^Lot 86 Swift Training Rifle WW2 - British Military Training Aid

Swift Training Rifle WW2 - British Military Training Aid

Rare WWII Swift Training Rifle. Designed to allow instructors to demonstrate holding and aiming.
It is not a firearm.

This particular one is designed similar to that of a P14 rifle, this type was used by the Royal Air
Force and Home Guard during WW2. A very interesting piece of wartime history.
The original rifles were set up to mimic Pattern 14 as this one and then they next model as to mimic
the Enfield No 1.

One feature of the Swift was the sprung butt plate. This prevented the rifle from firing unless it was
depressed hard into the shoulder and this helped teach pupils about the importance of pulling the
rifle into their shoulder when firing: This feature works on this example.

Lots of use marks and quite a few cracks on the wood but appears to fire as it should. See pictures
for condition.
Has no needle though.

The Swift is a trainer the similar size, weight, and balance as a Pattern 1914 Enfield rifle (and close
enough to the No4 Enfield as to be quite usable). When fired, it projects a captive spring-loaded
needle about an inch forward of the muzzle.
It was coupled with a target form and paper targets depicting either plain silhouette targets or
sketches of battlefields with enemy soldiers in various locations.
The trainee would aim and fire, and the needle would prick a hole in the paper target at the simulated
point of impact. In theory, this allowed for basic marksmanship training without noise, cost, or recoil.