My only M1917 Eddystone

I picked up this M1917 Eddystone a while back. It is all Eddystone except the rear handguard is stamped R underneath and the front handguard is not marked. I think I counted over 30 E or EN stamps if I remember right. I changed to E bolt out with a NOS USMC bolt. The E bolt closed on NOGO guage but passed field guage. The USMC bolt passes the NOGO guage. The cocking piece and firing pin are marked EN. I always liked 1903's but to tell the truth this is becoming one of my favorites. The target is an NRA-SR-1 5 shot group from 100 yards on a bench with a front sandbag. My best with this rifle was at a Milsurp shoot last fall with 5 10 ring-3X. I shoot PPU 150 FMJ (M1 Garand) bullets.

A fine rifle there...:thup:

That's pretty good at 100 yards. Mine does not like to be in too close. At 200 yards and more it seems to be accurate, but closer in it shoots really high.

I flip up the rear sight and put the bull on top of the post and this is where the bullet hits. I line up the bottom of the peep sight at the base of the front sight where it hits the barrel. So I'm hitting high also.

Nice honest looking rifle...love it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Steve762

Mikesm44:
Your 1917 shooting high at 100 yds is according to plan. The battle peep sight on the 1917 was set for a 400 yd zero with the 150 grain ball ammunition used in WWI. The lowest sight setting on the leaf sight is 200 yds. If you use the leaf sight set at 200 when shooting at 100 yds you will group closer to point of aim. Regards, Steve 762

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Oh, I always thought the battle peep was set for 300, but live and learn.

I'm happy with the way the rifle shoots. As long as I line up the front sight through the peep, put the post at the bottom of the black and line up my thumb knuckle and nose right I can hit the 10 ring. I plan on shooting the same ammo, I want to have 30.06 that is safe for my Garand, no sense buying different ammo for each rifle. With this ammo my 1903 shoot a little tighter groups.

"With this ammo my 1903 shoot a little tighter groups."


Not really according to that photo - not enough shots. The groups have almost the same spread on both rifles. To show up a statistically meaningful difference it would be necessary to shoot a larger number of shots with both rifles under as near as possible identical conditions - same day, same time, same wind, same light, same shooter, same level of eye-fatigue etc. etc. Put up two targets closely side-by-side. 1 shot with one rifle on one target. Then 1 shot with the other rifle on the other target ... and so one until eye fatigue sets in. THEN compare the two. It looks like both rifles are probably shooting as well as you can aim (certainly as well as I could aim!) and both would probably shoot under 1 MOA with a scope.


Good shooting, good rifles! Don't fiddle with the rifles, but a series such as suggested above with slightly varying powder charges may reveal a load that is an even better fit for all your 30-06s.

They are probably close to the same size groups with the one outside with the 1903. These 5 round groups were shot about 15 minutes apart. I have never handloaded before, I got a 1898 Krag and a Lee Classic Loader in 30-40 so I will be trying it this summer. The PPU 30-06 (M1 Garand) is fairly inexpensive. The 30-40 is hard to find for a good price so I will try loading my own. If it goes good I might try loading for my .303's.