US model 1917 questions from newbie

[Mark 2]

Patrick, Thank you again for your helpful replies. I do have a tube of lanolin having used that to keep up the hard rubber grips of the older Smith & Wesson revolvers that I owned. I did not know that it was useful on leather as well. So, to be specific, how does one know that it is, or is not, a 1907 sling? Is it just the design?

I had the band off last night though not completely removed, just slid forward of the stock. It's a very good bit of workmanship as is the modification to the front of the stock. To my unknowing eyes I thought it was some form of factory variant. Anyway I'll be shooting the rifle off a Sinclair rest and "bunny ear" rear bag without the band in place.

I don't have a problem buying the books you suggested but even that purchase, let alone more parts for the rifle, hinges on how well the gun shoots. Your suggestion to get together with someone that shoots these guns is a good one and I'll need to rejoin the Washington Arms Collectors locally and make contact with someone in that association that collects and shoots them. I know there are quite a few here though I'd forgotten about that option as I'd not rejoined a couple years ago. I'd really moved away from collecting guns and in disgust at the results of the election sold many rifles and pistols. While I don't regret that (they were types of guns that I'd gravitated away from anyway) I almost wish I'd sold all my stocks then and kept the guns from a purely financial standpoint! They continue to at least keep pace with inflation and often outshines it.......but I digress!

Thanks yet again, Dave

[Patrick Chadwick]

Dave, it's the design of the sling with two section, each having a characteristic double-hook. Standard sling for the M1917 and eagerly tkaen for a lot of other rifles. If you get the Ferris book, it's shown on P181. In the Stratton book it's on P98. Fig. 7-4 shows how it should be assembled.
Making the first test shoot as you described is a good idea. The rifle looks like it was more or less as new when it was sporterized, and from your description the converter did a proper job. You may well find you have a very good shooter.
Good luck!

Patrick

[Coal Burner]

A pity the rifle got carved up, but the Americans have only themselves to blame, for rubbishing anything that was not Springfield for so long.

Patrick

I beg your pardon? Americans cut up thousands of Springfields.


Mark2: I have seen a few Winchester stocks on the Salvage Grade 1917s at CMP. I got a nice W marked stock and a few other Winchester parts that way. I know you probably aren't going to drive to one of the stores from Washington state, but you could always mail order one for $300 and include a request for a W marked stock. Whatever they send you, you will have a full-length stock with barrel bands and a barreled action to either sell or keep for spare parts.

[Victor Six Bravo]

Friend has a sporterized Enfield (one of the "laser" ones) an Eddystone.

And idea where to get a replacement stock, his has cracked just behind the bolt/wrist area. Either a replacement original, or a sporter stock (it's a pure hunting rifle now)? I tried Numrich and couldn't find any.

[Mosby]

I agree with Coal Burner, what you need is a stock set with hardware or CMP salvage grade ($300) will also work. Or you could try posting WTB ads around different forums and see who replies.

Good Luck,
Mosby

[Mark 2]

I said that any further work (toward restoration) on this modified Enfield depended on how it shoots. I was quite pleased and surprised with the results. The picture shows an 8" Caldwell target with a 5 hole group of 2 3/16" shot at 100 yards. Ammo was Rem Core-Lokt 180 gr and the rifle was shot off a front rest and rear bag. Conditions were near perfect with no wind and early morning back lighting. A total of 10 rounds were fired, first two at 25 yards, second 3 at 50 yards and final 5 at 100 yards using the so called "battle" sight. My 63 year old eyes don't focus so well any more so shooting with iron sights is not as much fun as it used to be. My point of aim was the center bottom of the black 8" circle. I tried drifting the front sight to get the windage centered but the sight is well peened in place at the front with what looks to have been a good whack with a large center punch so it wouldn't budge with the equipment I had at hand (a 1/4" diameter copper rod and my handy, but inadequate, Leatherman Wave used as a hammer). The trigger is a consistent 4 1/2 lb pull and the bore is just like new. I feel confident that this rifle has had nearly no use.

So now to a look at the cost of bringing it back to "original" condition. At the minimum I need a complete stock/hand guards plus bands. From the prices I'm seeing on Ebay and even here it looks like W marked furniture and related parts would set me back over $200. Does this sound correct, too high, too low for pricing? Then to really get it "right" I'd need a W marked bolt and bolt release. So now I'm into it for well over what it'll be worth, at least at this point in time. That said this rifle is in exceptional condition and without any modification to the metal such as scope mount holes or the like.

Any more comments from the experts?

Thanks, Dave

[bigduke6]

Mark 2,

As it shoots ok i would go for the stock change first, the old stock stick on ebay, remove the butt plate etc, someone may be looking for replacement for a sporter or target rifle, at a later date you can change parts if you feel the need, but all this needs at present is a stock set and some more ammo through it.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Mark 2, that is very promising. If you try shooting with the flip-up sight at the bottom, the group should come down quite a lot - and be a bit tighter too, although what you have is already better than I could manage looking through the battle sight aperture.

As to stock and furniture, if I managed to find a complete Eddystone set for 60 euros from a scrapped rifle, you should be able to find something for a lot less than 200 dollars if you are patient and ask in every gunshop you come across if they have any salvaged bits.

Patrick

[Alfred]

A member of another forum recently posted that his M1917 had only been capable of 4-5 inch groups using modern sporting .30/06 loads but when he ran across some 1939 Franklin Arsenal headstamped ammo he got 1 inch groups.

Near as I can figure that ammo used the 152 grain soft lead core bullet at around 2,800 + FPS, they'd raised velocity by about 100 FPS starting in 1936.

He said the bullets were silvery looking but I think these were the gilding metal bullets with jackets treated with stanic acid to give a silered look, to avoid mixing them with the heavier MG loads with untreated gilding metal jackets.

Rifles can be highly individualistic in which ammo they handle best. Thats why I much prefer to taylor handloads for each rifle even if I have several in the same chambering.

[Calfed]

As to stock and furniture, if I managed to find a complete Eddystone set for 60 euros from a scrapped rifle, you should be able to find something for a lot less than 200 dollars if you are patient and ask in every gunshop you come across if they have any salvaged bits.

Patrick

I've got a P-17 complete stock. Unfortunately it currently holds a Winchester P-14. Patrick, Do you ever see any P-14 gunstocks over there? Although the P-17 stock works, it doesn't fit very well around the magazine cut-out. I would love to replace the stock on my P-14 with a proper one.

By the way, Mark2, I know your pain. I'm currently restoring a Winchester 1917 that a yahoo "sporterized". Luckily, I had a Winchester stock already.

Forgive the quality of the picture--it is from the on-line auction site.



Steve



Steve