focusing and moved the rear sight forward. By shortening the barrel length to 36” the rear sling ring attachment needed to be moved back from in front of the trigger guard to midway between the butt and the trigger guard. Hay also recommended the furniture be made of bronze (gun-metal) rather than brass or steel.

New Zealand service

In 1865 the New Zealand Colonial Government placed an order for 5000 Enfield Long Rifles and Bayonets with its London agent. Unfortunately there were no surplus arms available in England and the agent recommended that the order be placed for the superior 25 bore Hay Pattern Enfield Rifle. The NZ Colonial

Government agreed and the order was placed with the Birmingham Gun makers Hollis & Sheath.  A second order for another 5000 Hay patterns followed but Hollis & Sheath could not supply, so the order was given to Calisher & Terry who subcontracted out to other gun making firms, many of these rifles were assembled at the Tower. The New Zealand Government continued to buy more Enfield Rifles and Carbines as available including Long & Short, Artillery and Cavalry carbines and Terry Carbines

In August 1869 a comprehensive return of arms and ammunition (no Snider Enfield’s listed) was prepared for the Select Committee. The return showed the arms and ammunition on issue and in store in the Colony of New Zealand to the Armed Constabulary, Militia, Volunteers and Native Auxiliaries. These included over 20,000 serviceable 25 bore Enfield rifles and carbines (including Hay pattern medium rifles, the principal arm, Long, Short (sword) rifles, Artillery and Cavalry Carbines) and included 1763 Terry 30 bore percussion breech loading carbines. There were over 3 million rounds of Enfield Rifle ammunition and half a million rounds of Terry Carbine ammunition. This return of arms also listed the arms issued to individual friendly Maori and included Tupara (double barrelled guns).

On 16 February 1869 500 Hay Pattern Medium Enfield Rifles were sent to England for conversion to the Snider Breech Loading Mark III Action these arrived back in NZ in November 1869 and were issued to the NZ Armed Constabulary in Napier and Taupo Districts and the Garrisons on the Napier – Taupo Road.

The breech loading Hay Pattern Snider proved not to have the long range accuracy of the muzzle loading Enfield Rifles, but the Breech Loading Hay Snider could be reloaded and fired much faster than the Muzzle Loading Enfield. The Snider ammunition delivered equally as good ballistics and accuracy from the 30.5” barrel Snider Enfield Short Rifle with 5 groove 1 in 48 twist rifling compared to the 33.5” barrel Hay pattern Snider and with the added advantage the short rifle could be fitted with a saw back sword bayonet which was more suitable for New Zealand’s bush environment.

The Hay Pattern Medium Rifle was the most accurate of all muzzle loading Enfield Rifles. They were used by all Australasian Colonies competitors at the first (and last using muzzle-loaders) Australasian shooting championships held in Victoria in 1872. New Zealand was placed 3rd.

Most of the New Zealand Hay Pattern Medium Rifles were traded as part exchange for replacement Snider Short rifles (often referred to in New Zealand as Sword Rifles) and most of the 500 New Zealand Hay Patterns converted to Snider were later altered into carbines for use by the school cadets.

By 1882 only 914 Enfield Rifles (type not specified) were on issue with a further 10,553 held in stores.  This had reduced to 256 Enfield Rifles held in stores by 1884 and none held in 1885 (1).

  

Typical Marking

         

Hollis & Sheath Lock

 NZ marked Hay Pattern 1858 observed to date.

Hay Pattern
Arm	NZ Marked	Maker	Dated	Serial No
Hay Pat 58	NZ 398
Hay Pat 58	NZ 2626	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 2111	Hollis & Sheath		2074
Hay Pat 58	NZ 2537	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 2555	Hollis & Sheath		2887
Hay Pat 58	NZ 1517	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 598	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 2508	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 2274	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 1598	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 1993	Hollis & Sheath
Hay Pat 58	NZ 4669	Isaac Hollis & Son
Hay Pat 58	NZ 4201	Isaac Hollis & son
Hay Pat 58	NZ 3000	Isaac Hollis & Son
Hay Pat 58	NZ 1027	Isaac Hollis & Sons
Hay Pat 58	H NZ 588	Tower	1864
Hay Pat 58	NZ 252	Tower	1865
Hay Pat 58	K/NZ/341	Tower	1865
Hay Pat 58	H/NZ/799	Tower	1864
Hay Pat 58	I NZ 955	Tower	1865	842
Hay Pat 58	G NZ 340	Tower	1864

Note:  Hollis & Sheath became Isaac Hollis and Sons from 1861

           

Acknowledgements:   Information and photos-John Osborne, John Carter, Phil Cregeen,

References:                 Hay 1858 Pattern Enfield Rifle by John Osborne

1.      AJHR 1885 H 4 a

                                                            

Should it really be called the New Zealand Carbine ?

Because New Zealand was the only British Empire Colony to adopt the Carbine, Magazine, Lee Enfield; fitted to take the pattern 1888 sword bayonet it has been dubbed the “New Zealand pattern Lee Enfield Carbine” and as a consequence many 20^th Century collectors and historians have assumed that it was made especially for New Zealand.  My contention is that this is incorrect.

Since the introduction of the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Britain had provided a carbine version of the service rifle for its artillery troopers, namely: Pat 53 Artillery Carbine, Snider Artillery Carbine, Martini Henry Artillery Carbine and Martini Enfield Artillery Carbine, all fitted to take an appropriate bayonet. It is therefore logical that with the introduction of the Lee Magazine rifle in 1888 that a carbine would be provided for artillery. And so it was in May 1900, announced in the List of Changes # 10220 as the “Carbine, Magazine, Lee Enfield; fitted to take the pattern 1888 sword bayonet”.

                     

Why did it take twelve years to be introduced and why did Britain not adopt this carbine?  In the late nineteenth century there were many who still believed that a single shot carbine was adequate for personal protection and this was adequately provided for the artillery in the form of the .303 Martini Enfield Artillery Carbine.  By the time RSAF Enfield was ready to start manufacturing the new magazine carbine in 1901 experience gained in the South African War (Boer War) of 1899 to 1902 had already lead to the conclusion that a shorter magazine rifle, that would be suitable for all infantry, artillery and mounted troops was required. This lead to the introduction of the Rifle, short, magazine, Lee Enfield in LOC 11715 dated December 1902.

So why did New Zealand adopt this carbine?  I would like to suggest that it was a case of ordering what seemed the like the best thing to do at the time.  In 1898 and 1899 New Zealand was in the process of rearming its forces with the .303 Martini Enfield rifle and carbine, having ignored the advice of its Commanding Officer to buy magazine rifles. Then in October 1899 came the Boer War and New Zealand sent its first contingent of Mounted Rifles off to South Africa armed with the new (to them) Martini Enfield Carbine.  By July of 1900 the Commander of the Armed Forces reported to Parliament that nearly 1200 carbines had been sent to South Africa with various contingents and that with the large increase in the Volunteer Force not all troops were yet armed with the .303 rifle. However he hoped that these would be recovered or replaced by the Imperial Government and in the meantime magazine rifles were on order from England (AJHR 1900 H-19).

Thus in 1900 New Zealand had been stripped of its .303 Artillery Carbines and the Government had at last woken up to the need to arm its troops with magazine rifles and carbines. At the time that the order for magazine arms was placed the new Lee Enfield magazine carbine had just been announced in the List of Changes, so it seems logical to me that this is what New Zealand ordered to rearm its artillery troops.

From a report in the Auckland Star of 14 August 1901 we know about 380 Lee Enfield carbines (fitted for Pat 1888 bayonet) had been sent from Wellington and issued to the Auckland Naval Artillery Companies, Devonport Submarine Miners, the Coastguard Artillery and A Battery. It could be assumed that the defence forces of the three other major New Zealand ports were similarly issued with these carbines.

By July 1901 sufficient magazine rifles had been ordered to equip all forces with a small reserve, in the same year New Zealand received 1,000 Lee Enfield carbines with a further 500 in 1903, plus an additional number of spares and replacements. By July 1903 all corps had been armed with the Magazine Lee Enfield and the Lee Enfield Carbines had been withdrawn from adult forces and issued to cadets. (AJHR 1903 H-19)

It should be noted that to date, no documentary evidence has been found that supports the ordering of these particular carbines.  However the conclusion that may be drawn from the above is that the Lee Enfield carbine issued in New Zealand was not a special order to a particular New Zealand staff requirement, but simply a carbine that was available at the time that New Zealand needed replacements for those sent to South Africa.  The reason that other Empire forces did not procure it is that it was superseded by the SMLE before the need arose.

So perhaps we should refer to it as the Lee Enfield Carbine (88) rather than LEC (NZ)

Acknowledgements and thanks: Noel Taylor, John Osborne

References:  

The Lee Enfield by Ian Skennerton

List of Changes in British War Material 1900 -10

Last of the Dust Cover Lee Enfields by D Munro, J Milligan, N Taylor –Collector Annual No 30

Appendix to the Journal of the House of Representatives (AJHR,H-19) http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz

Papers Past http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

NZAR # 25 No 4 Mk I & Mk I* (Abridged some images removed)

NZART ID No:  25,  Arm Type:  Rifle,         Date of Draft 6/3/2012, Compiled by Phil Cregeen & John Osborne.

Pattern:  Lee Enfield No 4 Mk I & I *, Introduced into NZ Service 1942, Withdrawn 1962 to 2009 

Makers: Long Branch, Canada and Savage Stevens, USA.  ROFs Fazakerley & Maltby and BSA Shirley in the UK.

Details of Arm:

Calibre: .303 British,        Rifling: 2 or 5 grooves 1:10 LH Twist, Barrel Length: 25.18 in.

OA Length: 44.4 in. (1128 mm), Action: Bolt with 10 round detachable box magazine. Weight 8 Lb 10 oz, (3.9 Kg)

Sights, 300/600 flip over aperture  battle sight or a ladder aperture sight graduated 200-1300 yds. of  various marks.

Bayonet: (NZART #139)  Socket spike type- No 4 Mk I, II, II*, III, (WWII Production) and blade type - No 7 and No 9. (Post WW II)

Markings: Long Branch: NO 4 Mk I* LONG BRANCH 1942,  Serial No: xxLxxxx

               Savage: [S] No 4 Mk I*,  US PROPERTY,                Serial No: xxCxxxx

Fazakerly:            ROF(F) or FY or (F) or UF

Maltby:                ROFM or RM or M

BSA Shirley:        M47C or PS

No 4 Rifle

The .303” Lee Enfield No 4 Rifle was developed by RSAF Enfield in 1929 and underwent troop trials in the 1930s. Full scale production was approved in 1939 at the outbreak of WWII and commenced at the new ROFs Fazakerley and Maltby and supplemented by a new BSA plant at Shirley. The first war time No 4s did not become available until mid 1941.  At the request of the British Government No 4 Rifle production also took place at the Canadian Arsenal at Long Branch and the US firm of Savage-Stevens where production commenced in 1941.

 As production progressed economies were made to speed up production, the most significant feature being a simplified bolt release by means of a slot at the forward end of the bolt way instead of a catch at the rear,  this lead to the No 4 MK I* . The No 4  Mk I* was only manufactured in North America between 1942 and 44 at Savage and until 1950s at Long Branch. Many were made with 2 groove rifling instead of the normal 5.

Most Savage No 4 Mk I* were supplied as part of the lend lease agreement and are marked “US PROPERTY” on the top of the left receiver wall.

The No 4 first entered New Zealand service in 1942 on an ad hoc basis, being acquired by special units serving overseas and some Savage rifles were brought to New Zealand by American troops and issued to Home Guard. At the end of the war New Zealand acquired more surplus No 4s of various manufacture, later new manufacture Long Branch Mk I* rifles were supplied amounting to an estimated 50,000. By 1948 at the time of the Malaya emergency the No 4 was in wide use by the NZ Army and was the general service rifle at the time of the Korean War.  With the introduction of the L1A1 Self Loading Rifle in 1960, the No 4 was gradually phased out and relegated to war reserve stock.  In the 1970s reserve stocks were further reduced by supplying them to Pacific Island Nations and also sold on the local surplus market.  In 2009 the remaining stocks of a few hundred No 4s that had been on issue to the NZ Cadet Force as DP rifles were sold at a public auction in Lower Hutt.

Note: The most common No 4 now encountered in New Zealand is the Long Branch Mk I*, however from observation of rifles offered for sale in recent years Savage Mk I* represent about 1/6 of the stock.  1941 dated Long Branch No 4 Mk I have also been reported with NZ issue marks. British manufactured No 4s with NZ marks are almost non-existent, those found in country are most likely civilian surplus imports.

Acknowledgements:

Photographs:           Phil Cregeen

References:              Lee Enfield No 4 and No 5 Rifles by C R Stratton

                                SAIS No2 .303 Rifle No 4 by Ian Skennerton

                                The Lee Enfield No 4 Rifle in NZ by MS Evans ( NZAHAA Gazette Sept 2010)

                                The Lee Enfield by Ian Skennerton    

# 354 Enfield P 14 Mk I & I* (Abridged)

NZART ID No:  354,   Arm Type:  Rifle,        Date of Draft (V1) 4/7/2012,        Compiled by Phil Cregeen

Pattern:  Enfield P 14 Mk I & I* (No 3 Mk I & Mk I*) Introduced into NZ Service: 1916, Withdrawn: Post WWII 

Makers: UK: RSAF Enfield; Vickers Ltd; USA: Winchester Repeating Arms Co, New Haven; Remington Arms/Union Metallic Cartridge Co, Ilion NY; and Remington Arms Co, Eddystone, Pennsylvania.

Details of Arm:

Calibre: .303 British, Rifling: 5 grooves 1:10 in LH Twist,   Barrel Length: 26.0 in., OA Length: 46.25 in. (1175 mm),

Action: Bolt with 5 round fixed box magazine.   Weight:  9 Lb 6 oz (4.25 Kg),

Sights: blade foresight with protector, fixed aperture and tangent back sight with aperture in slide 200-1650 yds. , long range aperture and dial 1500-2600 yds.

Bayonet: (NZART  # 61)  Pattern 1913 Mk I LOA 21.9 in. Blade 17.0 in, MRD 15.5 mm, Scabbard 17.9 in.

Markings: Makers Initial on receiver ring and on RHS butt, serial No on receiver ring, NZ Issue marks.

     

  Pat. 14 Mk I (e) made by ERA with “Fat boy” stock

      

 Pat. 14 Mk I (w) made by Winchester

Originally developed at RSAF Enfield as the Pattern 1913 in a new .276 in calibre to replace the SMLE Mk III, a total of 1,251 rifles were manufactured in 1912/13 for troop trials.  This new rifle incorporated a Mauser style bolt action, a heavier barrel, an aperture sight with a longer radius and a one piece stock, the .276 cartridge provided a higher muzzle velocity and a flatter trajectory.

Britain’s declaration of war on Germany in 1914 made it impractical to introduce a new cartridge and so it was planned to produce the new rifle in .303 calibre.  Vickers Ltd were given an initial contract to manufacture 100,000 rifles and bayonets, however they were unable to meet this order due to other war work and only completed a few samples of the P 14.  Instead Britain turned to the USA to manufacture the P 14 as all British rifle factories were engaged in manufacturing SMLEs.

Contracts were placed in April 1915 and manufacture commenced at: Winchester Repeating Arms Co, New Haven, Connecticut; Remington Arms/Union Metallic Cartridge Co, Ilion, NY; and Remington Arms, Eddystone, Pennsylvania. The first rifles were delivered to England in May 1916. The various manufacturers may be identified by the makers initial on the receiver ring and components as follows: Winchester =W, Eddystone= ERA, Remington =RE, butts are stamped IW, IE, IR in a circle. The .303 Pattern 14 Mk I Rifle was approved in LOC 17798 dated 21 June 1916. It should be noted that parts are not readily interchangeable between the different manufacturers. Production figures for 1916 to 1917 are as follows: Winchester-235,448, Eddystone-604,941, Remington-403,126. In 1917 the factories switched to making this rifle in 30-06 for the US Army as the Model 1917 following the US entry into the war.

A number of small changes were introduced in the first year of production the most significant being a lengthening of the bolt front locking lug which resulted in an advance to Mk I* approved in LOC 18151 dated 21 December 1916. Bolts, barrels and receivers are marked with a *.  After the long range aperture sight was declared obsolete, they were removed from most rifles when being prepared for service in WWII.

The P 14 was not considered a front line rifle and was generally issued to rear echelon troops and used for training, however it did prove to be an accurate rifle and many were adapted for a sniper role. Winchester rifles were modified to include a fine adjustment screw to the rear sight and these rifles were designate Pattern 1914 Mk I (F) or Mk I*(F).  Later a total of 2,001 Winchester Mk I* (F) were set up with telescopic sights and detachable mount by the Periscope Prism Co of London, these sniper rifles were designated Pattern 1914 Mk I* W (T) (LOC 21674 dated 11 April 1918), however they were introduced too late for the 1914-18 war.

In 1926 in line with other rifles the P 14 was re-designate Rifle No3 Mk I*.  Between the wars the P14 languished in stores and many were exported to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India and other parts of the Empire. On the outbreak of WW II the P14 rifles were refurbished in UK factories and Mk Is upgraded to MK I*, this also included removing the long range dial and aperture sights, to what was termed the Weedon Repair Standard.  They were then issued to reserve and Home Guard units. Some were also fitted with telescopic sights and used as sniper rifles.

   

New Zealand service

When New Zealand ran short of rifles in WW I troops were sent to Europe unarmed and it is therefore probable that New Zealanders used the P 14 in training once they arrived in Britain and also as snipers on the Western Front.

From observed marking it would appear that New Zealand imported an unknown quantity of P 14s in March 1917, they are listed in New Zealand Army General Orders No 344 of December 1922 which detailed marking of arms for sale, and also in AGO 84/26 of March 1926, which listed their stores value at 4 pounds 4 shillings

.

In the early stages of WW II New Zealand Engineers were armed with P 14 rifles while training in New Zealand, but these were replaced by Lithgow SMLEs before going overseas in 1943.  They were also issued to RNZAF and Home Guard in New Zealand.

New Zealand P 14s were sold as surplus in the 1950s and 60s.

  

Marking    

      

Note: the NZ marking on the butt disk of the ERA rifle corresponds to that used prior to 1918 and it still retains its long range sights, while that on the Winchester rifle corresponds to WW II marking and this rifle has had the long range sight removed, suggesting WW II import to NZ.

                 

NZ Marked P 14 Rifles observed to date:

NZ Marked
Arm	NZ Marked	Maker	Dated	Serial No	Other marks
Pat 14	N^Z  14518	Winchester
Pat 14	N^Z  14681	ERA
Pat 14 Mk I	N^Z 3/17 /256	ERA		ERA 110707	3 HG 121
Pat 14 Mk I	N^Z 3/17/773	ERA		ERA 171380	3 HG 101
Pat 14 Mk I	N^Z  14936	Winchester		W 26763	WIG 159
Pat 14 Mk I* (T)	N^Z 3/17 /1957	Winchester
Pat 14 Mk I* (T)	N^Z	Winchester		W226421

Acknowledgements: John Osborne, Noel Taylor, Rod Woods, Phil Cregeen

Photographs:        Phil Cregeen & John Osborne

Reference:           1. SAIS #10 .303 Pattern 1914 Rifle & Sniper variants by I Skennerton

                           2. The Pattern 1914 & US Model 1917 rifles by C R Stratton