Model of 1917 Eddystone.

[Patrick Chadwick]

a) Decide what your primary aim is:

1) Shooting, or
2) Collecting.

For collectors, all-matching parts appears to be a major priority. The rifle is not all-matching, so it scores low on a collector's scale.

For shooting, the bore condition is the absolute first priority factor. Parts can be obtained, wood can be cleaned etc. etc. But a shot-out barrel makes the rifle worthless as a shooter.

But beware! Shiny is not automatically good. M1917s and P14s were used as second-line/Home Guard rifles and polished to death, with the enthusiastic use of the pull-through producing a super-shiny but bell-mouthed muzzle. My best rifles have been arsenal "sleepers". That means covered in century-old crud, fossilized grease, and plenty of dings from being shunted around. But practically mint bores.

So it depends in the end on how you judge the barrel, if you are unable to test-fire it, which is the typical situation. I will not bore you and everybody else with a long text on how to do that, unless you specifically ask for it. But that is the essence. And one very good reason why I prefer to buy from dealers, as dealers here will take a gun back if you are a serious target shooter known to the dealer or a mutual third party, and say that the thing simply shoots lousily.

It's your judgement!

Patrick