[Lithgow10]

The concept of dial sight shooting at very long ranges was tied to the fact that in the late 19th century machine guns were heavy tripod or wheeled carriage weapons that were deployed well behind the actual rifle firing line and were available only in very limited numbers-volley sight shooting was never very effective but it was better than nothing when there were no alternatives.
During WW1 large numbers of LMGs and MMGs along with mortars and other light artillery became available and with the fact that all the armies were composed of hastily trained troops after the core of regulars were burnt up in 1914/15 battles, there was simply no reason to continue with the technique. Volley sites were dropped from SMLE production by 1916 and the P14 rifles had their volley sights removed in the mid 1920s 'Wheedon' refits.

 

[Lithgow10]

It was the 'Bisley Lobby' of long range enthusiasts who were responsible for the P13/14 saga-all the late 19th/early 20th century military rifles were too concerned with immensely long range instead of what eventuated as short rifles just before and then after WW1 and into WW2-something shorter, handier and lighter for troops constantly being burdened with evermore new weapons and equipment. This of course, resulted in the Assault Rifle range of weapons with a deliberately short combat range late WW2. What a shooter can do plugging away at a fixed target is very different to trying to see and hit a man in a drab uniform trying to keep a low profile at 1,000 yards or more!