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Trying to clear the air on this question.
From what I understand P17 bolts were not serialized as they left the factory unlike the P14, without exception I'm not sure.
So a P17 Winchester made rifle in excellent original condition possibly unissued it's that nice, sports a numbered bolt (on the top),what is a guy supposed to make of that? Is it most likely one that ended up in a foreign country and was numbered there possibly?
Sorry no pics.
Thanks for your input.
If the rifle is a Model of 1917 Caliber .30 Enfield rifle or P17. The bolts were not serial numbered from the factory. They were also not serialized in US Government Service. As many surplus M1917s were shipped to other countries as war aid during WWII. Many of these countries serial numbered the bolts to conform to their ordnance standards. I would look on your rifle for other markings to indicate foreign service.
I notice that you are in the Yukon. A great many M1917s were sold to Canada during WWII.
Thanks for that......while not my rifle and the limited pictures I've seen there are no markings indicating foreign service. It does not have the red painted band indicating Canadian service.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fjruple
The bolt number matches the receiver number? Stamped, electro-etched?
Unfourtunatley bolt does not match, it is stamped! Bolt is a 7 digit serial number while the Winchester made rifle is a 6 digit serial number.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiriaq
Check the bolt face to see if it is .30-06 or .303.
Yeah requested that info....I will post that when I find out.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiriaq
Bolt is for a 30-06Quote:
Originally Posted by tiriaq
Pictures of this nice rifle can be seen now....just open the link. Note the numbered mis-match bolt.
Non-Restricted rifle Enfield (Winchester) model P17, .30-06 bolt action, w/ bbl length 26 [Blued ba
bros- Interesting rifle to say the least. The bolt in the rifle probably came out of a Eddystone riflle as the serial number is too high for either Winchester or Remington production guns. Only Eddystone reached that level of serial number. Please bear in mind that each manufacturer ran separate serial number ranges. I believe the rifle came out of Denmark for Greenland patrol as the receiver is cut for heavier weight and longer bullets found in commercial ammunition. Many were sold to locals in that area were your located. There several articles on these rifles located on the web. Several articles are out of Denmark
Agreed this rifle has Danish traits. But the mint condition, love that deep Winchester blue! Hard to imagine that as a Sirius sled patrol rifle.
I have a 12/18 manufactured US Model 1917 with an 11/18 dated barrel and a serial number that is slightly over 507,000 so an earlier post war build than yours.
Based on info that I had gleaned from the Remington Society of America production went as follows,
Eddystone continued production until the end of December 1918 post war.
Remington continued production into February of 1919 and stopped at the end of the month.
Winchester continued production until the end of April 1919 who along with Remington had been lead to believe that the Model 1917 would replace the 1903 as the main US rifle.
That was indeed a falsehood and the reasons for it are lost to history. However it leaves us with the fact that Winchester has the highest post war serial number range of the 3 manufacturers. The large majority of these rifles were warehoused unissued until the mid 1920's. It was at that time the US government gave them away to friendly nations as diplomatic candy and sold them to the public through the NRA.
The milled slot to the receiver of this rifle is Norwegian. They used a different stripper clip adapter which made it necessary.
Norway got their M1917 rifles from Canada. They after some years passed their rifles on to Denmark. So basically you have a US rifle that was given to Canada, handed over to Norway to end up in Denmark until it was surplused.
At $1200can, I thought the rifle went for a good price, although lets not forget that was the hammer price so add another 20% for auction fees, taxes, shipping etc.
I'm beginning to second guess myself, maybe I should have upped the ante, the bolt was a factor but I suppose I could have found a nice clean un-numbered bolt somewhere.
Oh well, it's in the past now. We all have ones that we allowed to slide thru our hands, this is not my first!
Don't feel bad however here's one the seller SHOULD feel bad about.Quote:
Originally Posted by bros
At my range office a range employee is selling his "all matching all original" M1917. It's a blued Remington in a Winchester stock, grey parked bolt, unmarked bands and E marked handguard ring all for only $1600 US. As I pointed all this out to a formally friendly guy he suddenly went silent. For the life of me I don't know if he thought it was 100% but there's no way. He claims to have shot competition for decades and someone would have pointed this out to him years ago.