Safety lever on a P14/ Model of 1917?

[DanielQ15]

Hello all, I am new here and am looking for info on how to remove the safety lever on a P14/ Model of 1917.

Information

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[oldfoneguy]

Clear the action, remove the bolt, remove the barreled action from the stock, remove the screw and block behind the safety lever (watch for spring pressure), remove the spring and plunger from the receiver, remove the safety lever.
Be sure to use proper fitting screwdrivers to avoid marring the screw heads.
There may be burrs on the safety lever from improper use preventing it from coming out.
If that is the case try rotating it around completely to align the burrs to ease removal.
See pages 1&2 here PARTS LIST - 1917 Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts for photos of the parts being removed.
Reassembly is the reverse order of removal. - Bill

Edit to add: you are looking at part numbers 13-17 on the Numrich website.

[Cosine26]

The spring and plunger are in front of the safety. You must remove the safety before you can remove the plunger and spring. There is no spring pressure on the block and screw.
To remove the safety, follow the above directions about removing the bolt and stock . Turn the safety lever beyond the safe position so that the safety lever is fully down. This will cause the plunger to protrude forward and engage the safety lever at a round position' on the safety lever. The Safety can be wiggled and pulled out of the receiver. To prevent losing the plunger and spring, Hold the plunger with a clamp of some kind.
To replace the safety, insert the spring and plunger into the receiver. With a screw driver align the plunger so that the slot on the plunger is horizontal to the receiver.;and force it forward. Insert the safety with the thumb piece down and wiggle it to get it past the screw driver blade which is depressing the plunger.
Rotate the safety to the off position and install the block and screw.
Hope this helps.

[oldfoneguy]

The spring and plunger are in front of the safety. You must remove the safety before you can remove the plunger and spring. There is no spring pressure on the block and screw.
To remove the safety, follow the above directions about removing the bolt and stock . Turn the safety lever beyond the safe position so that the safety lever is fully down. This will cause the plunger to protrude forward and engage the safety lever at a round position' on the safety lever. The Safety can be wiggled and pulled out of the receiver. To prevent losing the plunger and spring, Hold the plunger with a clamp of some kind.
To replace the safety, insert the spring and plunger into the receiver. With a screw driver align the plunger so that the slot on the plunger is horizontal to the receiver.;and force it forward. Insert the safety with the thumb piece down and wiggle it to get it past the screw driver blade which is depressing the plunger.
Rotate the safety to the off position and install the block and screw.
Hope this helps.

Cosine, thanks for the correction you are absolutely right. It's been several years since I've had those parts off my rifles and I was trying to help through memory.
Silly me here I was thinking I could remember the procedure in detail without pulling out a rifle to check. I guess someone my age shouldn't try to remember
more than my name and shoe size without some type of visual aid. I'm not sure what I was confusing this with unless it was just confusion for it's own sake!
Daniel I'm sorry if I misinformed you but I do stand by using the correct screwdriver. - Bill

[Cosine26]

FWIW
I am ninety years old. I handled my first M1917 as a member of the State Guard in 1943 and was made a sergeant because I was the only one who could strip and repair M1917's.I described this procedure strictly from memory. I have not owned a M1917 since 1965 but I do have a couple of M30 Remington rifles.

[fjruple]

FWIW
I am ninety years old. I handled my first M1917 as a member of the State Guard in 1943 and was made a sergeant because I was the only one who could strip and repair M1917's.I described this procedure strictly from memory. I have not owned a M1917 since 1965 but I do have a couple of M30 Remington rifles.

As a combat veteran myself, we of the younger generations deeply appreciate your service in one of the darkest chapters of our history. My late grandfather would often talk about the "English" rifle he used in the Great War. I personally could never understand why the M1917 was not fully developed with an adjustable windage rear sight and modifications to the bolt for cocking on opening and possibly shortening the barrel length to better meet the US Army needs after WWI. The only explanation would be the rifle suffered from "not invented here" syndrome by the US Army Ordnance.

Cheers

--fjruple

[Cosine26]

I find this quite interesting. I have a relatively extensive collection of literature concerning firearms to include FM's, gunsmith books, gun books and firearm magazines. After a diligent search, I find that none of them give any instructions on how to remove and replace the safety lever on the P1914/M1917 Rifle. I believe that there are some very specialized "Enfield" books out there that may have this information but I am not familiar with them. I am sure that there are probably some ordnance publications that have this Info-I just do not have them.
FWIW

[fjruple]

Cosine26--

The Base Shop Manual (BSM) for the Model of 1917 does have the information. Its an excellent reference to higher levels of maintenance for the Model of 1917 Enfield. The BSM also identified the specialized tools and drawing numbers to assist in the maintenance of the Model of 1917 Enfield. I am pretty sure a lot of the manual would apply to the Pattern 14 .303 Enfield Rifle as well. If you PM your email address I can send a .pdf file of the BSM for the 1917 Enfield. Someone from the board may want to post it the reference section of the web site.

Cheers

--fjruple

[Cosine26]

fjruple
PM sent. With the guard I was issued Eddystone M1917 S/N 160086
Thanks.

[Kiwi]

Taken from 'Instructions for Armourers 1912 (reprint 1916) Addendum Instructions for Care and repair of rifles, magazine .303-INCH Pattern 1914' Issued with army orders dated 1st January 1918.

I found a footnote in the instructions that states '*the safety catch should be removed before removing the plate, cover, locking bolt. This prevents the locking bolt from flying out of its housing. In "W" rifles of early manufacture the plate, cover, locking bolt, is dovetailed into the body of the underside.'