My 1st M1917

[Pinmaster]

I "collect" mostly M1 Garands but a local buddy had a M1917 Eddystone for sale. I checked it out and decided to pick it up. The more that I look at this rifle the more I like it. I cannot wait to fire it at the range.

I have read here on milsurps about the M1917 and here is what I have learned about the rifle so far.

A WWII rebuild
M1917 Eddystone

Receiver Oct of 1918
Eddystone Barrel Sept of 1918 (E 9-18 MW of <1.5) & the bore looks fine

All parts are E except the followng:

Trigger guard is Winchester
Bolt is Remington (all other bolt parts/firing pin are E)
Safety is Remington
Rear sight Ladder with number markings is Remington other sight parts are E

Stock is Remington with the WWII 3GM-K rebuild cartouche
Buttplate is Remington
Rear Sling Swivel is Remington


I stripped the bolt and used my Clymer headspace gauges to check the headspace. The results were as follows:

Would close on Go & No-Go
Was not even close to closing on the Field

Pics:

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.

[jmoore]

Not bad! I like shooting these rather more than '03s for some reason. Sights and safety are better, I think.

[Pinmaster]

Thanks jmoore
Does the rifle look like the original blue finish to you?

And for 100 yard shooting do you use the 200 yard sight and hold 6-8 inches under?

[Chuckindenver]

finish looks to be parkerized.

[Pinmaster]

I was able to shoot a few down range in the M1917 this past weekend. It was really fun to shoot such a fine piece of history.

I will have to get use to it or try it on the 200yard range next outing.

The first few rounds I held dead on and low. The next rounds I held to the right a bit and they are the group at the top right of the target.

I thought that I would share a couple of pictures.

[Patrick Chadwick]

That looks like a very nice rifle. And don't worry about the parts mix if you are a shooter (as I am glad to say, you seem to be) rather than a collector. As Peter Laidler, on the Enfield forum, has often made clear (and it's common sense anyway), real armorers assemble parts to make a properlly functioning rifle, not nicely matching sets of stamps. And you checked out the headspace OK. Reload with neck-sizing only, using something like about 48 grains of N140 and the Sierra or Lapua 168 gn HPBTs, adjust the seating depth to be about 20 thou off the lands (using a "competition" micrometer-type seating die), and you will see that you have a rifle with great potential accuracy.

With my eyeballs, I would find that "dazzle-painted" target hard to aim at. You might find that it is actually easier to position the blade with the 6 o'clock hold on a good, solid, traditional black target - or am I just showing my age?

As to shooting performance, a good M1917 will make the Springfields sweat! The only real drawback is the limited click adjustment on the sight. Someone will tell you that not having lateral adjustment is a drawback. I disagree. Shooting at up to 1000 yards in variable winds, like on the ridge at Langeac, you just cannot keep adjusting the sights anyway. Those who can really read the wind adjust the hold-off in these circumstances, as if you keep on twiddling left and right you just get confused. I am lousy at that myself, but I admire those who can do it!

Just one last thought to check out: make sure that the barrel is not binding on one side of the barrel channel. This will cause a temperature-dependent scattering of the group, and must be corrected if it exists.

Enjoy your shooting!

Patrick