1917 end cap re-assembly

[Potashminer]

In my very limited experience of 3 or 4 examples, I do not think the screw that you show in Post #5 is the correct screw for a M1917 or P14 front band. The ones on hand here have larger bodies, than the reduced diameter threaded ends. And, to boot, it is my impression that those will be a BA thread - carry over from dragging British tooling over to USA to build the things. From what I am seeing, my guess is someone "forced" a normal USA screw into that front band.

[Potashminer]

The part you show in third picture in Post #10 with the "R" is commonly called the "cocking piece". It is attached to the rear of the firing pin, slides within the bolt plug / bolt sleeve, has a face that is acted on by the trigger sear and has a notch on the side to be acted on by the safety. Apparently depends whether you are British or American for the correct name, but the "bolt plug a.k.a. bolt sleeve" or "bolt shroud" (if it was a Mauser rifle) screws into the rear of the bolt body. So, you have an "E" bolt body with an "R" cocking piece. The firing pin and the "bolt plug/sleeve" will also have a maker's mark.

A quick and easy reference for M1917 parts markings can be found on m1903.com > Marks > M1917 parts. Some minor errors, but very handy reference. Click on the part name and a sketch pops up showing where each maker put their mark on a part - sometimes the same place, most times not.

Besides the above mentioned book by C. S. Ferris, consider getting the book "Pattern 1914 and U.S. Model of 1917" by Charles R. Stratton.

The original US Army document - something like "Rules Of Management for US Rifle of 1917" is readily available on Internet and shows procedures that WWI soldiers were taught to disassemble and re-assemble. They would have been able to disassemble and reassemble the bolt assembly while sitting in the rain in a muddy ditch, without using any tools! Also good information found on the CMP site about these rifles.

[Hoss]

The part you show in third picture in Post #10 with the "R" is commonly called the "cocking piece". It is attached to the rear of the firing pin, slides within the bolt plug / bolt sleeve, has a face that is acted on by the trigger sear and has a notch on the side to be acted on by the safety. Apparently depends whether you are British or American for the correct name, but the "bolt plug a.k.a. bolt sleeve" or "bolt shroud" (if it was a Mauser rifle) screws into the rear of the bolt body. So, you have an "E" bolt body with an "R" cocking piece. The firing pin and the "bolt plug/sleeve" will also have a maker's mark.

A quick and easy reference for M1917 parts markings can be found on m1903.com > Marks > M1917 parts. Some minor errors, but very handy reference. Click on the part name and a sketch pops up showing where each maker put their mark on a part - sometimes the same place, most times not.

Besides the above mentioned book by C. S. Ferris, consider getting the book "Pattern 1914 and U.S. Model of 1917" by Charles R. Stratton.

The original US Army document - something like "Rules Of Management for US Rifle of 1917" is readily available on Internet and shows procedures that WWI soldiers were taught to disassemble and re-assemble. They would have been able to disassemble and reassemble the bolt assembly while sitting in the rain in a muddy ditch, without using any tools! Also good information found on the CMP site about these rifles.

Thanks potashminer. I haven't been back to the site in a while and didn't expect I'd have more replies. So it's a confirmed Mixmaster, which doesn't bother me. I didn't see any receiver cracks, didn't close on the field gauge, and went bang everytime I pulled the trigger. So I'm happy with it so far. Sometime this month I'll find out how it shoots in a proper range session.

I just noticed that there's a manual in the sticky section. Is that the same manual you're talking about?