I bought an Eddystone 1917 last week. After taking it home and cleaning it a bit, I decided to drop a snap cap into the mag and work the rifle. (The snap caps Im using are A Zoom, 30-06.). From what I can tell, the barrel "looks" original, meaning that the date of manufacture is still visible. Mine's 7 - 18.
The bolt wouldn't close with a snap cap. However, it would close on an empty chamber.
I wasn't sure what was wrong, so I started looking over the bolt. I found that the cocking piece was an after-market cock on opening piece. (That cocking piece and bolt sleeve were a different color than the rest of the bolt). I replaced that with a normal cock on closing piece. After installing that, I tried to chamber another snap cap, and it still wouldn't chamber.
I took another look over the bolt and thought maybe there could be an extractor issue? Well, I looked over the internet at pictures of 1917 extractors and found that mine didn't have a hole in the forward area where the claw is. Pictures to help describe below.
This is what I believe the extractor should look like. Almost every picture I found were like these.
And here's a picture of my extractor.
There's no hole in mine. Also, the left red arrow shows that the cutout there is much more curved than those in the picture above this one.
I have an extra extractor in the mail, which should be here soon.
Finally, I began to look closer at the chamber. I took out the bolt and dropped a 30-06 snap cap into the chamber. It doesn't seat all the way. The back of the case sticks out maybe 1/5 of an inch.
Here's a picture.
I also have some .303 snap caps and dropped one of them in and they go all the way in. I began thinking I may have a .303 barrel. After looking around some more, Im pretty sure I have a 30-06 barrel. Mine's the cone shape with a straight cut-out. Using CBI barrels as a better picture, here's what mine looks like.
http://criterionbarrels.com/M1917-Enfield-Barrel
If I understand correctly, .303/ p14 barrels don't have the cone shape, and have a slant cutout.
Im at a point to where I really have no idea what to do next. With the original date and looking at other barrels, I really think this is an original 30-06 barrel. Maybe the snap caps im using are not made to the correct dimensions?
Edit - Some more information which may be relevant - My bolt is not for .303. Also, when I take the bolt out of the rifle and place a 30-06 snap cap onto it, it very loosely hangs on, and can fall off with just the slightest shake.Information
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