Sported Winchester 1917

[Calfed]

I recently ran across a sported Winchester 1917 and couldn't resist. I've collected a few sported mil surps in the last year for eventual use in the "open class" of a military surplus match that my sons and I shoot in.

The stock has not been molested and is in very good original condition. The barrel (also Winchester) appears to have been trimmed about a 1/4", but is otherwise in pretty good shape and the grinding and D&T'ing seems to have been done in a workman like manner. Rifle came with a decent quality made-in -Japan 4x scope and an old sling.

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-23-1.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-24-1.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-25.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-26-1.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-32.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-31.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-27-1.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-30-1.jpg

[Calfed]

I'm trying to identify the stock manufacturer. Usually I see "E", "R" or "W" on the forend tip, although I have one that has a "4" . I can't quite make out the symbol on this one...anyone seen anything like this? It is boxed, very lightly struck and almost looks like "01" or "10"

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-22-1.jpg

[kcw]

The manner in which the wood was cut away for the bolt recess appears to be that used by Eddystone. It doesn't appear to have the distinct "sculpted" form used by Winchester or Remington. Both scope mounts are #45's (the number on the rear one is a bit fuzzy)? If so, the rear end of the receiver was reformed to that of Remington's commercial Model 30 rifle which was fashioned, in part, from parts left over from WWI M1917 production.
Considering that the rifle has been altered, I think that if it were mine, I might be tempted to sell the GI wood and hardware and install a modestly priced sporter stock.

[Calfed]

Thanks, kcw.

I have another "full military" Eddystone in a stock with the tip stamped "4". Still trying to track down what that means.

I bought this one to use in the "open class" (any sights/scope) of a military match that my sons and I shoot in. We've been shooting in the "as issued" class, but curiosity about the "open class" is getting to me. I'll probably have to use the military stock for that

[John Sukey]

Of course Remington ground off the ears, put it in a different stock, blued it, and called it the model 30, and sold them up until WW2

[Dan Wilson]

The bolt cutout shows it to be an Eddystone; both Winchester and Remington had a distinctive scallop cut to the bolt cutouts while Eddystone was pretty much a flat cut.
I Had initially thought replacement stock but the proofs that are in the pictures are only found on original stocks that came on the rifles

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/FTFFTW/MilSurp/M1917/Boltcutouts.jpg

[dave]

Does this have a 'welded' reciever? Never heard of one on a 17 but it has those tell tale color streaks on rec.!

[chuckindenver]

the 2 tone colors are from the ends being annealed..90% of all 1917,s will have this. sans a few rare early rifles. easier to see when parkerized then blue.

[joem]

I check mine out and it has a W stock and I think the rest is W also.

[Calfed]

Thanks, Dan. I'm busy looking for a Weaver K4 for this rifle and will post a range report soon

[Calfed]

the 2 tone colors are from the ends being annealed..90% of all 1917,s will have this. sans a few rare early rifles. easier to see when parkerized then blue.

Thanks, Chuck. I was wondering about the color differences myself

[John Sukey]

Winchester had lots of parts left over after WW1 so they sporterised the M1917 and called it the model 30 which sold until 1940

[Calfed]

Was that Winchester or Remington?

[JimF]

Winchester had lots of parts left over after WW1 so they sporterised the M1917 and called it the model 30 which sold until 1940

Best to rethink that John . . . .it was Remington that came out with the model 30 . . . .remember?? --Jim

[Calfed]

I stuck a Weaver K4 on this one (didn't care for the United that came with it) and shot it today. The "crown" (or what a gunsmith might laughingly refer to as a crown) is scary looking.

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-13.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-14.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-19.jpg

But even with the scary looking crown, it did ok..threw one to the 12o'clock and one went a bit wide

Question...how much improvement could I expect from re-crowning it?

6 180 gr Federal Powr-shoks @ 100 yards
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/targets/Untitled-30.jpg

[joem]

I think I might have it recrowned and see what it will do. Might be a tack driver.

[Calfed]

I recently got the barrel recrowned. The gunsmith recommended a very slight re cut and then recrowned the barrel.

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/d8eaf3c4-c28e-4870-9cc6-a6c21a691181_zps9918fdc3.jpg

Much better than the old "crown"
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/Eddystones/Untitled-19.jpg

I hope to get to the range this week and see if there is an improvement.

[Calfed]

Got to the range yesterday for a quick session. Didn't get many shots downrange, but did shoot a few with the sported 1917.

I was a little disappointed in the results...

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/targets/abc7a88e-91bb-4508-aca5-22a6c1ddf9e0_zps4585ad3f.jpg

I can't blame the new crown...it looks good

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/grant729/targets/103de0da-5aa3-4a19-81a0-6756c7b65d39_zpsb0096280.jpg
I'm not sure if I got everything back into the stock correctly...or if it needs a little firing to settle everything. There doesn't seem to be much up pressure on the barrel at the tip of the stock either...might have to shim the tang a bit.

[Dan Shapiro]

I'd put some more round through it first, and then check the screws for tightness. See what results you get before fiddling with anything else.

[Dan Wilson]

Dan, I think he was joking, at least I hope he is joking as that looks like its shooting damn good

[Calfed]

Dan, I think he was joking, at least I hope he is joking as that looks like its shooting damn good


I was serious...Hoping for better.

[Dan Wilson]

What distance were you shooting from?
Make sure you do a bigger run of shots and see what you get from five or ten shots.

[Calfed]

100 yards and I will keep trying.

[Kurt]

Calfed, I would try a few different loads and let it settle in a bit. I took my Win 1917 out today and shot these 7 at 100 yds using a 150 gr hand load. About an inch and a quarter not counting the flyer off to the right. Don't know how that happened....

I'm shooting the ladder sight.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x35/Supercub99/Winchester%20Model%201917/Target1917_zpsccc59b27.jpg

Kurt

[Dan Wilson]

Still pretty good for 100 yards, original specs called for accuracy of 3 or 4 MOA

[Calfed]

Good shooting, Kurt

[chuckindenver]

i have a 17 that im building a 577 T Rex out of, still in the rounding up parts, ect...guns the cheapest part...ammo is another deal.

[Dan Wilson]

Damn Chuck, you going to buy new shoulders after that beasty gets done with you.
Thats more rife than I am man!!!

[Kurt]

Chuck, I found some parts that should work fine on the T Rex. http://www.cannonsuperstore.com/carriages.htm :)

Kurt