Wondering if anyone has info on quality of this rifle as well as use for long range prac app
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Winchester 1917 bolt act 30_06
- Thread starter cpl_bstadt
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Well, it was good enough for Alvin York.
Seriously though, it is a great, well made rifle in a potent caliber.
Although I've fired a M1903A3 in a vintage match, I want to shoot the M1917 in one someday.
Seriously though, it is a great, well made rifle in a potent caliber.
Although I've fired a M1903A3 in a vintage match, I want to shoot the M1917 in one someday.
They did make a sniper version of the P14 and/or the M1917. They are rare.
Lance, you probably stirred a hornets nest. There remains debate as the whether York used an 03 or a 17. He was partial to the 03. He is known to have been issued a 1917 as part of the AEF. What is not known for certain is what rifle he had for his CMH engagement. It is widely believed that he aquired on 03 through non-official channels and had one on the day in question. I am pretty sure it is in his diary including serial number. He also used an M1911 very effectively that day. We think we know its serial number and it was 200000 ish but I do not have the number handy. An amazing man any way you stack it.
The big down fall to shooting one in a match is that the only windage adjustment has to be made by moving the front sight.
Over all great gun. I own a few of them, in fact I own two (Eddystones) that were manufactured within days of each other that sit in the very back of my safe. I call them the "brother-sister guns". I have a note in each butt stock that explains the rifles importance and history. One note is addressed to my daughter, the other to my son.
It is actually interesting that as many 1917's were made in the time span that they did, especially when you look at the 1903's and its subsequent models and how many years it was produced to.
I have an Eddystone that will do sub MOA at 100 yds. Only modification is a scope mount that requires removal of the rear sight. The sight can be re-installed at any time to restore it back to original condition. My grandfather gave it to me. It likes 150 gr Nosler balistic tips with 57 gr IMR 4350.
I ran my Winchester in a Vintage Rifle Match last year. My only real complaint is the hula hoop size rear sight. Not a real asset when trying to hold the 10 ring. Could almost see the muzzles of the shooters on either side of me. Fun shoot though.
A trick for oversized rear peeps:
Place a drop of flat black lacquer in the peep, and open it up with a needle while it's still wet. The dried lacquer in the aperture will shrink its diameter, and will continue to shrink it with additional applications of the flat black lacquer
My Brother used to shoot 'issue' Garands in his base's (Ft Sill) intramural/inter-battalion matches, and he told me about that one. He was detached to shoot these competitions full time (Special Services?), after being transferred out of the 101st Airborne after breaking his leg badly in a practice jump. He was so tall (6' 5") that his nose was brushing the receiver's back end, and a normal peep looked just like that hula hoop you mentioned. I am also too tall (taller then he, 6' 5 1/2") for a normal M1/M1A stock, but I don't have to shoot 'issue' class anymore. I add LOP spacing to my stocks.
They also experimented using newsprint paper mache as a sort of bedding.
Greg
Place a drop of flat black lacquer in the peep, and open it up with a needle while it's still wet. The dried lacquer in the aperture will shrink its diameter, and will continue to shrink it with additional applications of the flat black lacquer
My Brother used to shoot 'issue' Garands in his base's (Ft Sill) intramural/inter-battalion matches, and he told me about that one. He was detached to shoot these competitions full time (Special Services?), after being transferred out of the 101st Airborne after breaking his leg badly in a practice jump. He was so tall (6' 5") that his nose was brushing the receiver's back end, and a normal peep looked just like that hula hoop you mentioned. I am also too tall (taller then he, 6' 5 1/2") for a normal M1/M1A stock, but I don't have to shoot 'issue' class anymore. I add LOP spacing to my stocks.
They also experimented using newsprint paper mache as a sort of bedding.
Greg
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I wasn't there with York (grin, smile, roll eyes or what ever), but having been in the US Army I know how Sgts. hated anything out of the ordinary, anything different, anything that stood out, anything that might result in an officer stopping to ask questions, anything that might make someone think they were different than the rest of the squad, platoon, company.
I find it hard to believe York's Sgt. would allow the carrying of a non-issue rifle. But who knows. I'm partial to my 1911, but I'll be they wouldn't let me carry it if I was still in the US Army.
I find it hard to believe York's Sgt. would allow the carrying of a non-issue rifle. But who knows. I'm partial to my 1911, but I'll be they wouldn't let me carry it if I was still in the US Army.
Depends on the Officer and unit. When I was in Vietnam (2/502 Inf 101st) you could carry anything you could get ammo for. The exception was you couldn't carry an AK. Reason being, nothing sounds like an AK but an AK. We had two guys killed when they were playing with an AK. In the thick jungle the other squad couldn't tell it was our guys, when you open up with an AK its assumed you're the Indians.
Later in my NG days my issue weapon was a pistol. I refused to accept the Beretta so I carried my personal USGI 1911a1. No one knew the difference or cared.
The Military is more strict now regarding personal weapons then they were in the past.
Approximately 150 were issued with Warner and Swasey scopes and about half that for the Winchester A5. It took a bit to get the mount right for acceptance. On the other side about ten times those numbers for 1903's equipped for precision fire.
In the case of what Alvin York carried, either way it was an American built version of the Mauser rifle. Both work well with, I believe, the advantage going to the 1903 for features. It is on record that quite a number of 'mixed issue' units took the field that way. I would assume providing there was a minimum number of each before that unit was emplaced.
The two things I like about the 1917 are just my thing and maybe nobody else's thing. The longer sight radius helps with longer range accuracy. Slight modifications to ones hold on any other weapon of the type could result in the same accuracy though. And, the cock-on-close feature is just faster, IMO. I will note the giant caveat of "if you load your own" can definitely make optimized rounds to your weapon not near as fast to cycle as standard cartridges.
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Hey Mr. Kraig, I know this off-topic and Im sorry, but Ive always wondered, where did calling Viet Cong, Injuns come from? I saw it in Gunny Hathcock`s book as well as many other Vietnam vets, they always call the VC Indians, or for example Indian Country, Oklahoma Territory, etc. I always thought it was pretty funny though, lol. Thanks.
The Bush was often called "Indian Country" so it makes sense that the bandits in Indian Country who wanted to kill you were called Indians.
If you survived any time at all in Indian Country then you've seen the elephant and lived.
If you survived any time at all in Indian Country then you've seen the elephant and lived.
My 1917 Winchester Enfield has "windage" adjustment.
Pictures here: 1917 Enfield Winchester Photos by Noahbody2007 | Photobucket
Pictures here: 1917 Enfield Winchester Photos by Noahbody2007 | Photobucket
I like mine, they are accurate, not as accurate as the Springfields, but accurate. A few years ago I want to a Fun Shoot with my surplus rifles. I was set up next to a guy with an 'a6. They had a cease fire to set out more targets. They set a fire extinguisher at about 450 yards (according to my range finder). When the shooting started the guy with the MG next to me started aiming at the fire est. Shooting all around it. I set the sights on my M1917 for 450 and wacked it the first shot (lucky shot).
Guy says, "hay I was shooting AT that" I smiled and said, I shot it, not at it, he laughed and said "you got me there".
Anyway they do shoot.
Guy says, "hay I was shooting AT that" I smiled and said, I shot it, not at it, he laughed and said "you got me there".
Anyway they do shoot.
For ONCE I have an example that is as nice as MJ1's! Mine is a 1918 Remington and is my favorite military rifle. Thanks MJ1 for showing us your treasures. AG
These guns in the original caliber are usually not a problem. Be very careful of guns that have been chambered up to 300 h&h and 300 win mag etc., there have been incidents of burst barrels. As I have understood in talking with other gunsmiths the barrels in some of them Eddystone in particular were weak due to improper heat treat. I have been shooting one of these for years ( Winchester ) and had zero problems and H.S. is still tight and well under no go. ( 2.049" ) As far as I know there is no really hard and fast rule to tell if you'll have problems. Keep an eye on your brass and how the gun feels and if the bolt gets tight after firing you might want to get it checked out. ( brass stretching and not rebounding like it should )
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