*UPDATED* Gifted a Mystery Rifle - Anyone Know What it Might Be??
Okay, first the background. I have a good friend from college that I have kept in touch with over the years. Because of my continual military transfers, however, we haven't been able to get together for almost 15 years. Anyhow, we finally did this weekend. During our visit, he said he wanted me to have his two rifles (he got from a relative), as he had come to realize that he just wasn't ever going to use them. VERY nice of him. I'll cover the second rifle in another post. The subject of this one, however, is the rifle pictured below. He said that it is a .30-06, but that's all he knows. Other than a few small marks, there is nothing listed on the rifle anywhere. No manufacturer. No serial number. No caliber. Just the very small markings shown in the pictures. It has a flip-down rear sight, a front sight marked "Lyman," and has a very old looking Weaver "K4" scope.
Whatever it is, it's a beauty to me, and means a lot coming from my friend. I would, however, love to know more about it. If anybody has an idea, please speak up. Thanks in advance for the help!
V/R
Frog
Note: More Pictures to follow.....
Whatever it is, it's a beauty to me, and means a lot coming from my friend. I would, however, love to know more about it. If anybody has an idea, please speak up. Thanks in advance for the help!
V/R
Frog
Note: More Pictures to follow.....
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It could be a heavily modified Enfield M1917. If it's an M1917, the arsenal marking should be under the forward scope mount unless the metal was ground down. Removing it carefully might reveal something.
The flaming bomb on the bolt handle means it is US military equipment but it was clearly modified into a sporting rifle configuration after being surplused out of military service.
The action is very strong and is a popular basis for sporting conversions. Yours looks professionally done.0 -
The "Eagle Head" proof, was used by the U.S. during the First World War. Sporterized 1917 Enfield, is what it is, IMHO. Because of lack of serial number and usual manufacturers markings. It was obtained by 5 finger discount. Unfortunately this has the potential, to cause you future problems. 0 -
Looks like a customized Remington Model 30S Express. It should have had a serial number. If it doesn't... 0 -
M1917 Enfield. The name should be under the front scope base, and it looks like a visual of the serial number is obscured by the thumb nut. Produced by one of three factories; Remington, Eddystone, or Winchester. 0 -
Beautiful,I would love to have that. Congrats.
Pull that scope and rings,lets see what you really have.
And good job taking and posting pictures.0 -
It should have this stamped under the front scope base. I might not have "Eddystone" stamped, It might have Remington or maybe Winchester. I don't recall if Winchester made those or not. The other posters are on point, It's a 1917 Enfield, and was used by the US military in WWI.
35 Whelen beat me to it!0 -
UPDATE: Got the scope bases off (took some doing). As y'all suggested, this is what I found:
Looks like this one is a Remington-made version. I looked up the serial #, and it appears that this one was manufactured in July, 1918. Given this information, should I be looking at this thing as a wall-hanger, or might it be actually safe to shoot with modern ammo? Despite the age, it seems to be in pretty nice condition.
Gunsmith inspection recommended?
Anyhow, thanks for all your input and suggestions so far.
V/R
Frog0 -
I'd have a gunsmith inspect it, and if they give you the all-clear, there's no reason it shouldn't be able to handle modern ammo, put back into use, and enjoyed again. The 1917s, to my knowledge anyway, never had any issues with poor heat treating like the eariler, pre-800,000 serial number 1903 Springfields did. Might just surprise you how accurate it is, even with the original barrel. 0 -
I am so jealous. What a score. You have a great friend to gift that to you. Thanks for posting this thread. Again Congrats to you.
Lets see the second rifle now.0 -
If head space is good it's plenty strong for modern ammo. Many of those were converted for some of the belted magnums that have higher pressure limits. 0 -
to be safe, I would take it into the gun smith and have them check it out to see if it can handle modern ammo. It won't cost you very much to do, and it's a lot better than having a gun blowing up in your face 0 -
If you take it to a gunsmith. Make sure he has the proper, 30-06, "go" and "no go," head space gauges. If he doesn't have these gauges. All he can do, is visually inspect it. And test fire it. Which you can do yourself. By tieing it to a tire with bungies. And firing it remotely with a long cord. 0 -
Springfield was having problems with the 1903 receivers, and Uncle Sam needed rifles for WWI asap. Winchester stepped up, did some expedient modifications to the Brit P-14 in .303, and came up with the M1917. The magazine holds 6 rounds, but the stripper clip holds 5. Winchester didn't have time to re-design the P-14 magazine that was made for the rimmed .303. That's why the M1917 has the pregnant guppie magazine, and holds a 6th rimless '06 round.
Winchester introduced the nickle steel alloy receiver, and the refined heat treating process for them. Remington was enlisted to to catch up on the numbers of rifles required, and Winchester shared the receiver technology with them. Remington couldn't keep up, and they tooled up the Eddystone plant to pick up the slack. Later Springfield used this tech to improve their rifles.
The myth that M1917 Eddystone receivers were brittle and blew up was false. The rifles that had problems were re-barreled, and the barrels were over tightened, cracking the receiver ring. These had barrels made by the Johnson Automatic Rifle company, and will be stamped "JA".
After the war, Remington had a lot of receivers and parts left over. Soldiers returning home wanted bolt action hunting rifles. Remington came out with the Model 30, which pretty much was a factory sporterized M1917. What they learned from that evolved into the Model 700 today.
Winchester blinked when Remington did this, did some redesigning of their own, and came out with the Model 54 in 1925. That evolved into the Model 70.
Two of the most common and well known rifles today, were spawned by the relatively unknown Brit P-14. 8-)0 -
That is great background information. I am guessing, based on the matching Flaming Bomb and Eagle Head marks on the barrel and receiver, that this rifle wasn't one of the re-barreled ones. As mentioned, however, a gunsmith inspection will be wise before I get her back in the woods. 0 -
I'm a little surprised that the official name of this rifle hasn't been presented. So herewith, a short excerpt:
"The M1917 Enfield, the "American Enfield", formally named "United States Rifle, cal .30, Model of 1917" is an American modification and production of the .303-inch (7.7 mm) Pattern 1914 Enfield (P14) rifle (listed in British Service as Rifle No. 3) developed and manufactured during the period 1917?1918. Numerically, it was the main rifle used by the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I. The Danish Sl?depatruljen Sirius still use the M1917, which performs reliably in Arctic conditions, as their service weapon."
In unmodified condition and having been well taken care of, these rifles are known for the stout receivers used in it's construction. Many, many large caliber, higher pressure cartridges have been chambered in custom rifles utilizing these actions. The action was suited to the larger caliber cartridges due to the size of the action body and bolt. Art Alphin, the founder of A-Square used these actions exclusively when building Dangerous Game rifles and many others for hunting.0 -
Your rifle in military config would have the date and barrel maker stamped right behind the front sight. Only a few of the Eddystone rifles with the JA barrels had the over tighten problem, but enough catastrophic failures to start the rumor. Like nononsense said, these were strong actions, and a lot of big game rifle were built on them.Frogdog wrote:That is great background information. I am guessing, based on the matching Flaming Bomb and Eagle Head marks on the barrel and receiver, that this rifle wasn't one of the re-barreled ones. As mentioned, however, a gunsmith inspection will be wise before I get her back in the woods.
A while back a good friend picked up two that had been used as drill rifles. They had been chrome plated, later donated to a Veterans Hall for funeral honor guard, and spray painted black. The bores were almost completely plugged from shooting blanks, and the stocks were cracked and looked like dried out fence posts. I took then apart and laid the stocks and hardware in the driveway, and used a spray paint stripper we dubbed "Satan Snot" cause it would take the skin off your hands. Hosed it down the bores too. Then I hit everything with a pressure washer.
To our surprise, both rifles were in great shape with good bores, one Winchester and a Remington. A couple of spots had chips of chrome missing, so I touched it up with some chrome trailer hitch paint. Pressure washing a gun, and spray painting the finish, my first "Bubba" job.
Repairing the crack on one stock, I was drilling a pilot hole for a brass screw to reinforce it, and lead shavings started coming out. A little digging and I pulled out what was left of a .22 or .32 rimfire slug that had been shot into the tree long before it was made into a stock! Got hem finished, put together, and out to the range where they shot like new.0
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