remington mdl of 1917 eddystone type

[badbob454]

shot this 1917 rifle today wow shoots great sights dead on i dont think this gun was used ever exept in parades or drilling the bore looked new super bright bore and the action had almost no wear marks shot 1: high at 100 yds dead on at 200 tds and shot 430 yds away and hit within 6 inches of my point of aim i did aim about a foot high to hit it where i anticipated it would go but wow what a nice rifle heavy felt very little recoil and thi gun they say is way stronger than the 1903. they copied the mauser double locking lugs all i can say is no wonder sgt .york shot so well ..

[3006guns]

I have both the British P-14 and U.S. 1917 rifles and both are a joy to shoot. I'm a little recoil sensitive (one of the reasons I started using boolits instead of bullets) and the weight of the guns reduces the felt recoil. I can actually feel the difference between an Enfield No.1 MkIII and the P-14 quite noticeably.

The actions look very beefy, so you would assume they're stronger than a 1903 or Mauser but in reality they're about the same. I make this statement based on the testing done by P.O. Ackley after WWII, when he was blowing up actions left and right trying to find one that would handle his wildcat cartridges. All of them self destructed when pushed beyond their limits with the same charge, usually a split receiver ring and barrel blown free of the action. The bolts never came out, but the guns were reduced to junk. The Japanese rifles were the only exception and could be returned to shooting condition by replacing parts.

Nevertheless, they're darn nice rifles. Now you need a "doughboy" helmet, leggings, etc............:D

[badbob454]

roger that !

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The action on these is very strong. They have been converted to shoot some of the more stout calibers. I have one from each of the manufacturers and I picked up another of the Winchesters and had it rebarreled to 35 Whelan with a 1:10 twist. All of them shoot very accurately. I don't mind the cock on closing feature and as for the lack of a windage setting capability, the front sight can be drifted if necessary. I modified the front sight adjustment tool from an SKS with a little filing and it works fine. Its a great rifle and it handles cast bullets very well. Learn the trick with the nickel to disassemble the bolt as it saves time. Also you can add to the weight of the rifle and dampen recoil even more by putting a couple of lead cylinders in the oiler holes in the buttplate. LLS

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

You lost me...

Eddystone was a plant Remington opened to help supply rifles when we entered the war.

I do have a Remington version converted to my wildcat 550 Gibbs Magnum. Yes, they are hell for stout. 615gr bullet at 2650fps. ME is off the scale. So is recoil. You can see video of me shooting it on youtube. Just type in 550 Gibbs.

Rich

[FAsmus]

badbobgerman;

I have one of these rifles myself - except it was rebarreled by the government in the 40s. The "new" barrel is a Johnson Automatics 2-groove. This rifle & barrel are pretty much made for shooting cast bullets.

I shoot this one over our long range silhouette course out to 834 yards where I can hold my own against the purpose-built single shots.

You did not mention if your rifle is in military wood or not - tell us more.

Good morning,
Forrest

[rojo]

hi badbobgerman, if you look at your front sight there should be a number [ the height of the sight ] you can buy either a smaller os larger front sight to zero it in , also Parker-Hale made a target rear sight that is almost a drop in without drilling & tapping the reciever , I luv my 1917's and used to shoot then often until my local range stopped rifle shooting to 200 yrds and no more prone

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The Eddystone version of the M1917 was actually manufactured by the Baldwin Locomotive Works which was owned by Remington. LLS

[badbob454]

it is wood has the sass stamp on the side by the trigger ,metal butplate m,wood with a clear coat like bar varnish looks like drill or parade rifle barrel looks smooth as a mirror except fot the sharp rifling heavy maybe walnut wood? this is a remington rifle but i called it an eddystone as most people recognise that rifle as many more of them have been made ..... im happy with this rifle have been told this action is strong enough for the 300mag , but i wouldnt alter a thing ,, was worried the rear sight was a bit large but it seems to be shooting great so ...dont kick a sleeping dog , im happy .. the best part is im only in it @ 500 bucks in todays value..i traded 100 dollars 1000 rounds turkish surp ammo paid 4c a round years ago ... and a yugo mauser rebuilt by the russians in cosmoline paid 150.00

[giz189]

If it is an Eddystone, you may want to Google and read about it. Some serial # range of Remington Eddystone were not heat treated properly and the receivers have been know to develop small hairline cracks and come apart at times. So I have read in researching 1917 Rifles made for the American military.

[3006guns]

It was a heat treatment problem? I'd always been told it was the result of using an air operated wrench of some sort to set headspace. In other words, stepped up production for the war resulted in some overtorqued barrels, creating stress on the receiver ring.

Typically these rifles go on for years with no problems, but when a barrel is changed the crack can reveal itself.

I wouldn't worry about it too much though....those guns soldiered on for years and are STILL going. Just enjoy it!

[badbob454]

i looked this over very good , before my first shot ... no hairline cracks ...like new from the factory it was a shame , and a joy to shoot .... next ill have to clean up my 59/66 yugo sks in unissued condition. never shot once , in the cosmoline , in the box with all the extras ... ill hate to shoot it , and ill love to shoot it

[cwskirmisher]

If it is an Eddystone, there will be an "E" stamped into the wood facing forward in front of the front barrel band. There will also be an "E" stamped on the underside of the bolt handle. It will also say "Eddystone" on the receiver in front of the serial number. But having the E stamped stock and bolt make it all correct.

[Buckshot]

...........You can read about the Eddystone plant, Remington's and the Baldwin Locomotive Work's involvement here:

http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/journals/Eddystone

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

[GARCIA]

Purchased two Winchester P14 actions many moons ago. One built into a 7mm STW and the other given to my oldest son for future use.

Have a Model of 1917 Eddystone mixmaster that was rebuilt during WWII. Has the JA barrel on it. Heck of a lot of fun to shoot with cast. Recoil is next to nothing. Have a lot of fun with it at the range!!!

Tom

[Taylor]

I have an Eddystone,it has a small brass plate nailed to the to bottom (toe?) of the stock.Has some numbers on it.Looks like a unit designation,with a arms room number.No spray painting these like they used to do the M16's.

[GARCIA]

Here is a picture of my old war horse.
Still have not been able to identify the boxed cartouche with the 3GMK inside of it.
Does still have the oroignal DAS stamps and proof marks.

Tom

[FAsmus]

GARCIA;

Last week I loaded for my two-groove JA-barrel 1917 Enfield. It was a fine day on the hilltop and many of the fellows were there.

The M1917 was to be on the line and shortly I sat down with my cross-sticks. Then, I was startled to find that it had been so long since I’d fired it that I forgotten which of my several sight extensions was the correct one to add to the receiver sight for the distances I was planning on shooting. (poor record-keeping) I had to fiddle around with the sights something serious for awhile before the correct extension was located and in place. Then the wind was pretty much strong enough to play with my 30 caliber pills in a serious way ~ most of the time the receiver sight aperture was within a few minutes of the stop – way over to the right of center. It was a good day for exercising on condition estimates and it brought to the fore-front the old insight that if you can get on with the first shot the remaining rounds will be ever so much more easily dialed in. For example this time the 606 yard “Bull” was unhittable for me – I was just a little off the right side, then a little off the left .. only at random it seemed was even one hit possible. Then on the “Big Chicken” at 648 yards I got on with the first shot and walked them around on the steel like I’d regained my senses.

The same thing went for the 834 yard “Square” and I must admit it was childishly gratifying to hear the fellows almost gasp in amazement as the first round from the M1917 was a hit way out there. It was fun for sure and for certain. My load for this shooting is RCBS 30-180-SP and 21.5 grains 4759.

Good morning,
Forrest

[Mavrick]

Since I got my Eddystone, I've heard how there was a problem with the heat-treating, but I've never found anything to indicate something in mine. They kept saying that many were too hard, which made the action brittle.
When I first got mine, I made a mistake. I put WAY too much powder in the case. (Gettin' in a hurry!) It IS possible to get too much IMR4350 into an '06 case with a 180gr bullet. The case looked like a belted magnum!!! Ya can drop the primer into the pocket from 10" up!!! I STILL have the case. Oh, yeah, I fired that round in 1967. I was home on leave.
The rifle has been modified a little since then. When I got it it was brand new, full of cosmoline. (NO! I'm not that old. It had been stored.)
Everything has been changed over the years, except the dog-leg bolt handle. I'm getting back into casting for it. I'm working to a "cat sneeze" hunting load for small-game when I'm out for two or three weeks. Ya know...drop a couple in the pocket for camp meat.
It's now a .300 Mag, and I've carried it every year for something, and really had a good time when I lived in Alaska. When you're as heavy as this thing, ya NEED a real cartridge in the barrel. A .375 H&H, or .505 Gibbs should be just fine.
Have fun,
Gene

[badbob454]

yeah im trying to find a good deal on a rcbs or a lyman 175-200 gr flatnose to cast boolits for it the 311041 or 31141 or the 30 180gr rcbs fn are what im looking for it ive got some bids in on the evilbay as i found none here on this forum first think these will work fine in a hog gone wild , here in california happy shooting friends !!

[PAT303]

I have an Eddystone in 25/303,working the bolt in a modern factory rifle to the M17 is like opening the door on a Hyundia to a Mack truck.They are built them suckers. Pat

[badbob454]

yes they are .... the cocks on close, is not a problem for me as i adapt well to different guns, cars, trucks,machinery , easily so i just push forward a little harder when closing the bolt

[badbob454]

just posted it in the swapping and selling , got another 06 and this is a littleheavy, to field carry

[Char-Gar]

The rifle in question is marked "Remington" so is not an Eddystone product.

Compared to the 03 the 1917 is heavy and unwieldy and some don't like the cock-on-closing feature. But they are what they are and are darn good shooting rifles.

When I was a kid, they sold for $25.00 and the 03s went for $45.00. I had several of them, but couldn't seem to hang onto one. In 95 I spoted on in a pawn shop and bought it for $125.00. It is a very good Winchester made rifle that was not Parkerized in WWII. It is still sitting in my safe unfired. I will have to shoot it, when I get my round tuit.

[badbob454]

The rifle in question is marked "Remington" so is not an Eddystone product.

Compared to the 03 the 1917 is heavy and unwieldy and some don't like the cock-on-closing feature. But they are what they are and are darn good shooting rifles.

When I was a kid, they sold for $25.00 and the 03s went for $45.00. I had several of them, but couldn't seem to hang onto one. In 95 I spoted on in a pawn shop and bought it for $125.00. It is a very good Winchester made rifle that was not Parkerized in WWII. It is still sitting in my safe unfired. I will have to shoot it, when I get my round tuit.

but remington built the eddystone rifles , i call it an eddystone as most persons know what they are ..

[Shooter6br]

I believe the heat treating problem was with the Springfields from Rock Island. It was early models. Not the M 1917 :bigsmyl2:

[FAsmus]

Gentelmen;

The M1917 that I've been shooting and writing about in this thread went on the firing line yesterday in preparation for the coming CBA Postal Season.

I have been shooting the M1891 Argentine lately re-checking loads that had worked in the past only to find that its accuracy has fallen off for some reason ~ probably something to do with the bedding.

As an alternate I had the M1917 along and it easily began dropping the rojnds right in there for easy, predictable groups of competitive sizes. It will the rifle for me in CBA's Season Modified Military Iron Sight Postal Match this summer.

Would anyone else like to enter? The Match begins in May.

Good morning,
Forrest

[PAT303]

I'd love to but it's a bit of a drive. Pat

[largom]

I believe the heat treating problem was with the Springfields from Rock Island. It was early models. Not the M 1917 :bigsmyl2:


Early 1903's under serial No. 800,000

Larry

[Char-Gar]

The heat treatment issues were not just with those 1903s made at Rock Island. This was also an issue with those made at Springfield Arsenal. Here again are the serial numbers for the "low numbered 1903's.

Springfield Arsenal: 1 - 800,000 (The actual SN where the change occured was somewhere between 750,000 and 800,00, but the number 800,000 is used for safety.

Rock Island Arsenal: 1 - 285,506

Following these numbers the receivers were double heat treated and later nickle steel was used.

US 1917 rifle used good heat treatment or nickle steel from the start, so they have no issues with being brittle.

[swheeler]

The heat treatment issues were not just with those 1903s made at Rock Island. This was also an issue with those made at Springfield Arsenal. Here again are the serial numbers for the "low numbered 1903's.

Springfield Arsenal: 1 - 800,000 (The actual SN where the change occured was somewhere between 750,000 and 800,00, but the number 800,000 is used for safety.

Rock Island Arsenal: 1 - 285,506

Following these numbers the receivers were double heat treated and later nickle steel was used.

US 1917 rifle used good heat treatment or nickle steel from the start, so they have no issues with being brittle.

The above post is what I've always went by for 03's except the Rock Island serial number of 285,509 or above double heat treated(3 rifles difference?) RI starting at serial number 319,921 are nickel steel(very good)

Springfield Arsenal serial number 1,275,767 and above also nickel steel(1928)