Bolt Stop Spring Rest for a Winchester M1917

[Merc]

Does anyone know if the Winchester M1917 Bolt Stop Spring Rests were stamped with a W or were they left blank? There's conflicting information on the M1917 ID information page on www.M1903.com. Look under "Marks" and click on "M1917 Parts." The list indicates they were stamped with a W but the illustration page doesn't show where the W is stamped, only an E and R and they're stamped in the channel.

The reason I'm asking - A dealer answered my inquiry about purchasing one saying he has one without a W and claims that W left their rests blank. Is he correct or could the item he's trying to sell me be a P14 or P17 part?

3/20 Update: After consulting several gun parts dealers, I've concluded that the rest in question is likely a P14 part.

W's on the originals were probably stamped somewhere other than inside the channel and could be the reason it's not shown in the illustration.

Merc

[RC20]

Agreed, if one mfg stamped it, they all did. Some few have no stamps but not a whole lot (screws!)

[Cass]

The Winchester bolt stop spring rests were not marked, at least I have never observed one nor heard one reported. They just have the eagles head proof in the channel.

Cass

[WHG]

I have a Winchester P14 that has a W stamped in the bolt stop. I would think if they were stamping them with a W when they were making the P14 they would have continued to do so when the switched production to the M1917.

[Merc]

WGH,

You're right about P14s being stamped with makers marks. Springfield Sporters has photos of them on their sight. So, who made the parts that aren't stamped and in what rifle are they used? I see them occasionally on eBay and some have the broad arrow which is a British proof mark(?). There's a rest on eBay now (mausermarty) that appears to only have a proof mark.

Merc

[Cass]

Note that the M1917 bolt stop spring rests are different from the P14, with only a single groove. There were a lot of other differences between the two rifles. The requirement for parts interchangeability was foremost.

There are a lot of variances between the markings by different manufacturers of the M1917's as well. When Nick Ferris was writing his book we compared notes on a lot of the parts, and the lack of the maker marking on the Winchester bolt stop spring rest was one. There is a reference in his book to these being unmarked.

Cass

[Merc]

Cass,

At least I now know what to look for although they seem to be rare. I'm down to just needing three parts to will complete the restoration to all W. The bolt, bolt stop spring and bolt stop spring rest.

Merc

[Cass]

Merc:

Good luck, they are out there somewhere!

Cass

[ut1seabee]

Cass,

At least I now know what to look for although they seem to be rare. I'm down to just needing three parts to will complete the restoration to all W. The bolt, bolt stop spring and bolt stop spring rest.

Merc

Springfield sporters is generally a good source for M1917 parts. I got a w bolt and other w parts from them in the past. I have only ever seen one w bolt stop spring rest for sale. Awhile back on ebay. I seem to remember reading somewhere that they were w marked. But I may be in error.

[fguffey]

There are two of us that use the M1917 Receiver when building a rifle. When the rear of the receiver is milled off the button is no longer used. It would seem some where here or there we would have two piles of them.

F. Guffey