Accurate shooting M1917

[Merc]

The more I shoot my early (mfd. Nov. 15, 1917) M1917 Winchester with a minty barrel and NOS Winchester replacement parts, the more I'm impressed with the accuracy, design and construction of the rifle and especially the close eye placement location of the open adjustable sight.

Shooting from a rack at 100 yards, I'm consistently grouping in the center of a 12" target that is barely visible to me at that distance. I use the rear ladder sight at the lowest possible setting for 100 yards.

I didn't add any bedding to the stock but did place some thick paper shims around the nose cap that was loosely holding the front hand guard in place. Shims were also required around the upper barrel band for the same reason. There's still some slight movement in the front end if forced but it's not exactly what I'd call a floating barrel.

All things considered, it's an impressive rifle.

Merc

[bruce]

The M-1917 was a very well thought out rifle. Ideal battle sights. Superior caliber... .30-06 was the queen of the battlefield for at least three wars. Accurate beyond a fault. Your on target results are not atypical. With good ammo and proper shooting technique, a M-1917 in good shape will produce extremely good scores at the range... and excellent results in the field. JMHO. Sincerely. bruce.

[Griff Murphey]

My dad's insurance man was an ordnance enlisted army troop in WW-2 and had his pick of guns and usually carried a carbine but after mis-laying his third one on Okinawa, the master sergeant handed him a 1917 and said, "Here's something harder to lose. You lose this one, you will be unarmed."

[Merc]

Griff,

Those of us who own and admire the '17 didn't have to live with it on a daily basis and carry into battle. It is a strong, powerful and dependable battle rifle but it is also overbuilt in many respects which made it big and heavy and it must have looked intimidating with the long bayonet attached. I wonder if he thought he was being rewarded or punished since his first choice was a carbine.

Merc

[Griff Murphey]

Ha ha! Pretty sure he felt he was being punished. I picked up a minty Winchester at an estate sale about 30 years ago for maybe $60. At the time there was not much interest in these guns, no vintage CMP style shoots existed. I bought it simply as an example of an important type of US service rifle. It's a fine rifle and fun to shoot but that cock-on-closing is just a bunch harder in rapid than a good old 03.

[Merc]

Griff,

I agree, although I'm sure he grew to appreciate it.

That minty M'17 Winchester you bought for $60 turned out to be quite an investment for you. A M'03 is probably my next rifle. The fact that the heart of my M'17 Winchester (barrel/receiver/bolt) were minty when I bought the rifle was pure luck. Although I saw the rifle in person, I didn't own a .30-06 headspace field gauge and didn't know any of the simple techniques that are out there to determine the degree of throat erosion. I will not trust pure luck again when I go looking for a M1903.

Merc

[dave]

Well after all it is the rifle Sgt. York used to kill all those Germans! hehehe!

[Griff Murphey]

Well after all it is the rifle Sgt. York used to kill all those Germans! hehehe!

Or at least, Gary Cooper did

[S99VG]

No, Cooper used the 03; but his only wars were with movie studios and far from the western front.

[RC20]

My dad's insurance man was an ordnance enlisted army troop in WW-2 and had his pick of guns and usually carried a carbine but after mis-laying his third one on Okinawa, the master sergeant handed him a 1917 and said, "Here's something harder to lose. You lose this one, you will be unarmed."

For a non infantry guy that would be punishment and well deserved. How to you loose 3 carbines? Probably selling them to others. Trading maybe.

Reports and pictures back up showed that upwards of half the European Infantry by 1944 were armed with Thomson or other 45 caliber machine guns.

Some carried Schmiesers (yes I now that's wrong name) but ammo was an issue and the mistaken sounds not always a good idea though I don't know if it was an issue with that gun.

the 45 caliber sub machine guns were issued to tank crews in numbers (what they were supposed to do with them somewhat a mystery but...)
Mostly they just got the hell out, a pistol would have been fine, not like they were going to fight their way out of anything very successfully.

Garand's while a great longer distance gun was not handy for village and urban combat. Ergo a good mix.

Good history stuff, love it.