Accurate shooting M1917

[Merc]

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Three more.

[Merc]

These pics might be going slightly off subject again since there's no connection to the M1917. I thought you guys might enjoy seeing three trophy Japanese tank battle flags. My uncle Frank was a Sergeant squad leader and carried a BAR. He served in the Army in the Philippines and was badly wounded by a grenade on Luzon shortly after the two snapshots were taken that brought an end of his WW2 service. He survived the war and passed away in 2010 at age 92. He's wearing the hat in the snapshots.

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[p246]

As promised to get us back on M1917s kinda. My Eddystone M1917 Canadian Lend Lease (all matching) with Kerr sling in background and my 1916 Eddystone Pattern 14 repro sling which went through Weiden Repairs. Barrel/receiver/butt plate numbers match. Bolt is areplacement and rear sight bears different serial number. During weiden repair it lost its whale belly stock and volley sights and got a M1917 stock. The bore is not as nice as the 1917 which is near perfect. The p14 bore is frosted but has good rifling throughout so should shoot.IMG_1253.jpgIMG_1254.jpgIMG_1255.jpg

[Merc]

The P14 looks like an interesting rifle. I've been to lots of dealers and gun shows over the past few years and have yet to see one.

My M1917 also lost its original stock somewhere in time and now has a replacement that's stamped with a "T" on the front end. The stock has no proof, acceptance or inspector's marks stamped anywhere but it's in nice shape and fits the action well. The rifle was a mixmaster of Eddystone and Remington parts which I've since replaced with mostly NOS Winchester parts. Not surprised how much better they fit. The only component that is non Winchester other than the stock is the bolt and its internal parts which were made by Eddystone. It works and head spaces well so I'm in no hurry to find a Winchester bolt to replace it. Good thing because they are hard to find.

Some have suggested the "T" stamping on the stock stands for tall. I'm hopeful that somebody can recognize it and give me more information, i.e. OEM, pre or post WW2 rebuild, USGI or civilian replacement, etc.

[Rick]

Wife bought me a cut down 1917 Eddystone at a yard sale for $75. Close to new and full of grease it took a while to clean her up. The cut down stock was a OGEK in the box.

I put a scope on the rifle, a Timney trigger, free floated the barrel and set the stock bolts at 65 inch pounds. Purchased a 10x Leupold scope to put on rifle that I was saving to buy. While waiting I wanted to play with the scope so I mounted it on the 1917.

Working up loads using 4064 powder and the 168 Match King bullet 5/1000 off the lands I got her zeroed in and it show a lot of promise of being accurate.

Next time to the range I shot a 720/1000 inch 5 shot group from a cold barrel to point of aim at 200 yards. 720/1000 was the extreme edge to edge measurement so I think a guy could subtract 300/1000 of that group.

Must of been perfect day and the range gods were in my favor I really doubt if I could do that again. I do believe it will hold sub MOA.

It took a while and I had to buy another rifle to get the OGEK stock and handguards. to put my original rifle back to the original configuration. So far I just cant get myself to start this project.

Bad part about this rifle is it uses a leather cheek piece to raise the comb and a recoil pad to lengthen the LOP and its still the most uncomfortable rifle in the world to shoot. Best part is it must have been the most perfect barrel Eddystone ever produced.

[Merc]

Great price at $75 at the yard sale and impressive shooter. I've had some luck at estate sales in the past. Post a photo of your Eddystone after you swap the stocks.

[p246]

The P14 looks like an interesting rifle. I've been to lots of dealers and gun shows over the past few years and have yet to see one.

My M1917 also lost its original stock somewhere in time and now has a replacement that's stamped with a "T" on the front end. The stock has no proof, acceptance or inspector's marks stamped anywhere but it's in nice shape and fits the action well. The rifle was a mixmaster of Eddystone and Remington parts which I've since replaced with mostly NOS Winchester parts. Not surprised how much better they fit. The only component that is non Winchester other than the stock is the bolt and its internal parts which were made by Eddystone. It works and head spaces well so I'm in no hurry to find a Winchester bolt to replace it. Good thing because they are hard to find.

Some have suggested the "T" stamping on the stock stands for tall. I'm hopeful that somebody can recognize it and give me more information, i.e. OEM, pre or post WW2 rebuild, USGI or civilian replacement, etc.

Melton Bradely company made many of the stocks. The P14 pictured above has a T stamped stock. I know Chuck In Denver has said in past it stands for tall. I've been looking for a not cut M and S stock to see what the measurement difference is. So far no luck. If the P14 shoots 1/2 as good as the M1917 I'll be very happy. Looking at these two rifles I can see why the 30-06 got a red stripe. From 5 feet they look identical (subtracting slings and the off colored front hand guard on the M1917). I wonder if a guy bought a new '1917 barrel if it could be reamed for 303. A 303 using .308 bullets would solve so may problems.

[p246]

Wife bought me a cut down 1917 Eddystone at a yard sale for $75. Close to new and full of grease it took a while to clean her up. The cut down stock was a OGEK in the box.

I put a scope on the rifle, a Timney trigger, free floated the barrel and set the stock bolts at 65 inch pounds. Purchased a 10x Leupold scope to put on rifle that I was saving to buy. While waiting I wanted to play with the scope so I mounted it on the 1917.

Working up loads using 4064 powder and the 168 Match King bullet 5/1000 off the lands I got her zeroed in and it show a lot of promise of being accurate.

Next time to the range I shot a 720/1000 inch 5 shot group from a cold barrel to point of aim at 200 yards. 720/1000 was the extreme edge to edge measurement so I think a guy could subtract 300/1000 of that group.

Must of been perfect day and the range gods were in my favor I really doubt if I could do that again. I do believe it will hold sub MOA.

It took a while and I had to buy another rifle to get the OGEK stock and handguards. to put my original rifle back to the original configuration. So far I just cant get myself to start this project.

Bad part about this rifle is it uses a leather cheek piece to raise the comb and a recoil pad to lengthen the LOP and its still the most uncomfortable rifle in the world to shoot. Best part is it must have been the most perfect barrel Eddystone ever produced.

Nice find. The Eddystone pictured above I used to shoot a 188 out of 200 score at our local WW1 shoot. 200 yards 23 shots in 10 minutes. The 10 ring is not big. The only rifle in WW1 make I've bested it with is a 1918 Carl Gustav Swede in 6.5 X 55 with a 191. Surprising the M1917 loves Sierra 168 grain match king boat tails over 47 grains Varget, Federal 210 primers in prepped HXP brass. The big girl is not as pretty as a nice RI or SF 1903, but they will dang sure shoot.

[Merc]

Melton Bradely company made many of the stocks. The P14 pictured above has a T stamped stock. I know Chuck In Denver has said in past it stands for tall. I've been looking for a not cut M and S stock to see what the measurement difference is. So far no luck. If the P14 shoots 1/2 as good as the M1917 I'll be very happy. Looking at these two rifles I can see why the 30-06 got a red stripe. From 5 feet they look identical (subtracting slings and the off colored front hand guard on the M1917). I wonder if a guy bought a new '1917 barrel if it could be reamed for 303. A 303 using .308 bullets would solve so may problems.

Chuck in Denver did mention Melton Bradely Co. on another thread where I asked about the T. I've never been able to find anything on the company. See if you can take a pic of the T on your P14 and post it. Are there any other cartouches, etc stamped on the stock?

Update: If you have C.S. Ferris' book on the M1917, look on page 91. He talks about the circle star stamp (which mine has with a low serial number) and then talks about TPO and T. The circle star was supposed to mean that the rifle parts weren't fully interchangeable with Eddystone and Remington and the TPO was supposed to mean Training Purposes Only which could be shortened to just plain T. Only problem, those letters were supposed to be stamped near the buttplate, not stamped on the front end where the OEM's mark is supposed to be. The rifle, as I purchased it, was all Eddystone and Remington parts except the barrel and receiver. So much for non-interchangeable theory although a few of the Winchester parts that I bought seemed to fit much better but, the non-Winchester parts did work.

[p246]

Chuck in Denver did mention Melton Bradely Co. on another thread where I asked about the T. I've never been able to find anything on the company. See if you can take a pic of the T on your P14 and post it. Are there any other cartouches, etc stamped on the stock?

Update: If you have C.S. Ferris' book on the M1917, look on page 91. He talks about the circle star stamp (which mine has with a low serial number) and then talks about TPO and T. The circle star was supposed to mean that the rifle parts weren't fully interchangeable with Eddystone and Remington and the TPO was supposed to mean Training Purposes Only which could be shortened to just plain T. Only problem, those letters were supposed to be stamped near the buttplate, not stamped on the front end where the OEM's mark is supposed to be. The rifle, as I purchased it, was all Eddystone and Remington parts except the barrel and receiver. So much for non-interchangeable theory although a few of the Winchester parts that I bought seemed to fit much better but, the non-Winchester parts did work.

I can do that. The T is stamped on the nose of the P-14 Stock Where the original W R or E were stamped. The P14's had tremendous parts interchangeability issues. I can only find one R marked part on it (cocking piece). The rest is all E. The very early Winchesters had some parts interchangeability issues. However, its my understanding they eventually got it figured out.