2-groove barrels

A friend had a 1917 Eddystone with a 2-groove RH twist barrel and a poster on this forum indicated he had a 1917 with a 2-groove barrel. I am aware that original model 1917 barrels were 5-groove, LH twist. I never noticed what the barrel stamp was on my friend's rifle but, since it was Remington that started the 2-groove experiments, I assumed his barrel was a replacement Remington barrel. However, I read on another forum that Remington did not make replacement barrels for the model 1917. Who did make them, then?

Johnson Automatics, marked JA. WWII replacement barrels.

In WWII there was a significant shortage of rifles (again!)

Due to the poor storage many stored 1917s had rotted out barrels.

Decision was made to produce replacement barrels for the 1917s (Rock Island had a contract to assemble all new 1917s from parts as well)

JA made the two grove version that was the standard as well for the 1903 (after 1943 or so though 4 and 6 grove barrels continued to be installed and I think at least 4 grove made).

Latter 4 grove was standard and 2 grove ok. Easier to keep making 4 grove if that's what you were setup for.

However, Rock Island also made barrels for the 1917 as did High standard. HS were 4 grove, I don't know for sure what the RI were.

Springfield went through a huge re-build effort just after WWI ended. All rifles were brought up to Army standards. They were then placed into storage. They were properly stored and ready for war in 1941. However, the British did not do this to their P14 rifles and many had bad bores when pulled from reserve in 1940.

Rather than poor storage on the 1917s it was really the methods used to pack the bore.

It did not work as well as intended though they revised it when they realized that.

Despite that they still lost a lot to corrosion., ergo new barrels.

It shows how desperate they were for small arms to make it worth that effort.

Rock Island specifically reported the the issue and undertook remedies. nothing was stated about Springfield so unknown if they had it occur as well. .

In the 1920's and 1930's M1917's were offered for sale in "NEW" condition. There were never any complaints reported by purchasers in the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN and I am sure that there would have been an outcry if the NEW M1927's or even the USED rifles had bad bores.

They may have drawn from the stocks that had the better preservation system at RI (20+% failure rate) to where they got it down to 7%) of if Springfield did better to start with drew out of their stocks.

Or if you got a dog you returned it I would think (don't know)