Where to begin???

[gyvel]

pattern 1914 enfield. it's almost identical to the US model 1917 except it is chambered in the standard 303 brit cartridge. it was a short lived design. the brits were caught up in an arms race with the rest of europe and with most nations switching to mausers, british brass felt that this may be a way to go so they commissioned remington to make them a rifle resembling a mauser and the result was the 1914. however with WWI in full swing the brits decided that it would be best to just stick with what they had on hand so very few P14s were built and used. like the enfield number 1 and US 1917, it is a cock on close design.

Not quite...

The Pattern 14 was the evolution of the Pattern 13, a rifle that the British had developed in a very hot, high velocity. 276 calibre cartridge, and was based largely on the Mauser action. When WWI broke out in 1914, the Brits stopped work on the cartridge, and, finding themselves woefully short of service rifles, contracted with Remington and Winchester to re-engineer and produce the Pattern 13 rifle in .303 British. Remington produced rifles at the Ilion factory and the Eddystone plant, while Winchester produced them at their facility. When the British orders were terminated, production began on a slightly modified version, in .30-06 calibre, and became known as the U.S. Model 1917.

All totaled, at least 750,000 Pattern 14 rifles were made in the U.S. before the order was terminated.

 

[tahunua001]

Dennis, first of all that is a horrible price for a springfield in that condition. $300 is usually the going price. second, in order to return it to military configuration you are looking at close to $300 for a stock and handguard and another $80 or more on the small metal parts like bayonet lug/front stock band. when it's all said and done that still will not be a $700 rifle unless you really luck out and find a good condition GI stock with matching handguard and all parts match the manufacturer of the rifle.

Gyvel,
my little writeup of the P14 was a very brief overview of the introduction and use. although yours offered a little more indepth information there is really no conflicting information in those two. also from what I've read, the last 200,000 rifles were never paid for and never shipped to britain. leaving the actual numbers that they received much lower than total numbers produced.

 

[gyvel]

also from what I've read, the last 200,000 rifles were never paid for and never shipped to britain.

That's the first I've heard of that. As of ca. 1924, England still had around 724,000 P14 rifles in inventory.

Now, I know that quite a few Mosin Nagants were never paid for after the fall of the czar, and ended up being used as drill rifles in the U.S. Army, with some going to arm the U.S. forces that invaded Russia right after WWI.