M1917 Numbers Matching Stock

[ckcadavona]

I picked up this Winchester M1917 recently and I was curious if the numbers on the stock and bolt were orginal or an after thought by a previous owner. It also has a stamp near the magazine cover that I can't make out. Seems to have the orginal 5groove barrel dated 7-18 and the stock is stamped on the end, near the front band with an "R". Barrel cleaned up nicely and I can't wait to take her to the range. I plan to use 312-185, sized .311, starting with 27grs of H4895 w/poly fill. I hope she's a shooter. Any info is apprciated.

[Dutchman]

It was not the custom for M1917 to have the s/n stamped on the stock or bolt handle. Your rifle was a Lend-Lease item, IMO. And it also looks to have been sanded.

My Remington M1917 with barrel date 3-18 shoots .309" cast bullets real fine in it's 5 groove barrel.

Little book by J.C. Harrison has a ton of info on markings for both the M1917 and P14. A little pricey for the page count but.... information costs $$$. The book does not cover Danish Lend-Lease which is what mine was and possibly yours as well. Canadian and New Zealand rifles have different markings. I'd bet yours came from Denmark like mine.

The M1917 really have a ton of markings that the M1903 does not have.

Dutch

[Scharfschuetze]

I've got a nice Winchester 1917, but it has a few Remington made parts from its arsenal rebuild. I'm pretty sure that the "R" stamp on your barrel band indicates that it was originally made by Remington. Parts by Winchester should have "W" on them like your barrel which is probably original to the action.

The eagle head stamp forward of your trigger guard/forward action screw dates from pre WW I through WW I. I don't know what the numbers under the eagle indicate.

While the extractors on 1917s are tough as a heavy weight boxer, the ejectors are fragile and you see many otherwise good 1917s that fail to eject due to broken ejectors. If yours works well, be gentle when ejecting your fired cases.

[30CAL-TEXAN]

Mine has a number on the bolt handle like that, I never really thought of it being a lend lease mark. I may have to look into that.

As far as the OP's rifle in the pictures is concerned - tell you what, I will do you a favor. They shoot horrible and that thing is just hideous but I am willing to take that ugly thing off your hands What do you say?

[GSCSA]

Danish Lend Lease rifle.

[Shooter6br]

Attachment 88218Studies show tthe 5 groves are .310.- .311. Cast bullet size .313 or so. I use Accurate mold copy of Lyman 314299 . Gas checked as cast. Powder 2400 17.5 g . Mine is a sporter I bought for $200 with a Weaver 2.5 X