Rifleman Q & A: Mysterious Markings

by
posted on October 9, 2019
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
markings.jpg

Q: Was there another manufacturer of the Model 1917 rifles besides those mentioned in Bruce Canfield’s “One Of The Great Decisions” story in the August 2018 issue of American Rifleman? I have one chambered in .303 British, and was excited to see who made it when the article came out. Mine is marked “RE,” but not “U.S.A.” Do I have something strange?

A: The reason the markings do not correspond with the images in the article you reference is because your rifle is a Pattern 1914 and not a Model 1917. As stated in the article, the .303-cal. Pattern 1914 was manufactured for the British government by the same three firms that subsequently produced the .30-’06 Sprg. Model 1917: Remington, Eddystone and Winchester. The receivers of the Pattern 1914 rifles were marked with just the initials of the manufacturer, whereas the Model 1917s were marked with the full name of the maker (with the exception of very early Winchesters, which were only marked “W”). The “RE” marking on your rifle indicates it was manufactured by Remington. Of course, since your rifle was made for the British government, it would not have been marked “U.S.”

--Bruce N. Canfield

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.