A bubba or a nice sporter?

[Four Fingers of Death]

You decide. I thought it was a Remington M30 or whatever they called it (post WW1 hunting rifle manafactured on new M17 actions), but there appears to be Eddystone markings below the forward mount.

I always fancied making a 375H&H on a Winchester action. I could do it on this one, but I think it will end up as a 3006 (my license plates are SP3006, and I don't have one, well I don't have a 3006 hunting rifle in my armoury at the moment, I have several M17s).

It will get a power of use as a 3006, but not so much as a 375.

The 338Wn Mag and 35 Whelan are tempting as well.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Bolt%20Rifles/SporterisedM171.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Bolt%20Rifles/SporterisedM17.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Bolt%20Rifles/SporterisedM172.jpg

It is a 3006 at the moment, the barrel has been looked after, but it is plumb worn out! No rifling or the first 6" and reallllllll lean at the muzzle. Clean as a whistle though, it has obviously seen a lifetime of hard work and loving care. It will be resurrected and used as a hunting rifle on Sambar deer.

Mick.

[mozark]

Looks "sporterized" to me.

Perfect action for a 9.3x62.

MM

[9.3X62AL]

I definitely enjoy my 9.3 x 62, and if castings are used--it gets shot a lot. Not so with the 286 grain Partitions, though--cost and recoil combine to make those a "special occasion" recipe. Pretty good point about the 30-06 getting a lot more shooting than the .375 H&H. To paraphrase Townsend Whelen, the 30-06 is never a mistake--and if I were without one, that situation would get corrected post haste.

[BruceB]

It looks like a tastefully-done sporter, to me. I could do without the carving, but that's a personal thing and doesn't detract from the rifle. For the barrel to be that worn, clearly the rifle has delivered good service for many years.

It looks a lot like a P-14 Enfield in .300 H&H that I had circa 1964. Style is very similar, including the black fore-end tip and white spacers.

The .30-06 is mighty hard to beat.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Mick, looks like a nicely sporterized '17, well beyond the "Bubba" class. My vote would be for the .30/06. Easy, cheap, and you just gotta have at least one .30/'06!

[lar45]

Remember that some of the Eddystones don't do well under pressure. I think there is a list somewhere of which serial #s fall under which category? But with that said, I didn't know about the Eddystone business and built a 30-378 Wby out of one. I did send the barreled action to 500 below for a chryo treatment before shotting the first time. I wrapped it in a blanket and pulled the trigger with a string from the other side of the truck. It shot fine and was easy to get under 1" groups.
Just be careful.
I believe that MRC and ER Shaw will make barrels chambered and threaded for most anything.

[omgb]

It sure looks like the P17 Eddystone I have. Mic, this might be a great gun to have rebored out to 35 Cal. Right now, the barrel fits the stock right? So, why mess with it and wind up having to restock it or do lots of filling or barrel profiling? It can be bored out to 35 cal for a modest fee and you won't have to alter the feed ramp, the rails or the magazine at all. I'll bet the work can be done for maybe $200 Aus or less and the result would be beautiful.

The Eddystone action is a good one. Some folks don't like the "cocks on closing" aspect but I do. Timmeny (sp) makes a drop in trigger that is completely adjustable if the present trigger is not up to snuff. The issue barrels were thick and a tad heavy so a re-bore would take some of that weight off. I glass bedded mine and then free-floated the barrel. That really helped to tighten the groups.

Do keep us informed as to what you decide to do. You most definitely have a keeper there.

[45nut]

The Pattern 14 was an offshoot of the Pattern 13 Enfield design that was to be in a .276 cal. The impending war needs for a service rifle and standardization of ammunition supplies as well as poor performance of the .276 round precluded its release and instead the British gave contracts to American producers to produce the rifle in the standard .303 instead since their factories were already at capacity. The rifle was then called : Enfield,Pattern 1914. It was indeed designed by the engineers at the Royal Ordance at Enfield so yes Virginia,,it IS an Enfield.
The war needs for what was to become WW1 also made it clear that the production of the new at the time Model 1903 rifle of our own would not meet our own needs so the Pattern 14 rifle was adapted to our 30-06 round and with a couple of minor changes new contracts were given to the factories that made the P-14 to make Model of 1917 rifles. These are fine rifles but had a weight disadvantage to the 1903's.
I have both issue's here in -06 and 303 and consider them a fine addition to any collection. I also have several of them converted to sporting use in calibers from 35 Whelen to 500 A Square. They adapt readily to magnum cartridges and are plenty strong, with positive safeties and excellent handling properties.

BTW,,I have a Remington Model 34 Enfield that was a contract rifle for Honduras in 7x57 that I acquired in 35Whelen.

[RayinNH]

Hard to beat a 30-06 for most needs. Plenty of moulds styles to choose from, lots of jacketed to choose from including military pulldowns and brass is very cheap. Nice rifle Mick...Ray

[lar45]

Have you shot it? It might be worth a trip to the range to see if it shoots "good enough" before you get too carried away.
I sporterized( not too terribly bubba'd) a Turk in 8x57 a few years ago. The bore was way oversized and at 25 yards would keep the Speer 150s in about 12" for most of them. I think the bore slugged to about .328"ish. A little bit more and I could have used .338's ;)
I checked in with the fellas and a suggestion was made to try a longer bullet before swapping the barrel. I tried the Speer 170's and it keeps 3 rounds under .8" at 100 yds.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I will try it before I do anything, might be ok, at least for a few shots. I had a Sako 223 which had an absolutely trashed barrel with expansion cracks, etc. It would shoot 6 shots into a bit over and inch and the group just grew and grew after any more shots before a good cleaning.

For most of the shots taken on Sambar, minute of deer is sufficient, but occasionally, a long shot accross a big gully presents itself, so a good level of accuracy is desirable for these shots.

The reboring is not really an option in Australia. There is only one shop that does it, they charge virtually the same as a new barrel and were not real interested in reboring a barrel that wasn't salvaging a historically important rifle. Since then one of the brothers has passed away and I think any chance of getting the remaining brother to do a rebore would be even harder.

The firm I buy my barrels off have a big CNC profiler and have over 1000 profiles stored in the machine's memory. They can usually match it prefectly without doing a special run.

I might just have to do something about that home made checkering, I never was real keen on skip line stuff.

I'd like to have the history of this old girl. I will try and follow it up, I prefer to know the story behind my rifles.
Mick.

[Safeshot]

30/06 without question. You might try to find a new military barrel or a military take off (Check with all the people that make Magnums out of the 1917 Enfields). Or you might even find a good or better Remington barrel. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'll pull the wood off one of my M17s and compare the barrels. I'm pretty sure it is a military one. Bu tthey are like rocking horse poop down here. I think it deserves a quality barrel. I'd hate to get a chance at a long shot on a really big deer and miss or have to pass it up because the rifle had a cheesy barrel. As always, an injection of dollars solves most of our problems, sigh, :-(

[Frank46]

Mick, you could get a new bbl in 338/06 or if feeling like you ate your weaties get a 375/06 Either way you win. But truth be told I'd much prefer a good old '06. Mucho molds out there and plenty loading data. I have a winchester 17 action with winchester bolt and am toying around with its caliber. The other winnie still has a 21 1/2" origional bbl on it that I paid the magnificent sum of $55 bucks. The bore is brite and shiney so at this point it would be a shame to take off the old bbl. Couldn't find a receiver sight that will fit this rifle so bought some weaver bases and burris signature rings with the inserts. I profiled the rear receiver some years back and with the bases and rings taped on it looks like I have come very close to where the rear receiver ring should be. But those ears were a real bear to cut down and remove. Frank

[Four Fingers of Death]

The action and lugs has been really nicely done. If you didn't know your rifles you would think that it was a commercial action. The floorplate is a bit of a giveaway, the stepped floorplate being recessed into the stock. The more I think about it the more I think 3006 or 35Whelan. Mick.

[Bret4207]

Nothing wrong with the '06, but the 35 Whelen is more of a good thing. Think of all the steekin' peestol boolits you'd have access to! Plus, a 250 gr 35 cal boolit will pretty much knock down anything it hits. If you're going to re-barrel anyway, why not put a little imagination into it?

[Four Fingers of Death]

I will probably anguish back and forward like I always do and make a spur of the moment decision at the last moment. I think the action will handle anything pretty much,but it is so much easier going with the 06' case (as well as the fact that I have squillions of them). Mick.

[omgb]

Ahh, "squillions", that would be Austrailian for buttloads right?

[Four Fingers of Death]

A polite way of saying sheetloads, :-D

[Newtire]

I will try it before I do anything, might be ok, at least for a few shots. I had a Sako 223 which had an absolutely trashed barrel with expansion cracks, etc. It would shoot 6 shots into a bit over and inch and the group just grew and grew after any more shots before a good cleaning.

For most of the shots taken on Sambar, minute of deer is sufficient, but occasionally, a long shot accross a big gully presents itself, so a good level of accuracy is desirable for these shots.

The reboring is not really an option in Australia. There is only one shop that does it, they charge virtually the same as a new barrel and were not real interested in reboring a barrel that wasn't salvaging a historically important rifle. Since then one of the brothers has passed away and I think any chance of getting the remaining brother to do a rebore would be even harder.

The firm I buy my barrels off have a big CNC profiler and have over 1000 profiles stored in the machine's memory. They can usually match it prefectly without doing a special run.

I might just have to do something about that home made checkering, I never was real keen on skip line stuff.

I'd like to have the history of this old girl. I will try and follow it up, I prefer to know the story behind my rifles.
Mick.

I am down to just 4-30-06's and they all shoot cast great. I am surprised you don't already have one Mick! Nice looking rifle.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Actually I have a pair of Remington M17s, one is mint, and I have the use of my old 3006 Interarms mauser, my son got it off me some years ago, but it is still in my safe. I bought a pre 64 Mod 70 308, aiming to do a 2006 centenary 3006 rifle thingo, but the 308 shoots so sweet, Inevr got around to it. I probably should just stick with the 308, it is the hammer of Thor and as accurate as all get out with its stainless barrel.

[Char-Gar]

I can't imagine life without a 30-06. You need to correct this hole in your life. Shudder...

[georgeld]

Mick:

I've got three '17 Eddystone's. One's a nice '06 of course. My first one I shot out on prairie dogs with hot 110's til the headspace got loose. Then had it rechambered with a new .300Win mag reamer. The bore is getting slick enough the rifling isn't real easy to see. But, it'll still put them all on a typing page at 300yds. Til it lose's it's accuracy, the original barrel stays.

A few yrs ago I got one that had been a parade rifle from Michigan and never cleaned after shooting lots of blanks. The guy I got it from had cut 6" off the muzzle and told me several place's in the bore had lot's of rust pits. He was sure right about that. But, it shot swell, two of us used it for old military matches for three yrs.

I just got a Douglas .358, 12:1 blank. Gunsmith pulled the barrel off without harm to the action. This one's in the shop now for a building to a .358RUM, or as Bryce Towsley called his, UMT. Claims his 24" will turn 3110fps with 250gr. This one will have a 26" tube, .750" at the muzzle and I'll restock it when done.

I've always wanted a set of these guns in various calibers. Like everyone says, gotta have one of them as an '06. Then a step up in 30's to the 300Win, now this 358 brute will be some less than Dad's .FN .375H&H. I should have a good collection of hunting calibers once this is done and I get Dad's.

Wouldn't mind having another one that's nice and all original, but, unless it happens by when I've got the right amount of funds in hand, doubt there'll be another one. Just never know though, right?

One thing I see on yours that I've kept on all mine is that dog leg bolt handle, I like those. And they have the best safety ever made far as I'm concerned. Whole lot better than FN, Sako's, 700's, or M 70 far as I'm concerned.

Haven't figured out how to post pictures or I'd put these on here. I think the two look pretty dam sharp myself. Someone wants to post them for me, send me an e/m and I'll send the pics to you.

Wish you well with the gun,

[45nut]

"I've always wanted a set of these guns in various calibers. Like everyone says, gotta have one of them as an '06."

Precisely why I have these,

http://home.earthlink.net/~chevyken/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/webenfields.jpg

L-R 458x2,375 Taylor,416 Rem Mag,30-378,458 Lott barreled action,500 A-Square,35 Whelen, -06 and a P-14 303 and a drill rifle with the drilled chamber.
Note: the 35 Whelen is a Rem Model 34 that was a contract rifle for Honduras in 7x57 originally.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Nice collection, Did they drill right through the receiver as well?

[45nut]

Nahh,,just thru the barrel. a new bbl and she would be back amongst the living.