1917 Upper Band Marking

[JTDundee]

Hello all, I have been strolling thru here gathering information for a while but when I ran into a brick wall researching a mark, I registered to ask a question.
I picked up a Winchester M1917; the barrel and action are Winchester dating from 10-18 with a glossy black finish almost like thin paint, but 90% of the other parts are Eddystone from an arsenal rebuild I guess. The front sight and sear are Remington and altho there are no marks on the stock, the ill-fitting upper handguard has a "w co" mark on it.
It's always nice to see the research that goes on here but in all my reading I can't find a reference to the mark on the front face of the upper barrel band/bayo lug - it looks like a capital D.
In the right light, the capital D looks as if it have been placed over a large capital E... and I would guess like everything else it might mean Eddystone -but there is already a tiny E on the right side of the barrel band. Could it be a stamp from one of the arsenals refurbing?
I took a picture - if you can see it then I was successful in attaching it.
Thanks!!!!
JT

Information

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[Stoshu]

In the right light, the capital D looks as if it have been placed over a large capital E... and I would guess like everything else it might mean Eddystone

I recently bought a M1917 Winchester, it has a Eddystone stock, yours E is slightly less faded then mine. As far as the D, I do not have any idea, but this is the right place to find the answer.

[JTDundee]

this is the right place to find the answer.

Hope so - thanks

[oldfoneguy]

Why it stands for Dundee of course!

I really don't know and have never seen that before.
I've seen plenty of these rifles with all sorts of weird things done to them
over the last hundred years but never this. The British had a practice of marking
worn out rifles DP for drill purpose and those were generally deactivated by drilling
a hole sideways through the chamber and put big half circles in the stock next to the chamber.

The ill fitting hand guard should read BW Co. but they were stamped poorly.
This was a WWII era replacement left rough to be fitted properly by an armorer.
It sounds like someone got one and just stuck it on without fitting it.
You can still find these for sale new old stock every now and then.
I grabbed a set when I saw one for sale, just in case!

It sounds like your rifle is somewhat of a mixmaster, but as long as you didn't pay too much
and the bore and muzzle are ok you should have a decent shooter as they are very accurate. - Bill

[JTDundee]

Almost had "the big one" and was about to run downstairs to open the safe and look for that hole when I relaxed and realized it wasn't there ;-)
Back in the day I was our armorer, so i'm thinkin' I can fit the upper hand guard now knowing that is the problem. Bore and muzzle seem fine so I'm happy.
Thank you, Bill!

[Stoshu]

Back in the day I was our armorer, so i'm thinkin' I can fit the upper hand guard now knowing that is the problem

If you want to replace the hand guard with a "correct" Winchester marked one, they are almost always on eBay for somewhere in the $25-45 range.

[gonzogeezer]

I recently bought a M1917 Winchester, it has a Eddystone stock, yours E is slightly less faded then mine. As far as the D, I do not have any idea, but this is the right place to find the answer.

My Eddystone has a Winchester stock! Wonder if the passed each other going through San Antonio?!

[JTDundee]

The history they've seen is amazing