Inherited 3 1917 actions...what do I even have here

[SeabeeMan]

Full disclosure: I'm not a gunsmith, nor do I pretend to be one on TV. But I can't pass of the chance to do something with these actions. All 3 are US Model of 1917 Remington stamped and the one on the bottom has been drilled/tapped for scope mounts. The other 2 (top ones in the top view) have not been drilled up front, but do have an extra hole in the plug. Obviously they've had the rear sight milled off and the bolts are in various states of completeness. 2 need an extractor and one is missing the firing pin completely, but one appears to relatively complete, to the point that it cocks and fires.

I know you can build these into just about anything you want. Can you all help me out with what I have and what's been done to them? It looks like something has been modified or plugged under where the rear sight was, and the bolt handles don't have the dog leg bend that most 1917 pictures have. Anything to look out for that can be had anymore as replacement parts?

250107

250108

[Bwana John]

Floorplates have been straightened
http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=91088

[TNsailorman]

Floorplates straightened, bolt handle altered, receiver milled to accept scope bases. Parts are still available but they are getting harder to find. Barrels(original ones) are all but gone. Criterion makes replacement barrels. Boyd's makes stocks. You sure had a run of luck there, pilgrim. They make beautiful sports and can handle even the long magnums. james

[Der Gebirgsjager]

What TNsailorman said! Lucky guy. The hole in the rear receiver bridge, back when the sight protection ears and sight were there, is what's left of the screw hole that secured the spring for the sight. As for what appears to you to have been plugged, there was a cavity there between the sight ears on many of these rifles. If you cut off the ears and ground down the receiver bridge to a rounded shape the cavity partially remained on those that had it, and many gunsmiths made a plug to fill the cavity rather than continuing to grind to what might be a too thin configuration. I've never been 100% certain what the cavity was for, but likely to reduce weight. On your example, the one on the right, it seems as though the plug might have been intended to get rid of the screw hole. Sort of a mystery there, as to the gunsmith's intention, as many find a way to utilize the hole as one of two necessary for a rear scope mount. You've got a great opportunity to complete the project, and most of the serious work has already been done.

[samari46]

Well whoever did the work certainly knew what he was doing. When I had a model of 1917 years back I had made a plug so the smith could weld it in place. I had already cut the ears off, and roughly contoured the rear receiver ring.Since I made the plug a little higher that what had already been done after welding and cleanup no seams are visible. Not all the '17's had the oblong hole. Darned if I can remember which manufacturer who didn't have the whole. Nice finish work, and even straightened out the trigger guard. Now that is something you don't see much anymore. Must have a good jig made up. Enjoy the heck out of them. Yes parts are available but sometimes hard to find and pricey when you do. Frank

[Winger Ed.]

That level of work sure wasn't done sitting around the kitchen table.

A buddy inherited one of those his Dad had built by some guru in the early 1950's.
Not sure of it's heritage. His Dad was a Merchant Marine Sea Captain and traveled all over the world.
Beautiful rifle, and had a barrel on it cut down, threaded, rechambered, contoured, etc. from a .30cal. Browning machine gun.

[condorjohn]

On the two that need extractors, check the bolt face for any evidence of modification. I bought a nice sporter, that was not caliber marked, that I thought was still 30-06 but on further examination and chamber check it was actually 30/338 WIN.
Although I really wanted a 30-06 I was not disappointed. Excellent round and the price was right.

[Walks]

The old Family Sporter I have had almost nothing done to the action except milling off the action "ears".
It was rebarreled to .257Rob'ts and the bolt stop altered for Factory 117gr RN ammo. The chamber has a short throat too.
I'm the third owner of this rifle, My Dad was always going to get it reworked. When I got it 40yrs ago, so was I. Guess It'll never get done now. No one to pass it down too.

Those reworked actions are a great opportunity to create about anything on a long action with .473 bolt head. Even rework the bolt face to a belted magnum.

[skeettx]

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/us-military/rifles-usm/enfield-1917/parts-list-1917

[Bwana John]

The old Family Sporter I have had almost nothing done to the action except milling off the action "ears".
It was rebarreled to .257Rob'ts and the bolt stop altered for Factory 117gr RN ammo. The chamber has a short throat too.
I'm the third owner of this rifle, My Dad was always going to get it reworked. When I got it 40yrs ago, so was I. Guess It'll never get done now. No one to pass it down too.

Those reworked actions are a great opportunity to create about anything on a long action with .473 bolt head. Even rework the bolt face to a belted magnum.

I thought it you wanted to use a belted magnum cartridge you swapped out the M1917 30-06 bolt for a P-14 .303 bolt, no reworking required.

[Bwana John]

To the original OP...

Have the bolts been changed to cock on opening? That was something done on many "sporters".

[SeabeeMan]

Thanks for all the info. I'll check out the bolt faces later this evening. Is there anything particular to measure or compare to the intact one, or just look for machining marks?

I see that Criterion barrels are available in 30.06. Is getting something in another caliber a completely custom job to be machined from a barrel blank?

[KenT7021]

If the actions are Remington they didn't have the bathtub in the receiver bridge.The action on the right in your first photo appears to have had something done to the receiver bridge forward of where the bathtub would be on a Winchester and Eddystone actions.They aren't anymore difficult to rebarrel than a M70 Winchester.The Criterion barrel will require an extractor cut to be made.I have built a number of magnum rifles on 1917 and P14 actions.

[nicholst55]

Thanks for all the info. I'll check out the bolt faces later this evening. Is there anything particular to measure or compare to the intact one, or just look for machining marks?

I see that Criterion barrels are available in 30.06. Is getting something in another caliber a completely custom job to be machined from a barrel blank?

Essentially, yes. You could rechamber a .30-06 barrel to one of the .300 Mags, but that's about it. Those actions have been reworked and rebarreled for all manner of large cartridges, up to at least the .505 Gibbs.

One recommendation: before you invest a lot of money in them, have them magnafluxed and checked for cracks. A local engine rebuild shop should be able to do that, and it should be pretty inexpensive. The original barrels were literally 'gorilla-wrenched' onto the receivers, and frequently have to be cut off in the lathe. This has been known to cause cracks in the receiver ring. Also, all of those actions are over 100 years old, and you have no idea what was done to them over that time.

[Texas by God]

Those would make a great set - all stocked the same and scoped appropriately. I’m thinking 25-06, 30-06, and 9.3x62mm. Brownells had coil spring replacement ejectors that were recommended because the leaf spring originals break. I always called them “British Mausers” as a term of endearment- great actions.

[Slugster]

I have a few stripped P-14 Bolts if you decide to chamber a magnum.

[Hardcast416taylor]

30 years back I was always on the hunt for this action to make into sporters. I am envious of your having them.Robert

[Walks]

I had forgot about swapping out the P-14 bolt body to chamber a belted mag. We had one of those in .30-338 too.
Burglary in 1974 took most all the Families Guns.

[nicholst55]

Brownells had coil spring replacement ejectors that were recommended because the leaf spring originals break.

Brownells hasn't carried that ejector for many, many years. Good luck finding one, as I seriously doubt that they're still in production.

The 1917 and P14 actions are suitable for any of the 'long' magnum cartridges, as well. I always wanted one in .300 H&H and another in .375 H&H, just because. I did briefly own one chambered for .458 Lott, but quickly realized that I had absolutely zero use for it.

[Three44s]

I have two complete buba’ed P17’s still in ‘06 and to me they always “scream” 300 and 375 H&H

I concur on checking for cracked receivers just to be certain that someone did not bust them in removing the original barrels.

Originally the military barrels were installed hydraulically (powered hydraulics at that) and when removed by what ever means the receivers all too often got cracked. The safe way to remove the old spent barrel was to chuck the barreled actions in a lathe and cut the barrel shoulder away from the front of the receiver and easily turn the barrel off. No cracking that way.

Three44s

[SeabeeMan]

You guys rock. Unfortunately, I have questions galore:

1: Are these what is often referred to as P-17 receivers? I'm learning but keep stumbling across all sorts of other references to Enfield such as P-14, SMLE (which is not this, I know that's the magazine fed models).

2: What is the advantage/difference in the P-14 bolt to run a belted Magnum? Are the bolts completely interchangeable? Any changes to be made to the receiver to facilitate this?

3: I'm working on finding a place to mag-flux them...is this the only way? Rural northwest WI isn't exactly known for it's large number of specialty auto shops. If that's the best way, I'll keep making phone calls.

4: If any are cracked, are bolts interchangeable between them?

5: When it comes to stocks, I see military configuration (with the floor plate still bent, I assume), sporterized straightened plates, and then sporterized with the plates still bent. I'd love to find a synthetic stock and I know Bells & Carlson used to make one, but haven't found much else out there.

6: Is any barrel besides 30.06 a completely custom proposal? I've been through the websites of all the usual suspects and that seems to be the case.

375 H&H has been on my list of bucket list cartridges for a while, it may be time to do that with one of these.

[skeettx]

1. Yes 1917 actions
2. P-14 Bolt is made for 303 Brit which will accommodate the magnum case with no machine work.
3. OK, you can find most machine shops can also do this and Non-Distructive shops also
4. Yes, bolts are normally interchangeable, but check for headspace changes, not a big problem
5. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1006626116?pid=602152
6. Barrels are barrels, get it threaded and chambered and DDONE
7. 375 H&H may be a bit long, anyone got a p-17 in 375 H&H
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=64097&p=427631

[Texas by God]

The .375 H&H length cartridges will need magazine box surgery for length.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[pietro]

.

While the magazine's too short for a full-length .375H&H, the cost/time/$$ for altering it can be saved by chambering for the shorter .375 Ruger...……..

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/375-ruger-vs-375-h-h/329822


https://content.osgnetworks.tv/gunsandammo/content/photos/375-Ruger-vs-375-HH.jpg
.

[KenT7021]

P14's have a smaller diameter firing pin tip than M1917's.Numrich may still have magnum length magazine boxes for the Enfields.They're just formed sheet steel but they work fine.

[reivertom]

You have 3 of one of the strongest rifle actions ever. Nice.

[Bent Ramrod]

The Olde-Tyme, Lo-Tech method of checking for cracks before Magnafluxing came along was to dunk the suspect part in gasoline, wipe off the outside, and examine the surface under magnification. An invisible crack would be pointed up by the line of liquid continuing to exude out of “nowhere.”

It may be just an optical illusion from your pictures, but it looks to me like the left-most and top-most action in your pictures has been shortened. A very good mechanic would cut an inch or so out of the center of the receiver and bolt, scarf the pieces, line them up on a mandrel and weld them back together. A good job would be invisible after refinishing, and as the bolt lugs and receiver front were kept cool during the operation, the strength of the action would not be compromised.

The firing pin and spring would also have to be shortened, also the floorplate and magazine box. Looks like your firing pin is missing; maybe that’s the reason.


This was the way to get an action suited for a .250 Savage or .243 length shell in the days when most factories offered only the .30-06 length, or maybe a longer version for Magnum rounds. Few “Mountain Rifles” existed back then.

[Texas by God]

Good eye, Bent Ramrod; I think you’re right. Note the extractor is gone as well. Before Ruger’s M77 MK2 came out, the only way to get a short Controlled Round Feed action was to shorten a Win70, M17, or Mauser. Yes, I know about the Savage 1920 and the “K” Mauser- but they were rare to find and Surplus rifles were cheap.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

If you have a 303 barrel you could always rechamber to an improved cartridge like the 303 Epps.

https://i.imgur.com/1klwRef.jpg

[Shawlerbrook]

Great and strong actions there. Congratulations ! I would make one a 35 Whelen, one a 25 06 and think about the third.

[KenT7021]

I just looked at the photo's again.Only one action has an extractor and it appears to be from an 03 Springfield.The action on the right in the top view has had something unusual done to the receiver bridge.Looks like a insert in the front of the bridge.