Replying to no one in particular:
Hatcher, in his Notebook, was quite forthcoming on the defects and dangers of the low number Springfield 1903s.
If he was so upfront about the actual standard issue rifle of the time, I have no doubts he'd tear into the 1917 if had even an inkling of a problem.
He's not the be-all-end-all on the subject but I think you get what I'm saying.