How'd I do??

[AZ-Stew]

Went to the Mesa gun show today. Passed a S&W 25-5 because I had no way to measure the chamber mouths. Didn't want to get it and find that the chamber mouths were .005 over bore size.

Picked up 5K Remington large pistol primers for $100. I'm pretty sure I did well on that one. Sportsman's is selling them for $36 + tax. Anyone seen them cheaper?

Then there's the Enfield.

Eddystone. S/N 1,267,xxx. Stock has been refinished. No cartouches remaining. Bore remains to be thoroughly examined. It needs cleaning. The breach end appears good, but in the exhibit hall I couldn't get it in a position where I could see the muzzle end clearly. The old eyes require a certain distance before clear focus can be achieved. It is likely good, but may be fuzzed up a bit with dust. There's a bit of it around the front sight. Anyway, I didn't buy it for a collector piece. I bought it to use as a cast boolit gun (or why would I be asking here?) and, not being up to date on these rifles, I wanted to find out whether I paid a decent price for it. It was marked $525, but I paid $475 for it. Who won? Any suggestions on a cast boolit design for it? I have a number of thirty's but if anyone knows of a design that seems to be an Enfield favorite or that you've had success with in and Enfield, please let me know.

EDIT: On second look, there are two marks visible on the stock in the grip area, so it hasn't been sanded down too badly. The metal is in nice shape. Almost no wear on the bolt face. The bolt body shows bare metal from being cycled, but the bolt face shows almost all of its bluing.

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

The primers were a deal!

Don't really know about the Enfield, but seems kinda high . . . but I don't really know!

[Echo]

My son went to the same show, and will go back tomorrow w/FIL to do some additional purchasing.

Good price on the LP's.

Re the Enfield. I would say you both got a good deal. I had a barreled action that I had restored w/used wood, sights, and furniture, and spent $500 on that effort - but it is a tack driver. I think you will like it. I used mine in the Senior Olys this year, shooting lead, and created some entertainment, as my spotter could see the boolit go down range, into the target, and on into the berm! I may have caused some consternation on the shooter to my right, as, in sustained fire, working the bolt vigorously sent the empties smartly into his body. Competition is tough...

[9.3X62AL]

Decent price on the primers, FO' SHO'. They ran 21.95/K at the Reno Show last month from Miwall, which is the best retail price I've seen in the past year or more.

Can't say as to the Enfield matter--outta my depth with that one.

[AZ-Stew]

After further examination, I've found an 11-18 barrel mark, just behind the front sight. The stock is marked 2W right behind the trigger guard and B-O with a marking I've never seen (not a "Flaming Pi$$ Pot") nearer the base of the pistol grip. The bolt face shows almost all its original blue and the bolt body shows numerous streaks of bare steel from cycling, though I wouldn't say it's in any manner "beat up". I'm in the process of removing the copper from the bore so I can start working on a cast load. I'm using Montana Xtreme Copper Killer and patch after patch comes out blue, without even waiting for the solvent to work. I'm afraid that when I'm finished it will actually be a .35 Whelan. :kidding:

The trigger could use some work to get rid of the creep, but otherwise, it seems to be in pretty good shape for a 92 year old rifle.

I'll post some photos later today.

Regards,

Stew

[gasboffer]

I had one years ago. Won several dollars betting I could hit a postage stamp at 100 yd within two shots. I shot a .35 Rem cartridge, (loaded up to bolt action pressures, somewhere around 50K) in it. Had to hammer the bolt open with a two-by-four, but didn't harm the rifle at all. Used it for several seasons deer hunting, (stand, not walking). Wish I still had it.

[Mk42gunner]

Stew,

I have had two M1917's, the first one was as issued and I could make expert with any kind of surplus ball ammo I could find. The second I am still working on.

The triggers on Enfields can be worked over to make a fairly decent two stage pull. If it doesn't satisfy you after some work, I believe that Timney still makes two triggers for it; one for a six shot (unaltered magazine), and one for a five shot with a shorter magazine.

I have put a few of Lee's 312-185 though the barrel of my latest M1917, I also have some 308284's waiting in the wings. I have to decide what sights I am going to put on mine, it had the ears ground off when I bought the barreled action.

Robert

[Buckshot]

.............Stew, ya did well on the primers. The Enfield might have been a bit high, but the days of the $89 - $200 bolt action milsurp are long gone, other then I suspect the M91-30 MN. If you were wanting one and it's not going to make your mortgage payment late or short the grocery shopping, does it really matter? The only way anyone is going to aquire one is a private sale, whether an individual or one aquired similarly by a retailer.

..............Buckshot

[Changeling]

.............Stew, ya did well on the primers. The Enfield might have been a bit high, but the days of the $89 - $200 bolt action milsurp are long gone, other then I suspect the M91-30 MN. If you were wanting one and it's not going to make your mortgage payment late or short the grocery shopping, does it really matter? The only way anyone is going to aquire one is a private sale, whether an individual or one aquired similarly by a retailer.

..............Buckshot


DAM, talk about hitting the proverbial nail on the "HEAD", :holysheep