Sugestions on 1917 Sporter build.

[mroliver77]

I picked up a barreled action for a Rem 1917 last year. Someone had de eared it and cut the stock back. Stripper guide is gone also. Good news, it was .$20 and the barrel that looked like a loss cleaned up wonderfully. I found a bolt on this board with a cock on open kit. I just picked up more parts here and have put it together enough to fire it some. I Made a rear aperture out of sheet metal and super glued it on. A front sight fashioned out of a piece of wire and hose clamped on took care of that end. The old girl shoots! Now what to do with it. The barrel is 25.5 inch long. (stock) what would be a good length for an 06 deer rifle? I think the stock has potential, It has great wood in it but is very greasy dark from years of who knows what. I want an early to mid 20th century deer rifle out of this. I need suggestion on stock surgery/replacement, what sights to go with, barrel length and metal finish. Any help, advice, pics and books recommended I thank you in advance. This will be mostly a cast boolit knock around walk about rifle.
Jay
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo189/mroliver77/019.jpg

[wiljen]

I'd leave the barrel full length, and put a 2x7 scope on it. Should make a dandy of a CB gun.

[SierraWhiskeyMC]

See if you can pick up a copy of Clyde Baker's "Modern Gunsmithing". It was originally published in 1933, and was enthusiastically received by a great many aspiring home gunsmiths.

Mr. Baker served in France during WWI as a Marine, and took up gunsmithing on his return home. He wrote quite a few articles in various gun-related magazines.

Both my Granddad and my Dad had their own copies of "Modern Gunsmithing", and both made very nice hunting rifles out of Remington M1917 Cal. 30 US Rifles.

So if you want to make a period-authentic sporting rifle, that would be the book to start with.

[PatMarlin]

Our cast boolit member Ben, had a real nice stock that would bolt right on that puppy. You may want to contact him and see if he still has it.

We cut down the one I gave to the neighbor kid to 22" to get into some good rifling. Made a real nice woods rifle.

[oldhickory]

I was always very partial to the Remington M30S. That rifle looks like a perfect candidate for a nice copy. I have a Winchester 1917 sitting around, (ears cut, it was a freebie) to get working on myself.

[Larry Gibson]

mroliver77

I picked up a barreled action for a Rem 1917 last year. Someone had de eared it and cut the stock back. Stripper guide is gone also. Good news, it was .$20 and the barrel that looked like a loss cleaned up wonderfully. I found a bolt on this board with a cock on open kit. I just picked up more parts here and have put it together enough to fire it some. I Made a rear aperture out of sheet metal and super glued it on. A front sight fashioned out of a piece of wire and hose clamped on took care of that end. The old girl shoots! Now what to do with it. The barrel is 25.5 inch long. (stock) what would be a good length for an 06 deer rifle?

I'd leave the barrel as is. I hunt a lot in the thick rain forrest of the PNW and do not find 24-26" barrels to be a problem in "the brush" at all. Besides for cast bullets the longer barrel means you can use a slower powder to get a gentler push on the bullet for higher velocity loads.

I think the stock has potential, It has great wood in it but is very greasy dark from years of who knows what. I want an early to mid 20th century deer rifle out of this. I need suggestion on stock surgery/replacement,

I would try to salvage the stock. First criteria is the bedding. If it is to oil soaked for bedding compound to stick then a replacement stock is necessary. If the bedding area is good then I would bed the rifle with a good bedding compound like SteelBed. This will also cure any chipping or small amounts of dry rotting in the bedding area. There are numerous ways to get the oil out of the wood stock on the outside. Several applications of oven cleaners (use outside!) generally works along with final wipe down with carburator cleaner. It lloks worth trying and a light sanding of the stock after the oil removal will answer the question. A decent plain black recoil pad and sling swivels would be good additions.

what sights to go with, barrel length and metal finish. Any help, advice, pics and books recommended I thank you in advance. This will be mostly a cast boolit knock around walk about rifle.

As mentioned I'd also D&T it and put a one piece Burris or Leupold base on it along with a 2x7 or a 1.5x5 scope. If your eyes are young a good SME Lyman reciever sight and a good ramp front sight with a hood and post would do nicely also. It should indeed make a good "cast boolit knock around walk about rifle".

Larry Gibson

[bubba.50]

your rifle looks like the sporters sears used to sell so is already pretty close to what you seem to want. mount a small scope or set of williams sights and you'll have a pretty good representative of early 60's sporter.

[KCSO]

I think you willl find that a more modern style of stock will help with recoil. A pistol grip stock with a proper comb for a scope willl make this a more pleasant shooting rifle. I also modify the magazine to a 5 shot style and thereby give the rifle a much cleaner look and get rid of the ugly hump. Do you know who rounded the receiver and what profile was it rounnded to??? A lot of them used the same profile as the Remington, some used Mauser moounts and some folks just ground away and you have to custom make bases. I personaly wouuld go with a Lyman peep in the rear and a ramp front sight from an old Remington riflle. The safety is perfect for a hunting rifle and the trigger as supplied is ok if you can stand a double pull. I have never found the cock on closing to be any handicap so i can't comment on your cock on opening bolt, I shoot a flinter so a milli second or two of additional lock time in a 1917 or a 96 Mauser doesn't bother me.

[mroliver77]

Some good advice and I thank you all for your time. I have no idea who de eared this or what profile but it is clean. I will do some measuring and comparing of other actions. I think I prefer a peep on the rear and will look at the basic Lyman. Good Idea on a Rem front. Money is tight right now so I will work with this stock for now. It is very solid and bedding area doesn't appear too oil soaked. I think I will call it "Bubba" ;)
Jay

[Frank46]

Jay, bunch of years back I bought a cutdown 1917 winchester enfield 30-06 for the grand total of $59 bucks. I see a couple of the guys here had that beat. Barrel is just barely 22" long, ears removed and I traded with Ben for a cutdown enfield stock. Still need to find someone local that does tig welding as I filed down a piece of key stock to fit the hole on the rear receiver bridge. Butt plate was pitted but some files and silicon carbide paper took care of that. Will probably get it drilled and tapped for scope as the old markI eyes aren't what they used to be. The only reason I spent so much time cleaning it up was it had an almost mint JA marked 5 groove barrel. Recoil won't be much with cast bullets and I suspect not too bad with
jacketed one either. Frank

[mroliver77]

Frank, I would love to see pic if available. I have been shooting 9 gr Tite Wad and the 311440gb and 311413. This thing is very accurate given the crude sights on it. My barrel has cleaned up so well I hate to do anything to it.
Jay

[Frank46]

Jay, sorry but haven't quite made the leap into the 21st century. Still have problems
getting my vcr working. At present the metal is in the white and needs to be redone.
Traded for a cutdown stock from Ben and hopefully will have it done sometime. Frank