Winchester enfield model 1917 serial numbers

#Winchester enfield model 1917 serial numbers series

As was common to all service rifles in The Great War, a bayonet could be affixed to the M1917, providing for a lethal 'reach' against enemy soldiers at close quarters. Muzzle velocity was listed at 2,700 feet-per-second while the gun weighed in at just over nine pounds. 30-06 Springfield (8.62ењ†3mm) cartridge and its action managed through the aforementioned bolt lever on a Mauser-based turn bolt (many long guns of the period were influenced by the classic German Mauser design). The American model - recognized as the 'American Enfield' - was fed from a 6-round magazine supporting the more powerful (compared to the British. Sling loops were featured at the buttstock underside and under the forend. The trigger was underslung and located at the base of the integrated rifle buttstock-and-grip. The forward site was appropriately affixed nearer the muzzle. Traditional sights were located aft over the receiver with the bolt-action lever situated over the right side of the gun body in the usual way. The M1917's external appearance was characterized by its encapsulating wood work and occasionally exposed metal works. Production for the new American rifle could even continue unhindered alongside the British P14's for both rifles were essentially the same firearm differentiated mainly by their chosen calibers. Once again, Winchester, Remington and Eddystone all provided the rifle in quantity with totals being 545,511, 545,541 and 1,181,09 from these manufacturers respectively. This decision wisely cut down design time and lowered production costs for the new 'M1917' - or 'Model 1917' - rifle. As American factories were already providing Allied soldiers with local-production versions of the excellent British-design Enfield Pattern 14 rifles, it was decided to utilize the type to produce a similar rifle chambered to fire the American standard.

In fact, arms production in the United States was such that there were not enough rifles being manufactured to supply every American soldier heading off to war. The three companies produced P14 designs which were further designated by their place of manufacture (as Winchester, Remington or Eddystone).ДЄs America entered the First World War in 1917, it too found itself with next to nothing in the way of an established modern military arms-producing industry - let alone a serviceable standard infantryman rifle.

Production of the new P14 (or 'Pattern 14') was fielded overseas to American factories made up of Winchester, Remington and Remington subsidiary Baldwin Locomotive Works at Eddystone, Pennsylvania. The British therefore took the somewhat-developed, Mauser-based concept already on hand and formatted it to fire the old standard.

However, the sudden explosion of events that eventually became 'The Great War' effectively shelved this long-developing rifle concept and pushed the British to look for a quicker and easier-to-produce alternative ready for mass production.

#Winchester enfield model 1917 serial numbers series

The Royal Arms Factory (RAF) at Enfield was charged with finding a solution to this requirement and the new service rifle was to play upon the strengths of the excellent German Mauser 98 series while providing the British rifleman with a capable man-stopper. Britain had already begun the task of replacing their Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) infantry rifles in the years preceding the World War 1 (1914-1918).