Odd notch on Rem. receiver

Hi all,
I could use some of your collective expertise again.
My buddy has me looking at his Remington 1917. I'm considering buying it from him. There is an odd notch on top of the receiver next to the serial number stamping that I have not seen on any other rifles of this model. It looks like one half of a hole has been milled, but its not totally concentric. It flairs at the edges, so the diameter is more than double what the radius (measured perpendicularly) would measure. Make sense? Regardless of the shape of the hole, why is it there? Also, the stock is freakin' gorgeous, obviously not original, yet it has an eagle stamp in front of the trigger guard and an the alpha numeric "3N" behind the trigger guard. There is no arsenal rebuild cartouche anywhere on it. There is a very slight E stamped on the fore-end which should correspond to an original Eddystone stock. Could the stock be a replacement meant to look like an original? The rest of the parts (without dis assembly) are mostly Remington, govt. eagle inspection stamps abound in the normal places. Would love to own it, but don't want to pay collector pricing for a mix master. Thanks for any info and opinions that you wish to contribute! Mark. https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SAM_1640-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SAM_1638-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SAM_1637-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SAM_1636-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SAM_1634-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SAM_1633-1.jpg

common on Danish lend lease, and Canada lend lease, it was to show at a look that the rifle was a 30-06. and not 8mm or 303.

This was done by the Norwegian Army to allow the usage of a special stripper clip. Since the Norwegian sold this rifles to Denmark in 1959, it might have once been in Danish property aswell.

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Originally Posted by Promo

special stripper clip

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Do you have one to show us? Or can you explain what the difference is. It's a bit hard for me to imagine, unless they resemble a Nagant clip...

I thought someone said the notch had something to do with a .22 adapter.
john

The stock isn't a later replacement, it's just from the Remington Eddystone facility. Not an uncommon situation. The stocks weren't numbered to the rifles. 95 years. And was in service in various countries about half of that. If the bore is good call it "loverly" and see how it shoots. Note that the bolt wasn't serial numbered at the factory. But it's a perfectly legitimate "in service" Canadian marking, so no worries there.

If it's not insanely priced then it's probably a good enough rifle for most folk. If it's insanely priced, then you might want to move along. (US$3000 would be insane. But I've done it, give or take a bit for one out of the Winchester "collection" and was offered 10 beans immediately after purchase. The really insane part is that I did not take the money and run. Probably wouldn't get it now!)

Thanks guys. A lot of great info. I was worried about that notch and the stock but now feel a lot better about this rifle. Haven't run a patch through the bore yet, but saw some pretty good shine in it earlier. Hope to have the opportunity (time) to do so and take her out to the range. Will keep you updated if and when. Thanks again for the feedback.

being in the U.S. most likely this is a Canada or Danish re import, and will likely have the import marking on the barrel as well, serial numbered bolt , notched ring, ect are all tell tail signs of this,
have yet to see a Norway lend lease 17 in the states yet, if i saw it,,,id own it, or at least try my best to do so.
iv owned a few of these over the years, most are nice, well kept rifles. and shoot exellent.
i know of a few containers full of U.S. military WW2 vintage weapons and parts lend leased from Norway, sitting on base here in Colorado waiting for orders of what to do with them..likely they will be destroyed rather then be sold through the CMP.

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Originally Posted by chuckindenver

..likely they will be destroyed

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That just seems like a shame. Very counter productive. Not like they show up in a high percetage of crime?? Or am I wrong there?

All U.S. M1917 rifles made at Eddystone, PA were made by Midvale Steel and Ordnance Co. Midvale had been, along with Baldwin Locomotive, Remington Ilion, and many others, a partner in Remington Arms of Delaware, a Delaware corporation, separate from Remington Arms- UMC. Remington Arms of Delaware made the British Patt. '14 rifles at Eddystone (marked ERA, Eddystone Rifle Armory). No major exchange of components took place between the three manufacturers of M1917 rifles. Stocks were changed over the years for many reasons, by many people, and it is impossible to state how or where a given stock was assembled to a given rifle.

Here's a picture of the Norwegian stripper clip adapter.

OK, so the clip is bigger...do you know which one they used? It would be something in their stock...

AFAIK they used the Swedish M96 stripper clip for the 6.5x55 ball, this one also works for the .30-06.

I have thought of buying some of the swedish clips. If the clips work with the '06 why would they need an adapter??? Has anyone here used any of the swedish clips in thier '03s or '17s?
john

Chueck, Does Orest know about the containers in your neck of the woods?

Since I do not have Swedish clips, I have never tried to use them in the M1917. Might be that they could move around, would be worth a try.

Swedish clips are apt to be too wide for the M1917. Hence the adaptor. 30-06 ammo might fit the Swede clips but will be loose as the base is somewhat smaller. '06 might even fall out of some Swedish clips.

But the adaptor explains the notch!

The whole package is moved forward, so the bullet noses will crash the receiver ring. It's all making sense now.

sorry, i stopped letting the CMP know about these things, a few years ago, i knew of 9 1903A4 sniper rifles in weapons lockers, on base,..i was told in so many words...that i was full of horse pucky..so after that ordeal...no more..
i have a few 1903,s that came off this base, that had been torched.
i own the scopes, bolts, stocks and bases from said rifles that didnt really exist...we swapped out A3 parts for the A4 parts, as they were being sent to demil anyway..
no, those parts arent for sale.

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Originally Posted by jmoore

If it's not insanely priced then it's probably a good enough rifle for most folk. If it's insanely priced, then you might want to move along. (US$3000 would be insane. But I've done it, give or take a bit for one out of the Winchester "collection" and was offered 10 beans immediately after purchase. The really insane part is that I did not take the money and run. Probably wouldn't get it now!)

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jmoore........ I was able to own this particular rifle for US $700. That looked pretty reasonable to both the seller and myself. It looks to be a nice sister to the Winchester bought earlier this year. Now, do I go for the hat trick and look for an Eddystone ?? I'm just askin'

Well, sure! The Eddystone has it's own little unique features. The groove in the forestock has pointer ends than the Remingtons, for one thing. The Winchester is even more different than the Remington and subsidiary. Then there's the P'14 variations!