New Guy with an Eddystone - how did I do?

[Wubbman]

I walked away with a nice looking Eddystone M1917 from a gunshow in Springdale, AR on Saturday. I'm no expert on them, but everything is marked with an 'E' and the finish looks uniform on all the parts, so I wonder if it might be original. I've read that M1917s were parked towards the end of the production run, and I think I'm looking at parkerizing rather than bluing on this one.

I took out the trigger guard and magazine floor plate and they are all marked with an E, as well as the buttplate, front sling swivel, and bayonet lug (upper band?). The bore is shiny but looks to have some dried cosmoline or grease near the throat. There is dried grease on other parts of the rifle as you'll see in the photos.

One thing that interests me is that the bolt handle has a "USMC" stamp on it. I was under the impression that the Marine Corps only used the M1917 as a drill rifle and not in combat. Is this correct? If so, I wonder if mine was one of those. It has been dropped at least once, as the trigger guard has a slight dent in it.

Thanks for any information.


The overall shot of the rifle.


Does the finish look original?










Here is where the bolt is marked "USMC." Sorry for the blurry pic.


What arsenal did this stamp come from?




The rifle with my only other US military bolt action rifle: a 1943 Smith-Corona M1903A3.

Thanks for looking this far and for any information.

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.

[Calif-Steve]

USMC is NOT the Marine Corps. A replacement bolt made by Union Shoe Machinery Corp(?). Rifle looks like is was stored in a barn. How is the bore? Barrel appears original.

[Wubbman]

The barrel is nice and shiny. I will try and post more pics of the bolt tomorrow. Thanks for the info.

[bb1]

You paid miney for that? OMG!!
A good way to dispose of it would be to send it to me.
Nice rifle. They will probably stop making them someday.
Then you will know how you did.
BB

[Chuckindenver]

looks like a nice start,
FYI: Marines carried 17,s in combat..more so then a 1903A3.
rifles modified for drill, will be welded, and plugged, so they cant be shot.
your rifle was likely sold as surplus long ago, like many of the 17,s in our collections, they make great shooters.

[Wubbman]

Thanks for the info so far. I paid $570 for the rifle after talking the seller down from $625. I pretty sure now that it was definately rebuilt at some point (at least the bolt was).

Here is another pic of the bolt:


What do you make of it? I guess it was rebuilt with all Eddystone parts?

Thanks for the continued info.

[bb1]

Who knows? The arsenal rebuids were indiscriminate. They stuck in what ever part was at the tiop of the bin. It could be all origional or restored.
Teach it to talk.

[Calif-Steve]

Is the stock marked "E" at the very tip? Front barrel band marked "E"? If both marked "E" and barrel and receiver match it is most likely NOT a rebuild. Bolt can show up from anywhere. Springfield Sporters has Eddystone bolts for cheap. Good find.

[Wubbman]

Yes, the stock is marked "E" up front and on the barrel band. It also looks like the screw that holds the barrel band in place has been peened somewhat. I will try to get a pic of it later on. I wonder if the bolt was out of spec when the rifle went through rebuilt and so that was the only part that got changed out. Everything from the buttplate to the barrel and stock has an "E" on it that I can see. Thanks for the continued info.

[Arisaka99]

The replacement bolt and 3GM-D stamp indicate it was rebuilt or at least re-arsenaled.