Closed Thread
Page 1 of 6 1 2 3 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 55

Thread: Check your M1917's for safety issues. Eddystones especially..

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Legacy Member cplstevennorton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    03-17-2024 @ 04:30 PM
    Location
    Van Wert, OH
    Age
    44
    Posts
    376
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:16 AM

    Check your M1917's for safety issues. Eddystones especially..

    Guys,

    All the books make a huge a fuss on the M1903 low number. But the documents paint an entirely different picture on the low numbers, than what the books state.

    But what I did find, that I have never seen in any book, is there were a lot of safety issues with the M1917's. Even in WWI, Andrew from Archival Research Group found more M1917's failed than low number M1903's.

    This is in a string of documents where they are inspecting M1917's to be sold to NRA members immediately after WWII. This is just the tale end of the docs where they recommend that no one fire live ammunition out of a Midvale Steel M1917 (Eddystone).

    They also had substantial problems with every maker and M1917's not headspacing correctly. A lot of these rifles were sold with paperwork declaring they were not safe and they should only be used in Drill practice or in firing blank ammunition.

    They did not mark these rifles in anyway as not being safe, and the paperwork on these is most likely long gone for most. These rifles are sitting in our safes as we speak...

    Please check your M1917 rifle's headspace and examine it for cracks. In the docs they detail that they looked for cracks of M1icon's with black lights. I assume then everyone can do the same now.

    Just keep a look out as everything in our books focus on only the M1903 low numbers being unsafe. Well our authors failed to warn us of problems with the M1917.

    Just a heads up...



    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.

  2. The Following 6 Members Say Thank You to cplstevennorton For This Useful Post:


  3. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Age
    2010
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  4. #2
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 12:35 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,813
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    01:16 AM
    Interesting after all these years. I had an Eddystone myself years back...just like new and shot it regularly. Never occurred to us then that there might be problems.
    Regards, Jim

  5. Thank You to browningautorifle For This Useful Post:


  6. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  7. #3
    Legacy Member Ridolpho's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Last On
    09-27-2022 @ 11:12 PM
    Location
    Province of Alberta, Canada
    Age
    66
    Posts
    1,019
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    02:16 AM
    I'm pretty sure this has come up in the past and is related to re-barreled Eddystones. Something about excess force being used in the process resulting in cracks. I don't think it has been suggested the metallurgy of the receivers was originally a problem as with the low number 03's.

    Ridolpho

  8. Thank You to Ridolpho For This Useful Post:


  9. #4
    Legacy Member cplstevennorton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    03-17-2024 @ 04:30 PM
    Location
    Van Wert, OH
    Age
    44
    Posts
    376
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:16 AM
    Thread Starter
    I must not have hit submit on the 2nd part.

    This seems to extend way past re-barreling. I haven't seen one mention at least that this has anything to do with the ones re-barreled.




  10. #5
    Advisory Panel Brian Dick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Last On
    03-15-2024 @ 10:43 AM
    Location
    Edgefield, SC USA
    Posts
    4,035
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:16 AM
    I always understood that they could be cracked from original factory barrel installation. I read or was told somewhere many years ago that the reason was there were hydraulic barreling machines being used with semi to skilled labor both male and female doing the assembly in wartime.

  11. Thank You to Brian Dick For This Useful Post:


  12. #6
    Contributing Member Doco overboard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 08:15 PM
    Location
    Delmarva Peninsula
    Posts
    452
    Real Name
    Brian Stiles
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:16 AM
    I seen a cracked m17 for sale one time. It was a Remington with a JA barrel. Viewed from the top it was cracked plain as day at about the one o'clock position on the ring and extended back nearly a 1/4". I had read in the past cracking was a problem associated with the Eddystone rifles but had also been found on the other makes to a lessor extent.

    I wonder if the cracking and tight barrels could be from the way the threads were cut on the barrels. My understanding is that a certain amount of clearance needs to be apparent on square threads at both the top and bottom of the threads. If the barrels were manufactured slightly out of spec in a hurry I suppose the cracking could occur when the rifle was proofed or later on when it was placed in service.

    Something else I observed after working on a few there was a gap where the extractor cut met the inside threads of the receiver. If rifles were allowed to become wet water could easily get in there and freeze but to what extent could that even happen who would know.

  13. #7
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 12:35 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,813
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    01:16 AM
    I don't care about cracking from a barrel install, I'm listening closely to the suggestion of metallurgy failure. First time this has been past me.
    Regards, Jim

  14. Thank You to browningautorifle For This Useful Post:


  15. #8
    Contributing Member rcathey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Last On
    03-14-2024 @ 03:09 PM
    Location
    St. Louis, MO Area
    Posts
    1,645
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    03:16 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by browningautorifleicon View Post
    I don't care about cracking from a barrel install, I'm listening closely to the suggestion of metallurgy failure. First time this has been past me.
    I’ve been following and thinking about how to best share my thoughts on this.
    Now I think I can just give a, “yeah, what he said!”

    Would be very interesting to see more documents pertaining to this.

  16. Thank You to rcathey For This Useful Post:


  17. #9
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 12:35 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,813
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    01:16 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by rcathey View Post
    more documents pertaining to this
    I think Steve has found these in his pouring over things at the library, wish we could just nail it down. I haven't had one for years though... Still, did I miss the part where it talks about metallurgy? Cracks we got...
    Regards, Jim

  18. Thank You to browningautorifle For This Useful Post:


  19. #10
    Contributing Member Doco overboard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 08:15 PM
    Location
    Delmarva Peninsula
    Posts
    452
    Real Name
    Brian Stiles
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:16 AM

  20. The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to Doco overboard For This Useful Post:


Closed Thread
Page 1 of 6 1 2 3 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. p14 cocking piece safety issues
    By aletheuo in forum Pattern 1913/1914 and M1917 Rifles
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 02-16-2018, 10:07 AM
  2. Steyr 1895M Safety Issues
    By Aragorn243 in forum Milsurps General Discussion Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 05-07-2016, 12:38 PM
  3. My Eddystones P1914 and M1917
    By Mikesm44 in forum Pattern 1913/1914 and M1917 Rifles
    Replies: 32
    Last Post: 03-05-2015, 07:20 PM
  4. Correct scope for the 03a4 an safety functioning issues
    By sonnyboy in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 02-24-2014, 10:05 AM
  5. Martini-Enfield Safety and Firing Issues
    By Drachenblut in forum Martini Henry Rifles
    Replies: 51
    Last Post: 03-24-2010, 07:13 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks