P17 Enfield accuracy?

[jamie5070]

My first rifle was a sporterized 1917. Still have it and it shoots extremely well when I do my part. I have other more valuable rifles that I would sell before I part with it.

[TheRollingBlock]

Does the P17 decock when you hold the trigger and close the bolt? The one I looked at didn't and I'm not the least bit familiar with the action.

[Merle]

Does the P17 decock when you hold the trigger and close the bolt? The one I looked at didn't and I'm not the least bit familiar with the action.

Mine does, but sometimes you have to release the trigger.

[TheRollingBlock]

Mine does, but sometimes you have to release the trigger.

I tried decocking it a few times. Didn't look like the bolt wanted to go into battery no matter what I did. I have a feeling I made the right choice in skipping on it.

[Patrick Chadwick]

P17 Enfield accuracy?

...if I don't wobble




Good enough for you?

[browningautorifle]

Didn't look like the bolt wanted to go into battery no matter what I did.

They're a cock on opening aren't they? Wonder what gives? It should decock when the trigger is pressed and bolt run forward. I know there was a different kit available...here's a thread pertaining to some of that.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=23361

Another...

m1917 cocks on opening

Good enough for you?

Looks good Patrick.

[CINDERS]

Looks like the PWF manifests itself in near identical circumstances with both targets a 7 - 8 o'clock and 2 o'clock is that Nov '00 or '06 that's a smidge ago how does it group now days.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Looks like the PWF manifests itself in near identical circumstances with both targets a 7 - 8 o'clock and 2 o'clock is that Nov '00 or '06 that's a smidge ago how does it group now days.

That was 2006, and it was with a very ordinary scope fitted to one of those less-than-perfectly-rigid B-Square mounts that lever down onto the receiver ring. I suspect that this allows the front of the scope to lift off slightly, and not always return precisely to the original position, as I don't usually wobble that much! Only a temporary setup to demonstrate that the rifle can indeed shoot more accurately than I can aim. As I prefer to use original rifles and equipment where feasible, my regular scoped milsurp is a Mosin-Nagant 91/30 sniper from Jan. '43 - the PU 3.5 optics have poor contrast, but it's the real thing.

With the original sights, the grouping of the M1917 is more like 2-2.5 MOA. I.e. most, but not all, within the 10 ring. Got a photo of that too, somewhere. It is a touch more accurate than the Garand, but the latter is easier on my post-operation shoulder.

[Cosine26]

Here is some info on the accuracy of the M1917 from long ago. Not complete but may provide some useful info:
M1917 vs 1903 Accuracy
I have often wondered how a new M1917 would stock up to a new M1903 accuracy wise. I mean service rifle to service rifle, not service vs National Match. I never owned a new M1917 (only an unserviceable one) and a couple of well used M1903 and never at the same time so could not make a comparison. I recently ran across an article in the "Dope Bag" of the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN magazine for January 1940 that provided some information. To quote from the opening paragraph:
"D.C.M Rifles. Beginning in mid summer we started getting a line on various Model-1917 rifles as sold to N.R.A members by the D.C.M office. We fired half-dozen of them at 100 yards principally with National Match 1932 and F.A. 1931 ammunition. Three of these rifles were as issued, while the others had been converted into 30-06 sporters."
What followed was a lengthy detail of the firing procedures and the results. Unfortunately, the same procedure (type of ammo, number of shots per group, etc were not uniform ) so the results are skewed. This is admittedly a very small sample so results are not truly definitive-but it's the best I could find. I shall summarize briefly, for what it's worth. I discarded the information from the sporterized rifles for I was interested in the "as issued" rifle data, and sporterized rifles offered not the kind of info I ws seeking.
The ammunition used was:
FA 1931 M1 Ball
NM 1939
RA Commercial
FA 1933 M1 Ball
Unfortunately not all groups were fired with the same ammo nor were the same number of rounds fired.
*Rifle number 1 was a Remington M1917 - as issued.
Twelve 10 shot groups with all types of ammo =3.78 inches
*Rifle number 2 was a Winchester M1917 -as issued.
Six 10 shot groups with all types of ammunition = 4.22 inches
*Rifle number 3 was aM1917 -manufacturer unidentified.
Two 10 shot groups = 4.54 inches
*Rifle number 4 was a M1903 - as issued
Fourteen 10 shot groups = 3.71 inches.
* Rifle number 5 was National Match M1903
Fourteen 10 shot groups= 4.58 inches
It should be noted that only FA 1931 and FA 1933 M1 ball was fired in this rifle. This would skew the report further since no NM ammo was used.
The best groups were fired in Rifle number 1 at 10 shots with NM1939 ammo= 2.72 inches and 10 shots of RA commercial= 2.95 inches.
Hope this helps

[TheRollingBlock]

Here is some info on the accuracy of the M1917 from long ago. Not complete but may provide some useful info:
M1917 vs 1903 Accuracy
I have often wondered how a new M1917 would stock up to a new M1903 accuracy wise. I mean service rifle to service rifle, not service vs National Match. I never owned a new M1917 (only an unserviceable one) and a couple of well used M1903 and never at the same time so could not make a comparison. I recently ran across an article in the "Dope Bag" of the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN magazine for January 1940 that provided some information. To quote from the opening paragraph:
"D.C.M Rifles. Beginning in mid summer we started getting a line on various Model-1917 rifles as sold to N.R.A members by the D.C.M office. We fired half-dozen of them at 100 yards principally with National Match 1932 and F.A. 1931 ammunition. Three of these rifles were as issued, while the others had been converted into 30-06 sporters."
What followed was a lengthy detail of the firing procedures and the results. Unfortunately, the same procedure (type of ammo, number of shots per group, etc were not uniform ) so the results are skewed. This is admittedly a very small sample so results are not truly definitive-but it's the best I could find. I shall summarize briefly, for what it's worth. I discarded the information from the sporterized rifles for I was interested in the "as issued" rifle data, and sporterized rifles offered not the kind of info I ws seeking.
The ammunition used was:
FA 1931 M1 Ball
NM 1939
RA Commercial
FA 1933 M1 Ball
Unfortunately not all groups were fired with the same ammo nor were the same number of rounds fired.
*Rifle number 1 was a Remington M1917 - as issued.
Twelve 10 shot groups with all types of ammo =3.78 inches
*Rifle number 2 was a Winchester M1917 -as issued.
Six 10 shot groups with all types of ammunition = 4.22 inches
*Rifle number 3 was aM1917 -manufacturer unidentified.
Two 10 shot groups = 4.54 inches
*Rifle number 4 was a M1903 - as issued
Fourteen 10 shot groups = 3.71 inches.
* Rifle number 5 was National Match M1903
Fourteen 10 shot groups= 4.58 inches
It should be noted that only FA 1931 and FA 1933 M1 ball was fired in this rifle. This would skew the report further since no NM ammo was used.
The best groups were fired in Rifle number 1 at 10 shots with NM1939 ammo= 2.72 inches and 10 shots of RA commercial= 2.95 inches.
Hope this helps

Thanks for the cool info