M1917 Eddystone Questions

[Patrick Chadwick]

So here are my questions that I cannot find answers on: 1) How much pitting is acceptable? I realize that the corrosive ammo was used. 2) How do I check bore? I bought a bore gauge for my m1 carbine, but I am assuming I need a different one for this rifle. If so, any recommendations for where to get one? 3) I keep reading that the headspacing needs to be checked. Where can I get gauges and what should I get? Any recommendations would be helpful. 4) Lastly, the big one is it worth the price? I would like to get it for collecting and to shoot it once in a while.

1) How much pitting is acceptable?
- If you are looking for a good shooter, then practically none within a hand's width of the muzzle. But the state of the muzzle itself is of more immediate importance.

2) How do I check bore?
- Get a .36 soft lead ball as used by muzzle-loaders. Or a suitably sized fishing line sinker. Remove the bolt, stand the rifle vertically, muzzle down on a solid piece of wood, spray lubricant into the bore. Use a yard length of 1/4" brass rod to drive the lead ball through the barrel. Measure the groove diameter (easy) with calipers. Bore diameter on a 5-groove barrel is trickier. Crude test is to take a long bullet and twiddle it around in the muzzle so that the muzzle wears a bright ring on the bullet. Measure the diameter of this ring. Not so easy to do, but it will show you at once if you have a bell-mouthed bore, which would be a much more serious defect than an extra 0.001" or so in the bore, or fine pitting, or a dinged crown (easy to clean up).

In fact, the twiddled bullet test is one of the first things which you should check out in the shop, before even considering the rifle.

3) I keep reading that the headspacing needs to be checked. Where can I get gauges and what should I get? Any recommendations would be helpful.
- This topic has been covered in detail mor than once on this forum. Search for "headspace" (checking with gauges) and "head clearance" (checking without gauges).

4) Lastly, the big one is it worth the price? IMHO, not unless it checks out as a good shooter.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[chaoticmachinery]

1)
2) How do I check bore?
- Get a .36 soft lead ball as used by muzzle-loaders. Or a suitably sized fishing line sinker. Remove the bolt, stand the rifle vertically, muzzle down on a solid piece of wood, spray lubricant into the bore. Use a yard length of 1/4" brass rod to drive the lead ball through the barrel. Measure the groove diameter (easy) with calipers. Bore diameter on a 5-groove barrel is trickier. Crude test is to take a long bullet and twiddle it around in the muzzle so that the muzzle wears a bright ring on the bullet. Measure the diameter of this ring. Not so easy to do, but it will show you at once if you have a bell-mouthed bore, which would be a much more serious defect than an extra 0.001" or so in the bore, or fine pitting, or a dinged crown (easy to clean up).

In fact, the twiddled bullet test is one of the first things which you should check out in the shop, before even considering the rifle.

Patrick,

Please forgive my ignorance as I am new to this. You said take long bullet for the Crude test. Is there a bullet size I should use? Something like a 30-06?

Thanks,
CM