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Thread: 1917 Enfield

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
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    Recall the cock on opening kits, another aftermarket was a replacement ejector that used a coil spring, the original was a leaf spring that was integral with the ejector and had a reputation for breaking.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master


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    I have two, an Eddystone that I paid about $75 for about $35yrs ago. The bore is a sewer pipe, but will keep 5rds into 2 1/2" at 100yrds with the battle sight. I put a Cock on Opening kit on it. If I ever buy a lottery ticket and win, I'll put a Criterion barrel on it. Spent about 100hrs refinishing the stock.

    The other is a Sporter Conversion to .257Rob'ts that was My Grandfathers. Restocked and "ears" and Manufacturers name ground off, it is a good shooter with the old 117gr RN from Hornady or Remington.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

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  3. #23
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    Numrich Gun Parts Corp., and I think also SARCO, sold the cock on closing to opening kits for many years. I believe one or the other still has them available.

    rjathon-- if you can agree on a price I think you should buy it. When I started following this thread my concern, like others posting, was that if the rifle had been fired, not cleaned, and stored many years ago that the bore would be corroded. But, since you've eliminated that problem, go for it.

    However, being a collector myself, I'd hate to see it get chopped up to become a sporter. There are many rifles already out there that have been through Bubba's basement, just waiting for someone to come along and love them. The Remington is a desirable rifle; and in fact, following WW I, Remington continued making a sporting version that was popular for many years. It was minus the sight ears, but retained the dogleg bolt handle.

    Way in the back of my shop somewhere is a Bubba-desecrated Winchester -17 that a customer once brought in and sold to me; Barrel and stock cut back, nice ramp sight mounted on the barrel, quite useable as-is. I bought a fancy grained semi-inlet stock for it as a future project, but never got to it. So many guns, so little time. Maybe someday.....

    DG

  4. #24
    Boolit Buddy muskeg13's Avatar
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    Sarco still carries the cock on opening kits for M1917s and P14s, also known as "Speed Lock" kits. $40 for the P14 and a nickel less for the M1917 at $39.95. I just got another one delivered in yesterday's mail for a P14. I noticed a slower/weaker lock time in my M1917 until I thoroughly cleaned the bolt interior, cleaned, lightly polished and lubed the firing pin shank, bolt shroud and cocking piece and installed what I judged to be the strongest main spring on hand.

    A close inspection of the two SARCO speed lock/cock on opening kits reveals they are identical.
    Last edited by muskeg13; 11-14-2021 at 11:15 PM.

  5. #25
    Boolit Buddy
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    I’m guessing that it is arsenal refurbished as it was in cosmoline but has mixed parts. The receiver, barrel, stock, and front band are Winchester but the cocking piece is Remington and the safety Eddystone. The bolt just has an “A” stamped on it.

    The stock has a cartouche that is “R.A.-P”.

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    The new in wrapper thing, runs up a red flag for me. Some years back some Aussie made Lee Enfields new in wrapper made it to this country. I don't think there were any new in wrapper 1917s every. This guy does not know what he is trying to sell, or else is a cheat.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  7. #27
    Boolit Buddy
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    I don’t think that it was new in the wrapper but that he thought it was new as it was in cosmoline, wrapped in paper at the hardware store. He was just a farm kid buying an affordable rifle at the time. It is in great shape and could easily be perceived that way.

  8. #28
    Boolit Buddy muskeg13's Avatar
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    Something else to check when working on P14s and M1917s is the size of the bolt face opening and firing pin tip diameter. While installing another cock-on-opening speedlock, this time on a P14/M1917 hybrid (M1917 receiver, ejector, and magazine assembly, with P14 barrel and bolt) I noted the firing pin fall seemed too short. I found the firing pin tip was too wide to go through the opening in the P14 bolt face. Surveying the 6 firing pins on the workbench, 3 had thick pin tips and 3 had much thinner tips. Five of the firing pins are U.S. eagle marked M1917 pins and one was for a P14. In general, I think the M1917 was set up for a stronger, thicker, firing pin tip accommodated by a larger opening in the M1917 bolt face. The opening in the P14 bolt I'm using is tiny. Once I swapped to a thin tip firing pin, the speedlock functioned correctly.

    I'm assembling the hybrid P14/17 to be rebored and rechambered to .35 Winchester.

  9. #29
    Boolit Mold Palma-Match 308 190gr Win's Avatar
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    Hi rjathon,

    I can only add a more general info. Despite this: here in Europe we saw this rifles being offered for ca. 1200 euros onwards. Within the last circa 10 years. Their condition should have been good, Eddystone and Remington-Products. Winchester M1917-Enfields, in contrast, appeared only very rarely. With higher prices,"of course".. .

    Once in the 90's the price was approx. 500 Euros/Francs.
    Palma-Match .308 190 gr HPBT Win.

  10. #30
    Boolit Buddy
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    Gosh, I only have one M1917, a minty Remington w/ a WW1 Remington barrel; I thought I paid a lot for it several years ago, but it sounds like maybe it was not overpriced after all.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master



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    I consider my P14 and M1917 as personal treasures. Someone will plunder my "Pyramid" one day when I am gone and take them to add to their "Treasures".
    Mustang

    "In the beginning... the patriot is a scarce man, and brave and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain.

  12. #32
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    The US Model 1917 is a great rifle. Many were rearsenaled during wwII and kept in storage and later given to veterans groups for their Color Guards. In the late 50's they were sold for $25-30 and I bought several. If it was in Cosmoline it likely was rearsenaled during WWII and later sold as surplus. I will be 80 in a few months the story sound true to me.

    I would guess the value of the rifle today would be $800 to $900.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  13. #33
    Boolit Master

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    Description and Rules for the Management of the United States Rifle caliber .30, Model of 1917

    http://dutchman.rebooty.com/temp/Mod...17%20Rifle.pdf

  14. #34
    Boolit Mold Palma-Match 308 190gr Win's Avatar
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    The Enfield M1917 is truly a great rifle It's still in use in the very cold north of Denmark by the Sirius Sled Patrol.
    Palma-Match .308 190 gr HPBT Win.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    WOW!! a real closet queen!!?

  16. #36
    Boolit Master
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    Last week at the Sioux Falls,SD gun show I found a real beauty. It's a Remington and still caries about 90% of the original blue, was a lend-lease rifle sent to England, and probably never fired over there. It still has a few traces of the red stripe painted around the stock, just behind the upper barrel band, to designate it as caliber 30-06, rather than a P14 in 303.

    The bore is as new, and I plan to use it in our CBA matches this summer.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
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    I have always liked the M1917 better than the M1903. I own several of both, but the 1917 is the better gun. I was blessed to acquire all three M1917 makes in the 1960s when the getting was good. I paid $7.50 for the Eddystone, $15 for a low numbered (9,8xx) Remington and a mint Winchester for $25.00.

    The Eddystone is the best in accuracy and trigger. I got a Remington mint M1917 bayonet for $2.50 with the Winchester in 1967. As a college student under the G.I. Bill, I got every nice military arm my funds allowed. If I had $1,000.00 back then, I would be a millionaire today.

    Adam

  18. #38
    Boolit Master
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    Following the discussion, remember the local sports emporium had a cardboard barrel of them. All were still cosmoline coated and not sure of maker. IIRC they were $25 each.

  19. #39
    Boolit Mold GunnerAsch's Avatar
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    I have a number of 1917s and a couple P14s, all have been sporterized at one time or another. Some were poorly done, and I cleaned them up properly after they came to me. I have a 1917 in 375 H&H that was my daily Alaska gun for many winters and took down 2 grizz in order to save peoples lives.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/xn8oVimTzRXbAu4k8

    I have a P14 that came as an action and I installed a 30" heavy barrel chambered in 45-70. With proper load development and BASIC brass.. it shoots up there with 458 Grand African.I usually use it with a 500gr cast spitzer to shoot those horrific man eating California ground squirrels
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lz6A9ojWSGgoZRQq8

    My personal top 5 favorites includes one I sporterized just for just for me. Have very long arms and it has a 14"length of pull and fits me like a glove. Timeny, bedded, etc etc.
    Ive carried it a gazillian miles.
    Its not pretty, its not fancy.. but it will keep 5 inside of 5/8" at 100 all day and only after 7rds does it start to walk a smidgen to the right.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/jbv9xAnnTjNtUcs69
    Last edited by GunnerAsch; 02-19-2022 at 07:46 AM.

  20. #40
    Boolit Mold Palma-Match 308 190gr Win's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by toot View Post
    WOW!! a real closet queen!!?

    ?? Rather an Icebear-Gun ! 🙃😉

    And perhaps a bit too large fior some of the soldiers
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails thumbnail_image-1.jpg  
    Palma-Match .308 190 gr HPBT Win.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check