PART VI

The Enfield 1914 Pattern “Sniper’s Rifle”

As each battalion now holds three of these rifles on charge for sniping purposes (G.R.O. 3567) it is essential that your snipers shall understand the main differences between this and the R.S.M.L.E.

It is as well to understand at once that a far higher degree of accuracy can be obtained from the Enfield 1914 than from the R.S.M.L.E., and this is the reason why it has been issued to snipers. The higher degree of accuracy is due to two main causes:—

1. The rifles so issued have been specially selected from thousands of other rifles of the same pattern, on account of their accuracy, after severe and exhaustive tests.
2. The rifle is fitted with an aperture or peep sight, which, as will be readily acknowledged by most expert riflemen, possesses a great advantage over the open U or V backsight. It is therefore unnecessary to focus the backsight, and the blur which is unavoidable when aiming with the open U or V backsight is entirely absent with the aperture or peep sight.

The following are the main differences which must be noted and thoroughly understood in order to get the best results from the new rifle.

THE SIGHT

The rear of the body is made in the form of a bed in which the sight should always lie when not in use. In this position the aperture battle sight can be used if desired, but it should seldom be necessary for the sniper to use this sight. The battle sight is actually sighted to hit on the aiming mark at about 400 yards’ range.

The sight leaf is hinged on to the sight bed and is raised to an angle of about 90° from the sight bed for use. There are in all four positions in which it will rest. (See [diagram 1].)

1. At an angle of about 45° from the sight bed; this is the most convenient position for “sight setting.”
2. At an angle of about 90°; this is the position when in use.
3. At an angle of about 135°.
4. At an angle of about 180°.

The two last positions have been made possible so as to avoid damaging the sight by accidentally knocking it, if raised against undergrowth, etc., when skirmishing.

Note:—The bolt lever must not be raised and drawn back when the sight is in No. 4 position, as if this is done the battle sight is sheared off.

Diagram showing 4 Positions of Backlight.

N^o 1.

ELEVATION

The elevation is obtained by raising a slide on the leaf. This slide carries the aperture, and, when set, is held in position by a spring-catch adjustment on the right of the leaf. The leaf is graduated from 200 to 1100 yards in hundreds of yards, and from 1100 to 1650 yards in fifties. The reading line is situated in the centre of the slide, and care must be taken to point out this fact clearly, otherwise men are apt to take readings from the top or bottom of the slide.

FINE ADJUSTMENT

The sight is fitted with a fine adjustment in the form of a worm screw with a milled head. By rotating the milled head clockwise we raise the elevation, and by turning it anti-clockwise we lower it. The top of the milled head is marked off into three divisions, each of which is equivalent to one minute of angle, which is about 1″ per 100 yards of the range. Thus at 100 yards it would equal 1″ rise, or fall, on the target; at 200 yards 2″; at 300 yards 3″, and so on. A reading line is marked on the top of the sight leaf to enable these minute adjustments to be made. (See [diagram].)

The advantage of a fine adjustment screw on this principle lies in the fact that, without alteration of foresight, the rifle can be zeroed with exactness in a vertical sense, for any individual hold, thus: If a man, when zeroing his rifle at 100 yards’ range, finds the point of mean impact to be 3 inches low, or high, he has only to remember that he must first reproduce on his backsight the range for which he is firing, and then add, or subtract, 3 minutes of elevation, i.e., by giving the milled head one complete turn or revolution in the required direction; he will then have his correct zero for that particular range. (Note:—Before starting to zero at 100 yards, he must raise the sight to 200 yards, and then take off 3 minutes; this is equivalent to setting his sight to 100 yards (which is not marked). With the sight so set, the “point of mean impact” should be 1½ inches to 2 inches above the point of aim.)

In addition the fine adjustment can be used to overcome the difficulty of not having the sight calibrated to read to fifties at the closer ranges. By memorizing the following table, the sniper will have no difficulty in adjusting his sight to 250, 350, 450 yards, and so on:

To raise from	To	Add to Column 1.
200 yards	250 yards	1 minute
300 „	350 „	1½ minutes
400 „	450 „	2 „
500 „	550 „	2½ „
600 „	650 „	3 „

The table has not been taken further, as 600 yards is the limit of “individual effort.”

LATERAL ZERO

If there should be a lateral error when zeroing, the foresight should be moved as in the R.S.M.L.E., except that the cramp is made to fit over and through the foresight protectors, and, as there is no nose-cap to remove, it is a simpler operation.

AIM, HOW TAKEN

N^o 2.

Sights:
Enfield 1914 Rifle.

[Diagram 2] will illustrate far better than a word picture how aim should be taken. The main thing is to look through the aperture, and not at it. The foresight will be centred in the aperture, and the tip of it placed at 6 o’clock in the ordinary way. (Note:—It will be found that with very little practice the eye will instinctively centre the foresight, and that aiming, with this sight, will in reality simply be the action of holding the tip of the foresight on to 6 o’clock.)

THE MAGAZINE

The magazine holds five rounds only, and is constructed in such a manner as to permit the magazine platform to rise and engage the face of the bolt-head when the magazine is empty. This advertises the fact that “re-loading” is necessary. At the same time, it prevents giving practice in “rapid manipulation of the bolt,” unless the “Depressors magazine platform,” or a coin such as a franc (which will serve the same purpose) be used to hold down the platform, thus enabling the bolt to pass freely through the bolt-way when the magazine is empty.

It is of simple construction, consisting of three parts only: the platform, the spring and the bottom plate. To remove: press the point of a bullet into the hole that will be found in the bottom plate, in front of the trigger guard, then push downwards and in the direction of the trigger; this releases the spring and allows the magazine to be removed and cleaned. To replace: reverse the above process. Care must be taken when loading to ensure that the charger is placed vertically in the charger guide; if allowed to lean forward the first cartridge will foul the padding of the magazine, and loading will become difficult.

There is little possibility of a jam if the bolt-way, the breech and the magazine are kept clean.

SAFETY DEVICES

1. The Safety Catch.—This is similar to the R.S.M.L.E., but is on the opposite side, i.e., the right side of the body. If the thumb piece is turned over to the rear, it performs two actions. (a) Rotates the half-moon on the eccentric stem until it engages in the recess in the cocking piece, thus preventing the cocking piece from going forward if the trigger be accidentally pressed. (b) Pushes forward the locking bolt plunger until it is engaged in the locking bolt recess in the bolt lever, thus preventing the rotation of the bolt.

2. Bolt Lever.—This when turned down, i.e., when the breech is closed, fits into a recess in the body of the rifle, and ensures that the bolt cannot be blown back, even should the resisting lugs give way.

3. The Safety Stud.—This is in direct communication with the sear, and is constructed in such a manner as to ensure that the sear cannot be depressed without the safety stud rising. On the under side of the bolt is a recess, which comes immediately over the safety stud when the bolt lever is turned fully down. It is, therefore, impossible to press the trigger, which depresses the sear, until the bolt lever is fully turned down and the action sealed.

GAS ESCAPES

Of these there are three. On the right of the hood; on the under side of the bolt, one in front and the other in rear of the extractor ring. They perform the same duties as the gas escapes in the R.S.M.L.E., except that the one in front of the extractor ring prevents air-pockets—which would act as brakes—from forming.

PULL OFF

This is slightly different to that of the R.S.M.L.E., the first pull being from 2 to 3 lbs., and the second from 5 to 6 lbs. The first pull is comparatively long, and it is necessary to obtain, by practice, the correct “trigger squeeze” before firing the rifle for the first time.

CARE AND CLEANING

In order to take full advantage of the rifle, it is essential that it be kept absolutely clean; the following parts should receive special attention:

The Bore.—This should always carry a high polish.
The Sights.—Must be kept free from oil, and the aperture free from fluff.
The Hood.—Must always be free from oil and dirt, as it contains the recesses in which the resisting lugs work, and if dirt be allowed to gather there, the shock of discharge cannot be evenly taken on both sides, and accurate shooting under these conditions is unattainable.
The Breech.—Must be kept clean and free from oil by means of the stick which is provided for the purpose.
The Bolt.—Must be kept free from oil, and must be the correct one for the rifle, i.e., must carry the same number as that shown on the hood and on the sight leaf.
Gas escapes.—Must be kept free from oil and dirt.

GENERAL.

The rifle is issued specially as a sniping rifle, and although a bayonet is issued with it, it should not be used for bayonet fighting practice. The woodwork of the rifle must on no account be cut down, and as, when it is issued, it is correctly zeroed to suit one man’s hold, it should not be transferred to another man without re-zeroing it to suit his particular hold.

THE END

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THE CHAPEL RIVER PRESS,
KINGSTON, SURREY