Eddystone M1917 in .30-06

[Cannoneer]

Just got back from the range with my "US Enfield" M1917. I put 50 rounds of .30-06 loaded with 200 grain Laser Cast Oregon Trail bullets.

Half were loaded with 2400 the other with Trail Boss. These were nice mild loads but I do not think the bullets were stabilized well as I couldn't get any to group worth a hoot. When i cleaned the rifle, I used a tight fitting patch with Hoppe's #9, a tight bronze brush and a succession of wet, then dry patches.

After I got it home, I pulled the action out of the stock and went to work on the bore with JB Bore paste. The patches came out a dark dull gray. Shooved a .357 bronze brush down the bore a few times and repeated the JB Bore paste process and still came up with some horrid looking goop.

Bore still looks DARK. The lands look good as I can tell that they are there and quite distinct, but the grooves look like they have a deep layer of soot still in them.

Any suggestions?

[cobbmtmac]

IMO, I say clean some more...........slug the barrel to see what you got.....if your barrel is .308-.310....size up a couple of thousands. Then try 16 grains of 2400 behind that 200grainer and see if you get a decent group.

[Multigunner]

If theres a blue tint to the crud coming out it may be Cupro-nickel fouling, which had the effect of making the bore look clean when it wasn't.
Otherwise its probably a congregation of atomised lead and carbon, with flash suppressant from old mil spec ammo that built up faster than it could be cleaned out over the years.

When JB paste is used you should be sure you get eveything out before shooting again. Sometimes JB paste just gets mixed in with partially softened fouling and shooting with any still in there will raise pressures and cause un necessary wear.

I'd plug the chamber with a piece of rubber cut from an eraser using a tube cutter or a 45-70 case, then fill the bore with Sweets 7.62 solvent. After a couple of days the Sweets will pour out like burnt motor oil, and remaining fouling should be soft enough to brush out.

[elk hunter]

Cannoneer,

The best powder/copper solvent I've tried so far is "Gunslick Bore Foam" I use it to clean all the old military rifles before I shoot them. I'm sure there are other things that will work as well or possibly better, but I'm always amazed at what I get out of an old rifle when I put foam in and let it sit overnight.

[DWM]

Cannoner

The P17 have a bore of .300 and groves of .310 try a .313 cast bullet , with five grooves it's not easy to measure .
daniel

[NuJudge]

I'd run about 50 rounds of military Ball through it, then clean to remove copper fouling, and try Lead bullets again.

Your rifle's bore may be like one I got on a M1917 I got from the CMP. The barrel gauged as new, but the bore was dark. I used solvents and brushes, and it was still dark. I ran something approaching 100 rounds of Ball through it and it was still dark. I knew better than to try Lead. I sent the rifle to a gunsmith in Colorado with a Criterion barrel I also got from CMP, and it now shoots like a dream.

[Three44s]

I like laser cast boolits but they do run hard.

If you ***** foot with them ..... they won't obutrate.

I like JB bore paste .........

........ and I like Copper Chore boy for lead.


Three 44s

[Buckshot]

Just got back from the range with my "US Enfield" M1917. I put 50 rounds of .30-06 loaded with 200 grain Laser Cast Oregon Trail bullets.

Half were loaded with 2400 the other with Trail Boss. These were nice mild loads but I do not think the bullets were stabilized well as I couldn't get any to group worth a hoot.

How does the rifle shoot with jacketed ammo?

When i cleaned the rifle, I used a tight fitting patch with Hoppe's #9, a tight bronze brush and a succession of wet, then dry patches.

Was there any leading?

After I got it home, I pulled the action out of the stock and went to work on the bore with JB Bore paste. The patches came out a dark dull gray. Shooved a .357 bronze brush down the bore a few times and repeated the JB Bore paste process and still came up with some horrid looking goop.

Was this the first time with cast?

Bore still looks DARK. The lands look good as I can tell that they are there and quite distinct, but the grooves look like they have a deep layer of soot still in them.

What does the bore normally look like?

Any suggestions?

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

[MtGun44]

Many old military rifles have amazing layers of different types of metal fouling and layers
of carbon crud built up. I call it an archeological dig - peeling back layers of the past. I have
spent a week with a Foul Out getting back to the steel in my 1917. Some of the layers were
probably nickel fouling as the solution turned yellow, not blue like copper does. Multiple
times the Foul Out declared it 'clean' (no more current flowing) yet there was goopy black
crud that I scrubbed out with powder solvent and then the next layer of metal fouling was attacked.
It can be frustrating, but work it down to the steel. Hope you find a good bore, but know way to know
until you get there.

Good luck, and you may want to invest in a Foul Out or maybe make a homebrewed version,
altho the chemicals in homemade ones always worried me a bit.

Once you get down to steel you need to slug the bore and then shoot boolits about .002 larger
than the groove diameter that you measure.