What the Brits were working on was the P-13 in .276 Enfield. It was a large cartridge, thus the bulge of the magazine. With the onset of WW1 it was deemed a bad idea to change calibers, so this rifle was reworked to accept the .303 cartridge and became the P-14. Later on it was reworked again to be a 30-06 & became the M1917.
@@merlemorrison482 Yep, There were problems with cook off in rapid fire as the .276 was a much hotter cartridge. Then WW1 came along so the P13 was modified to chamber .330 British and became the P14 and contracts were made with US manufacturers to manufacture them. Subsequently to address US rifle shotages a .30-06 version was contracted from the same manufacturers, which became the M1917,
When MacArthur got back to the Philippines in WW II, the 03's that the guerillas had were out of service due to bent front sights. the 1917's were still good to go.
@@calvinhandley2373 designed by Johann Dreyse, redesigned by Mauser. Who honestly gives a shit. Saying every modern bolt action is a Mauser is like saying every modern auto pistol is a Browning, every revolver is a Colt, every pump shotgun is a Winchester. We could say the AK is an inverted Garand. Everyone copies from each other, that doesn't change the fact that for example, the Remington 700. It is a rifle of its own, its not a Mauser. Fuck all these Mauser fanboys.
I saw it on the lost battalion. A tv movie based on the argonne battle. I loved the rifle . The m1903 was outstanding but this one was gorgeous and exotic.
This video alone should prove you're more than worthy to have your own weekly show on the History Channel. You're an excellent well spoken professional host with a deep knowledge of the history and mechanics of firearms. Thank you for this very engaging history lesson and demonstration of these legendary rifles.
My dad was issued one of these in WWII, but also at some point was issued a Springfield 1903. He felt the Model 1917 was quite a serviceable rifle but he liked the 1903 Springfield the best. Great video!
The model 1917 is (I believe) the only boltaction rifle still in service in a Western military unit (the Danish Sirius sledge patrol), and will continue to be in service for many years to come.
It's amazing how accurate these old bolt guns are. I just snagged an M1903A3 yesterday which is in beautiful condition. I know I need an M1917 to add to my U.S. military Rifle collection but they seem to be harder to find!
Here are some thoughts about the Model 1917 Enfield rifle. The U.S. should have just kept making these rifles cranking out a million rifles annually for many years during the 1920's and 1930's. It would have been very cheap to keep one or all of the production lines at Remington, Eddystone, and Winchester busy for a period of a decade after World War One or longer making the Model 1917 Enfield rifle. Perhaps a slightly shorter or revised version for easier mass production weighing slightly less could have been devised while still giving accurate fire out to 500 yards but optimized for 300 yards where most modern infantry combat occurs. The reason for this is a cheap national insurance policy. The United States Army having ten million or even 15 million plus of these rifles stored in cosmoline canisters in depots would have given us a big advantage for mobilization. These rifles could have lasted for 50 years or longer. If or when another future war came or several wars, these rifles could have immediately provided a weapon for all of our soldiers in the National Guard or Reserves, active duty Army, and several Allied countries too. These bolt action rifles would have been completely adequate for any future land wars, if augmented by adequate numbers of Browning Automatic rifles per squad/platoon. Every Army infantry company headquarters unit will always have several heavier water-cooled or air-cooled machine guns. These 1917 Enfield rifles could have allowed to us to mobilize, train, and fight a land war for a couple years on the cheap. We could have easily fought World War 2 successfully with lots of Model 1917 Enfield rifles assuming we had enough light automatic weapons per squad and several more automatic weapons per platoon in every rifle company. The Model 1917 Enfield rifle was tough, reliable, accurate, and can lay down a respectable rate of fire for suppression fire had a six round ammo clip been made for it. Most conscript soldiers could have easily shot 18 rounds per minute with such six round ammo clips. Rifle grenades are also easily fired from the Model 1917 Enfield rifle. So the lesson from history is to always keep making some of your proven old weapons for a period of time after a war is over in production while also refurbishing any and all older weapons that you have. We just never know when the next conflict will come around. At least you can train on the ample supplies of adequate proven older weapons during an emergency while more modern ones are being devised or manufactured for augmentation. A scale of economy for mass mobilization meant that the M1917 Enfield rifle could have been made by the tens of millions in the United States at a minimal unit cost per rifle.
The M1917 happens to be my favorite bolt gun. However, I think your points are in error. First, politically speaking no one was in a position to continue producing weapons they had no immediate need for, even us. Second, spending that kind of money would likely have required foregoing semi-auto development work on the Garand and a lot of other useful things that happened between the wars. Third, there were technical lessons from WWI which, while not fully digested in time for WWII, were definitely under development, namely automatic weapons and intermediate cartridges. Fourth, the same argument could be made about the M1- that it was still good enough and we could’ve produced millions more just to stick in cans. But it was rather apparent that the M1 was already obsolescent like the M1917 was obsolescent.
@@MinhVu-in9iz Technically speaking, Winchester supposedly made the best ones, as they were the only manufacturer considered for making sniper rifle prototypes out of. British P14s made by Winchester were turned into sniper rifles. Personally, I think its just company name bias. I would expect very similar quality from the 3 factories making them.
@@shockwave6213 My Enfield is the Winchester make of 1917. My longest shot was at a 4x8 plywood panel at 1200 yards. I was shooting alongside my buddy who had a Barret Light 50. We both hit decently and had to drive quads out to check the target. The WIN1917 managed to perform amazingly for me for years. I have retired it as it is completely original though I replaced the stock with an original NOS stock due to it having been painted white when I got it in the 1970s.
@@CaptainAhornIt would have been no error to have ten million M1917 rifles stored in cosmoline during the 1920s. Service troops could have used the M1917 rifle during WW2. A future triangular infantry division had about 15,000 men in it. However, nine battalions of infantry with roughly 850 soldiers leaves about 7650 who would in theory need an M1 Garand rifle. The other roughly 7350 soldiers in the division could have carried an M1917 rifle and gotten by just fine assuming a certain number of automatic weapons were available in their squads,platoons, companies. Assuming anyone would know an M1 Garand rifle would even exist in the 1920's. Also a surplus arsenal of rifles would have allowed for robust American Lend Lease aid to Allied countries. The US Army could have easily used ten million M1917 rifles for all Army service troops, the Navy, Coast Guard, Army Air Corps troops and Lend Lease aid. All of those ten million M1917 rifles could have been used up with not a single one wasted.
The 2 groove barrels are surprisingly accurate , I once owned a 03 with a 2 groove that would print a 1" or less group at 100 meters. Unfortunately I ran into a financial difficulty and that rifle was sold
Excellent to see a nice vintage military bolt gun being featured. Love the Modern stuff and am VERY grateful you concentrate on it, but I'm more than happy to see an older firearm every so often. Thanks for the awesome vids!
A 1917 Enfield (Winchester mfd) was my first gun purchase. Bought in April 1961 for the then high price of $50.00 (I didn't know then that I could have purchased one by mail for less than 20 bucks in the cosmoline). Mine had already been sporterised with the addition of an L.4 Weaver scope, turned barrel, sight ears milled, stock cut and refinished, and a WW2 sniper pad installed. It shot like a dream, and still does after all these years. It's taken more deer and coyotes over the years than I can remember, and spends a lot of time on my truck gun rack when I check my cattle. It's my workhorse rifle and no more wear than it shows I know it will outlast me. I really don't think you can wear out or tear up a 1917 in 2 or 3 lifetimes if you just keep it oiled and do minimal maintenance.
max4951 Oh, right. 1961. You could still order firearms through the mail. If I recall from the history books the "Mail Order Murder Rifles" were a big issue for GCA 68. I guess we should feel lucky you didn't shoot any presidents with yours. Hee! Hee!
pinz2022 Actually my 1917 was at my home in Dallas on 11/22/63. Within 2 hours after the Kennedy assassination there were rumors that Dallas was about to be put under Martial Law, and all guns confiscated. As doubtful as that seemed, I deciding to err on the side of caution. I took my 1917, my Winchester Mod 1911, and my Winchester Mod.1890 (all the guns I had in town at the time), wrapped them up in bulky padding and drove them to my family's farm in Oklahoma that night. There was an awful lot of paranoia and rumor going on at the time, and it was nice to get out of town. To this day when I handle any one of those 3 guns I'm taken back to that day and the sights, sounds and even the smells of the day I "smuggled" my guns and ammo back to Oklahoma.
max4951 Now there's a scene that should have been in a movie! In another clip on TH-cam, the narrator states that the reason there are so seemingly few intact M1917s left is that the vast majority were "sporterized" like yours. Cheap surplus, long Mauser action, popular caliber...it lent itself well to customization and wildcatting. The "sporterized Enfield"s were almost all M1917s and dominated the early twentieth century as the big game rifle for the Common Man. Indeed, when Johnny came marching home from France in 1918 a whole bunch of veterans simply cut back the stocks on their rifles and used them for deer.
max4951 Other writers have stated that's where the Left began to go mad. One Kennedy killed by a card-carrying communist, another killed by a Palestinian (who stated he did it because his victim was too pro-Israel).
Actually the 'battle sight' for the M1917 is set for something like 400m. Not for closer 100m ranges. Perhaps they had that 'belt buckle' idea. Aim for the belt buckle with the sights set for 400m, and you'll get center mass at close range.
When smokeless powder military service rifles became popular and widespread in the 1890s and early 1900s, the new spitzer (pointed) bullets shot so flat and had such long range in comparison to the older cartridges that militaries assumed that warfare would henceforth take place at extended ranges out past 500 Weapons designers believed that would be the typical distance for combat. That's why soldiers using it would have aimed at the beltline of enemy soldiers, as you note.
If you like milsurps, and haven't bought one yet, look harder...they're available for a decent price still...but steadily thinning in stock. They shoot pretty well-I love my '18 Eddystone.
Ehh, varies on the market and the seller's determination of condition...and your bargaining skills. For a rifle in good condition with a decent barrel, good stock and finish, I'd expect to pay about $450-600. If all it's parts are single mfr, the seller can usually fetch a higher premium. If you want to get an idea of the pricing, get on gunbroker.com and search for 1917, M1917, or enfield 1917...
Orange Joe Define good condition? I guess the gun shows I've frequented are a bunch of thieves (this would not surprise me). If you've seen a complete and serviceable 1917 for $300-350, then jump on it.
@will1174 A lot of people don't know about the M1917. Most people think the 1903 Springfield was our primary fighting rifle during WWI, when it wasn't. The M1917 was the most used rifle by US forces during the war. It's a great old rifle, one that I prefer over the 1903.
The one thing I love about the old rifles is that they may be old but it showed how reliable they were back then and they are very much still reliable as they were back in World War II and World War II
Great vid Mac! I've been following your channel since the beginning. Im a huge fan of historical US service rifles and I'm happy to see a good video on the 1917. Its a great compliment to your Garand.
Thanks for the review! I've been using my grandpa's M1917 for my main deer rifle for years now. The barrel is stamped 3-18 (manufactured March, 1918) and it is still a tack-driver. Being a history fanatic, I'm sorry to say it was sporterized back in the 1950's. However, for a practical and accurate firearm, it holds its own with any that I own or have had the pleasure to shoot. The longest kill on a deer with this rifle was made at around 340 yards with a VERY old Weaver 2X scope and WINDY!
Appreciate the video on the 1917 and the history of it. I just got back from my local gun shop this afternoon after putting a 1917 Eddystone 30-06 in layaway. It is all original, except sling, and the only thing that I can tell is missing is the front barrel band split sling swivel. I believe this one has a 5 grove barrel, didn't have a my barrel light to see very well but the rifling look very good and clean. It is a original blue, some wore, and not the parkerized versions that I have heard about. The stock is in very good condition, yes it has some marks (scratches) and I did notice that the top handguard had a crack but someone did a good job of repairing it using pins. I count myself lucky cause I got the rifle for $400 tax and all. This will go good with my old war rifle collection. I have a Russian Mosin Nagant, 8x57 K98 Mauser, 7x57 Bruno VZ24 Mauser, 303 No. 4 MK1, a 7.7 Arisaka 99 (bring back) and a 7.35 Italian Carcano. I have all the bayonets for these rifles except for the VZ24 and the Carcano. Now I will have to find one for the 1917!! Again thanks for the video and keep up with all the good videos on your channel.
@mlrllama I prefer the M1917 over the 1903. They are both based on the Mauser but the 1917 feels stockier and more robust. I like the sights on the 1917 better than the 1903, however the 1903A3 has improved sights that rival the 1917's. Functionally they're very similar given they're both based on the Mauser action. Sgt. York used a M1917 and a 1911 in his action. Hollywood (Gary Cooper) portrayed him using a 1903 and Luger. Leave it to Hollywood to screw things up that badly.
panzerabwerkanone In my opinion the aperture sights work much better on the 1917 then the 1903A3, I personally think the 1917 was ahead of its time I'd definitely want an aperture sight Rifle than the regular 1903 Springfield
Strongest action made! You can make magnums out of 1917.Dont try it on Springfield it's not as strong.I load my Enfield with 81 grains 180 grain bulletin 300 mag .So it's a 300 mag + P.
81 grains of 4831 180 grain bullet 300 mag + P Also they make a 240 grain bullet for these.Great rifle great cartridge. Chris Kyle favorite cartridge which he made most kills with.300 win mag still King after all these years and you can buy ammo anywhere!. Cloward,McMutry sound familiar.
@AKJeeper Yup, that's the problem... so many were chopped up and sporterized that it's hard to find a good quality military configuration rifle these days. A really nice example will cost you a pretty penny too.
@TheSnow77 No, I don't own any airsoft rifles. I'm surprised someone hasn't setup manufacturing for the L85 here in the US. They've done it for the AUG and Tavor (working on it now). Another bullpup I would love to own is the French FAMAS F1 or F2.
@harpoclarx I have my eye out for a P14 (yes, that's the correct nomenclature). The Patten 14 rifle would be a great addition to the bolt gun family. It's getting harder and harder to find .303 Brit these days though. I remember when it was dirt cheap and everywhere (1990's). I wish I had stocked more of it.
I shot 2 white tail deer with my Eddystone November 1918 rifle. The second deer was at 100+ yards and the weight of the deer was about 50 pounds. (Yes I shot Bambi) Very accurate wonderfull rifle.
@HypnologicQualm I agree, they inspire confidence. It's hard to describe how they feel and shoot, but they are amazing weapons. I wouldn't feel poorly armed with one in a SHTF situation.
my grandfather was the only one in his company issued a p14 and went on to shoot a 178 out of 200 with it. i would love to at least shoot one my gpa loved it! he had a 03 that i learned to shoot on .
I was blessed to get an original for free a good friend was cleaning his dads garage out and it was in a barrel all rusted and dirty he gave it too me i took it home and got the specs on it and disassembled it cleaned it up and fired 50rds thru it with no problem at a 150yds 2in groups but you enlightened me with the info you just gave thanks
I love my Eddystone. My grandfather gave it to me in 1972. We had many great times shooting and reloading. I hope to pass it and those values to my grandson!
The "P17" designation was used by the Brits in WWII to distinguish their lend-lease M1917 from their P14 rifles, which were both used by their home guard in large numbers. M1917s were often painted red to identify them since they used different ammo. The P17 designation continued to be used by post-war surplus distributors who imported them back in to the US.
I've had my 1917 Enfield for @ 30 years now. Bought it from a buddy's pawn shop for $100. I bought it to plink with using cheap surplus ammo, but after finding out how accurate it was, I took the sights off of it and took it to a gunsmith to mill it flat and drill/tap it for a scope mount. The steel is so hard, he said he went through 3 titanium bits to drill the 4 holes. Over the years, I've sportarized it up with a handmade custom stock, and I had the front of the barrel cut back behind the groove where the front sight was and re knurled the end. It tightened my groups up to sub minute MOA at 100 yds. When sighted at 200 yds, it is 4" high at 50 yds, 2" high at 100, and 4" low at 300 yds. so I can put the crosshairs on anything between those ranges and bring home meat. Mine likes a 165gr bullet and I can load it to 2990 FPS and it is fine, but if I push any bulllet in it over 3k FPS, it starts slinging them a bit. I have shot some REALLY hot, overloaded ammo in this thing before where it was actually blasting about half of the primers out of the cases. The 1917 handled it like nothing. A buddy had a remington and fired one of these and it tore his gun up... broke the extractors on the bolt off. This has been my go-to hunting rifle for most of my life and no modern rifle has impressed me enough to replace it.
@silvereagle1833 Hey Gunny, I think we can blame Hollywood for the notion Sgt. York used a 1903 Springfield vs. the M1917. They had Gary Cooper use the 1903 in their 1941 movie "Sergeant York" and forever since people assumed that's what he used. They also had him using a German Luger in the film vs. his 1911.
The UK bought several hundred thousand in 30-06 for use by the Home Guard. A red stripe was painted around the stock to avoid confusion with the similar P14 and to prevent the accidental loading of .303.
Fired my 1919 dated WInchester M1917 at Camp Perry in 2010. It fired very well. In the rapid fire string, the brim of my campaign hat kept bumping the rear sight leaf on recoil. Probably should have just used the peep for 200 yards. ANyway....good video and a great rifle.
Excellent review of my first love and rifle. This is where my love of firearms started at a very young age. Thank you for getting the record strait about Sgt. York. I must have explained his use of the Model 1917 in "The Great War" a hundred times. Still have my Marines question my facts. I wish they to would learn a bit of our history. Thank you so much. Semper Fidelas Gunny Z.
@swenner64 The P14 is clearly derived from the Mauser, and the M1917 is a rechambered P14. Google is your friend, do a little research. The SMLE and the P14 are nothing alike. If you would like, I can post detailed pictures of the SMLE bolt, Mauser bolt and the 1917 bolt on our discussion forum. I think you may be surprised, assuming you're not kidding.
I would actually rather have one of these over a m1903. Reason being is that this gun was actually issued in greater numbers during WWI than the m1903, then saw action during the first days of WWII, so it has real history as being a main US army combat rifle. It shoots my favorite rifle round the 30-06, and because people don't know about them, and that they were never officially adopted as the main US battle rifle, you can get one for less than half the price of a m1903.
I just picked up a really nice all original Winchester make of June 1918... $800! But I felt that was a fair price, they are not going down in value only up. Pick one up while you still can! excellent rifles.
Picked one up today. Its an Eddystone with from from I can tell the original barrel (or at least original to the period). Marked 11-18 and has 5 groove LH twist. Shiny bore but needs a good cleaning. Everything is stamped with an 'E', to include the band that hold the stock together. The stock is marked with an 'R' and The bayonet is marked 'W'. I have about $500 into it so I figured that was a good deal.
Love my Swedish Mauser (M96), the 6.5x55 is an awesome round for sure! Practically any rifle with that Mauser action is going to be smooth, accurate and an overall amazing shooter!
I have 3 1917s, a Winchester with a Winchester barrel dated 4-18 in excellent post WWI rebuilt condition, an Eddystone with an Eddystone 8-18 dated barrel with Canadian property marks and originsl blued finish. And finally another Eddystone built "Flaig Ace" custom sporter in 264 Winchester Magnum that is an absolute tack driver. My original Eddystone holds a bolt action shooting record at our local club in which I shot four 8X13" steel plates down at 200 yards in 9.2 seconds.
I have one of these things, I love it. Mine got stripped down for hunting and the barrel's shortened. It handles quick as hell but the action and barrel are so overbuilt it still bucks pretty light. Very accurate despite being short and shot out, helped a lot by the HUGE field of view with that peep in front of the short butt. Weird low comb though. I recommend it highly, very fun and different and it's damn near indestructible.
A lot of these rifles were sent to the UK during WWII as well. They were issued to the Home Guard with red bands around the handguards. This was to signify that the rifle was chambered for rimless ammo.
I love the model 1917, the action functions beautifully and the accuracy like proven above is extremely good. I can ring steel @ 400yds with this same rifle all day long with the Russian silver bear ammo. Good video and review!
I love my M1917. It was originally my grandpa's, he got 2 of them, sporterized 1, from his stepdad who served in WW1 and later the American Legion when the AL was getting rid of them to replace with M1's. I told him that I would clean the original up for him, I ended up refinishing the entire stock and rebluing the metal. The bore was dark as night, too; not anymore. I showed him the end result, and he liked it so much he passed it down to me. I finally shot it, thing still drives tacks.
When my grandpa got his Enfield he sporterized it. New stock, new barrel, cut the bolt handle off and welded it on at a different angle, lots of that kinda stuff. It's still a good rifle despite the historical value being removed.
Cool video. I have a Remington Model 30 Express, it is a commercial variant of the m1917. It is basically the same thing, except peep sights, a different stock, and a shorter barrel. It kicks like a mule due to the light weight.
This was a British response to the late 19th century Mauser, clip loaded Spitzer bullets carried by the Boers! The British idea of a .276 round was excellent in concept but the round was hot, overheating and excessive blast. In the end it was cancelled, but the Mauser rifle P13 was then made in the US as the War was touching our nose by then. My P14 is phenomenally accurate and built for war and to last. Supremely accurate too 🏆
Excellent video as always. I had the british version of that rifle in .303 British (I think we called it a P14) and it was an amazing target gun dispite the lack of windage on the sight. Obviously the old kentucky windage was the only way to deal with it, but it led me to a few champs so very happy. Great design and quality piece. Thanks for the great job on the reseach
The Mauser Bolt action was designed by Wilhelm Mauser, the 1917 action is based off of the action designed by James Paris Lee. His actions would always cock the firing pin at the end of the forward stroke of the bolt so it wasn't just a British thing.
This rifle was more easily used by those who never fired a shot before enlistment. The 03 with original sight set up is most generally are referenced as being more accurate in the hands of a marksman. The tolerance is not as tight in 1917 . Better for battle but not for accuracy. The wartime cartridge 3006 was loaded to near mag levels as well.
Sturm- Your videos are outstanding. Always very informative and great video quality. It's obvious you do your homework before opening your mouth. Keep up the good work. I'm a collector of mil surplus guns and you help me with my research.
With practice a shooter can learn to work the bolt of a 1917 without taking the rifle off his/her shoulder. That allows maintaining a sight picture and tracking a running target while you cycle the action.
I just traded for a Winchester 1917. It is all original with a barrel dated 9-18 still blued not reworked with parkerize. The orginal stock is in pretty bad shape. Lots of battle scars & it appears to have dried out over the years & then cracked from recoil. All of the metal is in excellant condition. I think I can salvage the stock with a lot of work. I hope the 5 grove shoots as good as ur 2 groove Johnson barrel. Great video.
@MrByronodmon Shop the online gun boards like Guns America and Gun Broker. You can find them occasionally. I prefer to shop gun shows so you can see the rifle and inspect it before buying. But you can get good deals online too. They're out there!
I wish I could have at least two of every battle rifle from WW1 and WW2. I just started my first... got a Mosin Nagant M44 Carbine and am currently refinishing the stock (it was previously refinished and in bad shape) Great video!
What's quite interesting is that pre-1898 Mausers were designed to be cock-on-closing. Swedish Mausers for example are cock-on-closing - quite an interesting feeling when using one if you are used to more modern Mauser designs. Makes for quite a smooth bolt manipulation. I believe the excellent sights on the m1917 reflect the emphasis on individual marksmanship that Americans value - it is an emphasis to be proud of.
I'm glad you let it be known that the Model 1917 was MORE prolific than the 1903 Springfield. This, along with the SMLE, are my favorite WWI rifles, that REAR peep is MUCH easier to connect with from close to 200-300 yard's vs. the 1903's 'target sights'..... BEAUTIFUL RIFLE!! Now I need a M1917.... DANGIT STURMGEWEHRE, just when I thought I had all the weapon's (w/the SGL 31 recently joining it's SGL 21 sibling in my collection) I could dream of/HOLD IN A SAFE...you make another vid, sheesh!
S&K has one that mounts to the rear sight base. I do not believe that you have to make any permanent modifications (drilling, tapping, etc.) They make one either for proprietary rings or Weaver rings.
oh I love my dads old M1917. I've used it as a deer rifle for as long as I can remember. It's always done well and recently took a beautiful buck with it this last season. It's only draw back is the weight, but at the same time the weight helps with shooting this big pig. My only gripe has to do with the sites. The stock peep sites I believe are set for 400m, which as you noticed makes it shoot high at 100.
I was lucky enough several years ago to pick up a really nice four digit Winchester 1917. The bad part, I haven't gotten around to shooting it yet. :( This video makes me want to get that done. Very interesting video. Thanks for posting it.
Did you change your front sight? I've heard complaints that the battle site is to long of a range and way high at 100 and even 200. Your group that 100 was only slightly high. Would be totally fine for a 6 hold. Thanks
![U.S. Rifle M1917 [Sgt. York's WW1 Medal of Honor Story ] to 500yds: Practical Accuracy](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OYunBYZyCY8/mqdefault.jpg)
What the Brits were working on was the P-13 in .276 Enfield. It was a large cartridge, thus the bulge of the magazine. With the onset of WW1 it was deemed a bad idea to change calibers, so this rifle was reworked to accept the .303 cartridge and became the P-14. Later on it was reworked again to be a 30-06 & became the M1917.
nope bulged magazine area cuz 303 had rum 276 was semi rim
@@jurajokasa834 nope, .276 was a much larger cartridge.
Take a look at a P13
@@merlemorrison482 Yep, There were problems with cook off in rapid fire as the .276 was a much hotter cartridge. Then WW1 came along so the P13 was modified to chamber .330 British and became the P14 and contracts were made with US manufacturers to manufacture them. Subsequently to address US rifle shotages a .30-06 version was contracted from the same manufacturers, which became the M1917,
When MacArthur got back to the Philippines in WW II, the 03's that the guerillas had were out of service due to bent front sights. the 1917's were still good to go.
Earl Edward h
this gun was in more american hands than the 03. the 1917 is our real world war one gun.
designed by brits ! UKGB UKGB UKGB UKGB
geezerp1982 designed by Paul Mauser, slightly redesigned by the Brits.
@@calvinhandley2373 designed by Johann Dreyse, redesigned by Mauser. Who honestly gives a shit. Saying every modern bolt action is a Mauser is like saying every modern auto pistol is a Browning, every revolver is a Colt, every pump shotgun is a Winchester. We could say the AK is an inverted Garand. Everyone copies from each other, that doesn't change the fact that for example, the Remington 700. It is a rifle of its own, its not a Mauser. Fuck all these Mauser fanboys.
@@johncarl5505 Webley revolvers predate colts.
@@mikeycraig8970 there were even older revolvers, the examples i gave were the basis for most modern guns now.
I saw it on the lost battalion. A tv movie based on the argonne battle. I loved the rifle . The m1903 was outstanding but this one was gorgeous and exotic.
This video alone should prove you're more than worthy to have your own weekly show on the History Channel. You're an excellent well spoken professional host with a deep knowledge of the history and mechanics of firearms. Thank you for this very engaging history lesson and demonstration of these legendary rifles.
My dad was issued one of these in WWII, but also at some point was issued a Springfield 1903. He felt the Model 1917 was quite a serviceable rifle but he liked the 1903 Springfield the best. Great video!
I'd have wanted a Garand for that one.
The model 1917 is (I believe) the only boltaction rifle still in service in a Western military unit (the Danish Sirius sledge patrol), and will continue to be in service for many years to come.
@Starscream_xxx he said "western" nagants are still used in the East.
More reliable in the deep cold
It's amazing how accurate these old bolt guns are. I just snagged an M1903A3 yesterday which is in beautiful condition. I know I need an M1917 to add to my U.S. military Rifle collection but they seem to be harder to find!
First elk was taken with a Eddystone. I love that gun!
Here are some thoughts about the Model 1917 Enfield rifle. The U.S. should have just kept making these rifles cranking out a million rifles annually for many years during the 1920's and 1930's. It would have been very cheap to keep one or all of the production lines at Remington, Eddystone, and Winchester busy for a period of a decade after World War One or longer making the Model 1917 Enfield rifle. Perhaps a slightly shorter or revised version for easier mass production weighing slightly less could have been devised while still giving accurate fire out to 500 yards but optimized for 300 yards where most modern infantry combat occurs. The reason for this is a cheap national insurance policy. The United States Army having ten million or even 15 million plus of these rifles stored in cosmoline canisters in depots would have given us a big advantage for mobilization. These rifles could have lasted for 50 years or longer. If or when another future war came or several wars, these rifles could have immediately provided a weapon for all of our soldiers in the National Guard or Reserves, active duty Army, and several Allied countries too.
These bolt action rifles would have been completely adequate for any future land wars, if augmented by adequate numbers of Browning Automatic rifles per squad/platoon. Every Army infantry company headquarters unit will always have several heavier water-cooled or air-cooled machine guns. These 1917 Enfield rifles could have allowed to us to mobilize, train, and fight a land war for a couple years on the cheap. We could have easily fought World War 2 successfully with lots of Model 1917 Enfield rifles assuming we had enough light automatic weapons per squad and several more automatic weapons per platoon in every rifle company. The Model 1917 Enfield rifle was tough, reliable, accurate, and can lay down a respectable rate of fire for suppression fire had a six round ammo clip been made for it. Most conscript soldiers could have easily shot 18 rounds per minute with such six round ammo clips. Rifle grenades are also easily fired from the Model 1917 Enfield rifle. So the lesson from history is to always keep making some of your proven old weapons for a period of time after a war is over in production while also refurbishing any and all older weapons that you have. We just never know when the next conflict will come around. At least you can train on the ample supplies of adequate proven older weapons during an emergency while more modern ones are being devised or manufactured for augmentation. A scale of economy for mass mobilization meant that the M1917 Enfield rifle could have been made by the tens of millions in the United States at a minimal unit cost per rifle.
Rex fromMN who makes the best m1917??
The M1917 happens to be my favorite bolt gun. However, I think your points are in error. First, politically speaking no one was in a position to continue producing weapons they had no immediate need for, even us. Second, spending that kind of money would likely have required foregoing semi-auto development work on the Garand and a lot of other useful things that happened between the wars. Third, there were technical lessons from WWI which, while not fully digested in time for WWII, were definitely under development, namely automatic weapons and intermediate cartridges. Fourth, the same argument could be made about the M1- that it was still good enough and we could’ve produced millions more just to stick in cans. But it was rather apparent that the M1 was already obsolescent like the M1917 was obsolescent.
@@MinhVu-in9iz Technically speaking, Winchester supposedly made the best ones, as they were the only manufacturer considered for making sniper rifle prototypes out of. British P14s made by Winchester were turned into sniper rifles. Personally, I think its just company name bias. I would expect very similar quality from the 3 factories making them.
@@shockwave6213 My Enfield is the Winchester make of 1917. My longest shot was at a 4x8 plywood panel at 1200 yards. I was shooting alongside my buddy who had a Barret Light 50. We both hit decently and had to drive quads out to check the target. The WIN1917 managed to perform amazingly for me for years. I have retired it as it is completely original though I replaced the stock with an original NOS stock due to it having been painted white when I got it in the 1970s.
@@CaptainAhornIt would have been no error to have ten million M1917 rifles stored in cosmoline during the 1920s. Service troops could have used the M1917 rifle during WW2. A future triangular infantry division had about 15,000 men in it. However, nine battalions of infantry with roughly 850 soldiers leaves about 7650 who would in theory need an M1 Garand rifle. The other roughly 7350 soldiers in the division could have carried an M1917 rifle and gotten by just fine assuming a certain number of automatic weapons were available in their squads,platoons, companies. Assuming anyone would know an M1 Garand rifle would even exist in the 1920's. Also a surplus arsenal of rifles would have allowed for robust American Lend Lease aid to Allied countries. The US Army could have easily used ten million M1917 rifles for all Army service troops, the Navy, Coast Guard, Army Air Corps troops and Lend Lease aid. All of those ten million M1917 rifles could have been used up with not a single one wasted.
The 2 groove barrels are surprisingly accurate , I once owned a 03 with a 2 groove that would print a 1" or less group at 100 meters. Unfortunately I ran into a financial difficulty and that rifle was sold
Excellent to see a nice vintage military bolt gun being featured. Love the Modern stuff and am VERY grateful you concentrate on it, but I'm more than happy to see an older firearm every so often.
Thanks for the awesome vids!
@macharleys72 Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the vid.
I'm glad you enjoy them, thanks for watching.
I just picked up one of these rifles and I'm glad I started my research on it here. Great video, great work.
A 1917 Enfield (Winchester mfd) was my first gun purchase. Bought in April 1961 for the then high price of $50.00 (I didn't know then that I could have purchased one by mail for less than 20 bucks in the cosmoline). Mine had already been sporterised with the addition of an L.4 Weaver scope, turned barrel, sight ears milled, stock cut and refinished, and a WW2 sniper pad installed. It shot like a dream, and still does after all these years. It's taken more deer and coyotes over the years than I can remember, and spends a lot of time on my truck gun rack when I check my cattle. It's my workhorse rifle and no more wear than it shows I know it will outlast me. I really don't think you can wear out or tear up a 1917 in 2 or 3 lifetimes if you just keep it oiled and do minimal maintenance.
max4951 Oh, right. 1961. You could still order firearms through the mail. If I recall from the history books the "Mail Order Murder Rifles" were a big issue for GCA 68. I guess we should feel lucky you didn't shoot any presidents with yours. Hee! Hee!
pinz2022 Actually my 1917 was at my home in Dallas on 11/22/63. Within 2 hours after the Kennedy assassination there were rumors that Dallas was about to be put under Martial Law, and all guns confiscated. As doubtful as that seemed, I deciding to err on the side of caution. I took my 1917, my Winchester Mod 1911, and my Winchester Mod.1890 (all the guns I had in town at the time), wrapped them up in bulky padding and drove them to my family's farm in Oklahoma that night. There was an awful lot of paranoia and rumor going on at the time, and it was nice to get out of town. To this day when I handle any one of those 3 guns I'm taken back to that day and the sights, sounds and even the smells of the day I "smuggled" my guns and ammo back to Oklahoma.
max4951 Now there's a scene that should have been in a movie! In another clip on TH-cam, the narrator states that the reason there are so seemingly few intact M1917s left is that the vast majority were "sporterized" like yours. Cheap surplus, long Mauser action, popular caliber...it lent itself well to customization and wildcatting. The "sporterized Enfield"s were almost all M1917s and dominated the early twentieth century as the big game rifle for the Common Man. Indeed, when Johnny came marching home from France in 1918 a whole bunch of veterans simply cut back the stocks on their rifles and used them for deer.
max4951 Other writers have stated that's where the Left began to go mad. One Kennedy killed by a card-carrying communist, another killed by a Palestinian (who stated he did it because his victim was too pro-Israel).
@@pinz2022 in the UK we could order guns through the mail right up until 1997 !!!
Actually the 'battle sight' for the M1917 is set for something like 400m. Not for closer 100m ranges. Perhaps they had that 'belt buckle' idea. Aim for the belt buckle with the sights set for 400m, and you'll get center mass at close range.
My battle sight is dead on point of aim at 100 yards...
When smokeless powder military service rifles became popular and widespread in the 1890s and early 1900s, the new spitzer (pointed) bullets shot so flat and had such long range in comparison to the older cartridges that militaries assumed that warfare would henceforth take place at extended ranges out past 500 Weapons designers believed that would be the typical distance for combat. That's why soldiers using it would have aimed at the beltline of enemy soldiers, as you note.
Man just fell in love with this rifle..
If you like milsurps, and haven't bought one yet, look harder...they're available for a decent price still...but steadily thinning in stock. They shoot pretty well-I love my '18 Eddystone.
txstang84 How much do you think one of these rifles are in ok-good condition?
Ehh, varies on the market and the seller's determination of condition...and your bargaining skills. For a rifle in good condition with a decent barrel, good stock and finish, I'd expect to pay about $450-600. If all it's parts are single mfr, the seller can usually fetch a higher premium. If you want to get an idea of the pricing, get on gunbroker.com and search for 1917, M1917, or enfield 1917...
txstang84 I have seen them at gun shows in good condition for 300-350. Is that a good deal? I would think so.
Orange Joe Define good condition? I guess the gun shows I've frequented are a bunch of thieves (this would not surprise me). If you've seen a complete and serviceable 1917 for $300-350, then jump on it.
@will1174 A lot of people don't know about the M1917. Most people think the 1903 Springfield was our primary fighting rifle during WWI, when it wasn't. The M1917 was the most used rifle by US forces during the war. It's a great old rifle, one that I prefer over the 1903.
The one thing I love about the old rifles is that they may be old but it showed how reliable they were back then and they are very much still reliable as they were back in World War II and World War II
Great vid Mac! I've been following your channel since the beginning. Im a huge fan of historical US service rifles and I'm happy to see a good video on the 1917. Its a great compliment to your Garand.
Thanks for the review! I've been using my grandpa's M1917 for my main deer rifle for years now. The barrel is stamped 3-18 (manufactured March, 1918) and it is still a tack-driver. Being a history fanatic, I'm sorry to say it was sporterized back in the 1950's. However, for a practical and accurate firearm, it holds its own with any that I own or have had the pleasure to shoot. The longest kill on a deer with this rifle was made at around 340 yards with a VERY old Weaver 2X scope and WINDY!
Appreciate the video on the 1917 and the history of it. I just got back from my local gun shop this afternoon after putting a 1917 Eddystone 30-06 in layaway. It is all original, except sling, and the only thing that I can tell is missing is the front barrel band split sling swivel. I believe this one has a 5 grove barrel, didn't have a my barrel light to see very well but the rifling look very good and clean. It is a original blue, some wore, and not the parkerized versions that I have heard about. The stock is in very good condition, yes it has some marks (scratches) and I did notice that the top handguard had a crack but someone did a good job of repairing it using pins. I count myself lucky cause I got the rifle for $400 tax and all. This will go good with my old war rifle collection. I have a Russian Mosin Nagant, 8x57 K98 Mauser, 7x57 Bruno VZ24 Mauser, 303 No. 4 MK1, a 7.7 Arisaka 99 (bring back) and a 7.35 Italian Carcano. I have all the bayonets for these rifles except for the VZ24 and the Carcano. Now I will have to find one for the 1917!! Again thanks for the video and keep up with all the good videos on your channel.
I paid 800 for mine
@mlrllama I prefer the M1917 over the 1903. They are both based on the Mauser but the 1917 feels stockier and more robust. I like the sights on the 1917 better than the 1903, however the 1903A3 has improved sights that rival the 1917's. Functionally they're very similar given they're both based on the Mauser action. Sgt. York used a M1917 and a 1911 in his action. Hollywood (Gary Cooper) portrayed him using a 1903 and Luger. Leave it to Hollywood to screw things up that badly.
I shoot my 1917 more than my 1903A3. It shoots better with less felt recoil.
panzerabwerkanone In my opinion the aperture sights work much better on the 1917 then the 1903A3, I personally think the 1917 was ahead of its time I'd definitely want an aperture sight Rifle than the regular 1903 Springfield
@@james52054 M1917 was robust as MAC says and springfield was just foolish almost exact copy of mauser 98
Strongest action made! You can make magnums out of 1917.Dont try it on Springfield it's not as strong.I load my Enfield with 81 grains 180 grain bulletin 300 mag .So it's a 300 mag + P.
81 grains of 4831 180 grain bullet 300 mag + P Also they make a 240 grain bullet for these.Great rifle great cartridge. Chris Kyle favorite cartridge which he made most kills with.300 win mag still King after all these years and you can buy ammo anywhere!. Cloward,McMutry sound familiar.
@@brianharris4275 What kind of stats do you get from that load? Sounds like it rips
@AKJeeper Yup, that's the problem... so many were chopped up and sporterized that it's hard to find a good quality military configuration rifle these days. A really nice example will cost you a pretty penny too.
@TheSnow77 No, I don't own any airsoft rifles. I'm surprised someone hasn't setup manufacturing for the L85 here in the US. They've done it for the AUG and Tavor (working on it now). Another bullpup I would love to own is the French FAMAS F1 or F2.
@harpoclarx I have my eye out for a P14 (yes, that's the correct nomenclature). The Patten 14 rifle would be a great addition to the bolt gun family. It's getting harder and harder to find .303 Brit these days though. I remember when it was dirt cheap and everywhere (1990's). I wish I had stocked more of it.
I shot 2 white tail deer with my Eddystone November 1918 rifle. The second deer was at 100+ yards and the weight of the deer was about 50 pounds. (Yes I shot Bambi) Very accurate wonderfull rifle.
Thanks, brother. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
i used to think York used this too. He actually managed to switch out for the 1903 springfield which he preferred.
@HypnologicQualm I agree, they inspire confidence. It's hard to describe how they feel and shoot, but they are amazing weapons. I wouldn't feel poorly armed with one in a SHTF situation.
@husky394xp I'm glad you found the channel. Be sure to spread the word!
my grandfather was the only one in his company issued a p14 and went on to shoot a 178 out of 200 with it. i would love to at least shoot one my gpa loved it! he had a 03 that i learned to shoot on .
I'm hopefully picking one up here soon. Nice video as always.
What a beautiful rifle. Great collector item. Would love to have one.
I was blessed to get an original for free a good friend was cleaning his dads garage out and it was in a barrel all rusted and dirty he gave it too me i took it home and got the specs on it and disassembled it cleaned it up and fired 50rds thru it with no problem at a 150yds 2in groups but you enlightened me with the info you just gave thanks
I love my Eddystone. My grandfather gave it to me in 1972. We had many great times shooting and reloading. I hope to pass it and those values to my grandson!
The "P17" designation was used by the Brits in WWII to distinguish their lend-lease M1917 from their P14 rifles, which were both used by their home guard in large numbers. M1917s were often painted red to identify them since they used different ammo. The P17 designation continued to be used by post-war surplus distributors who imported them back in to the US.
also... did they used this rifle in the movie Lost Battalion?
(sorry for all the questions! :P)
I have a Yugo Mauser, a Mosin-Nagant, and an Enfield No. 4... Need to get one of these and a 1903 for the collection!
I love bolt action rifles they work so perfectly and sound so smooth and are very very accurate more accurate than an assault rifle for sure
I've had my 1917 Enfield for @ 30 years now. Bought it from a buddy's pawn shop for $100. I bought it to plink with using cheap surplus ammo, but after finding out how accurate it was, I took the sights off of it and took it to a gunsmith to mill it flat and drill/tap it for a scope mount. The steel is so hard, he said he went through 3 titanium bits to drill the 4 holes. Over the years, I've sportarized it up with a handmade custom stock, and I had the front of the barrel cut back behind the groove where the front sight was and re knurled the end. It tightened my groups up to sub minute MOA at 100 yds. When sighted at 200 yds, it is 4" high at 50 yds, 2" high at 100, and 4" low at 300 yds. so I can put the crosshairs on anything between those ranges and bring home meat. Mine likes a 165gr bullet and I can load it to 2990 FPS and it is fine, but if I push any bulllet in it over 3k FPS, it starts slinging them a bit. I have shot some REALLY hot, overloaded ammo in this thing before where it was actually blasting about half of the primers out of the cases. The 1917 handled it like nothing. A buddy had a remington and fired one of these and it tore his gun up... broke the extractors on the bolt off. This has been my go-to hunting rifle for most of my life and no modern rifle has impressed me enough to replace it.
@silvereagle1833 Hey Gunny, I think we can blame Hollywood for the notion Sgt. York used a 1903 Springfield vs. the M1917. They had Gary Cooper use the 1903 in their 1941 movie "Sergeant York" and forever since people assumed that's what he used. They also had him using a German Luger in the film vs. his 1911.
The MAC has just 'out historied' the History Channel!!!
I'm serious, you did a superlative job on this vid Bro.
Outstanding rifle. A tack driver and they should still be made today. Had 3 and the Eddystone make was the best. Quality overall. Superbly built.
The UK bought several hundred thousand in 30-06 for use by the Home Guard. A red stripe was painted around the stock to avoid confusion with the similar P14 and to prevent the accidental loading of .303.
@pilgrimfarmer LOL, thanks brother.
Best evaluation out of the popular gun channels. thanks
The model 1917 was in service in a french army, 1943 to 1963. And specialy in Vietnam war, 1945 to 1954. And in Algeria war, 1954 to 1962.
2012 I was just a 3rd year highschool in the Philippines 🇵🇭
Time goes by fast wow
For the better I suspect. Restoring a Sporter is a labor of love and will usually run you more than finding an intact original.
Fired my 1919 dated WInchester M1917 at Camp Perry in 2010. It fired very well. In the rapid fire string, the brim of my campaign hat kept bumping the rear sight leaf on recoil. Probably should have just used the peep for 200 yards. ANyway....good video and a great rifle.
Excellent review of my first love and rifle. This is where my love of firearms started at a very young age. Thank you for getting the record strait about Sgt. York. I must have explained his use of the Model 1917 in "The Great War" a hundred times. Still have my Marines question my facts. I wish they to would learn a bit of our history. Thank you so much. Semper Fidelas Gunny Z.
@harpoclarx Wow, great story. The rifles were used in the Korean War too, however in very limited numbers.
I have a 1917 Eddystone, Barrel marked 10/18. I love it, Great rifle.
@swenner64 The P14 is clearly derived from the Mauser, and the M1917 is a rechambered P14. Google is your friend, do a little research. The SMLE and the P14 are nothing alike. If you would like, I can post detailed pictures of the SMLE bolt, Mauser bolt and the 1917 bolt on our discussion forum. I think you may be surprised, assuming you're not kidding.
I would actually rather have one of these over a m1903. Reason being is that this gun was actually issued in greater numbers during WWI than the m1903, then saw action during the first days of WWII, so it has real history as being a main US army combat rifle. It shoots my favorite rifle round the 30-06, and because people don't know about them, and that they were never officially adopted as the main US battle rifle, you can get one for less than half the price of a m1903.
I just picked up a really nice all original Winchester make of June 1918... $800! But I felt that was a fair price, they are not going down in value only up. Pick one up while you still can! excellent rifles.
tigerstripe .S. How do you like it? Any updates?? I’m thinking of getting one but not sure what manufacturer to go with??
Beautiful Rifle! and at the price, I would pay that and then some for an old rifle with history and accuracy. Gotta Love the Mauser action.
Picked one up today. Its an Eddystone with from from I can tell the original barrel (or at least original to the period). Marked 11-18 and has 5 groove LH twist. Shiny bore but needs a good cleaning. Everything is stamped with an 'E', to include the band that hold the stock together. The stock is marked with an 'R' and The bayonet is marked 'W'. I have about $500 into it so I figured that was a good deal.
Love my Swedish Mauser (M96), the 6.5x55 is an awesome round for sure! Practically any rifle with that Mauser action is going to be smooth, accurate and an overall amazing shooter!
That rifle also saw action in WWII during the Battle of Bataan and the 1941-42 Philippine Campaign.
Love the MAC Channel. A true firearms enthusiast's home.
I have 3 1917s, a Winchester with a Winchester barrel dated 4-18 in excellent post WWI rebuilt condition, an Eddystone with an Eddystone 8-18 dated barrel with Canadian property marks and originsl blued finish. And finally another Eddystone built "Flaig Ace" custom sporter in 264 Winchester Magnum that is an absolute tack driver. My original Eddystone holds a bolt action shooting record at our local club in which I shot four 8X13" steel plates down at 200 yards in 9.2 seconds.
I have a Eddystone..Barrel marked R 12-17.
No re-import marks.Its in very good condition.
I was 15 in 1965 when I bought mine. It won both my respect and affection. So much so that it is the only bolt action high powered rifle that I own.
very cool review, its nice being able to learn about modern weapons, and those that defined modern weapons, all in one place. keep it up mac.
I have one of these things, I love it. Mine got stripped down for hunting and the barrel's shortened. It handles quick as hell but the action and barrel are so overbuilt it still bucks pretty light. Very accurate despite being short and shot out, helped a lot by the HUGE field of view with that peep in front of the short butt. Weird low comb though. I recommend it highly, very fun and different and it's damn near indestructible.
The Mauser 96 (example: The swedish Mauser) System work as clock on close like the Lee-Enfield.
A lot of these rifles were sent to the UK during WWII as well. They were issued to the Home Guard with red bands around the handguards. This was to signify that the rifle was chambered for rimless ammo.
I love the model 1917, the action functions beautifully and the accuracy like proven above is extremely good. I can ring steel @ 400yds with this same rifle all day long with the Russian silver bear ammo. Good video and review!
i love the ww| and ww2 enfield rifles.they are so elegant.well mostly of them.nice vid, i loved the ones with the makarov and the beretta.
I love my M1917. It was originally my grandpa's, he got 2 of them, sporterized 1, from his stepdad who served in WW1 and later the American Legion when the AL was getting rid of them to replace with M1's. I told him that I would clean the original up for him, I ended up refinishing the entire stock and rebluing the metal. The bore was dark as night, too; not anymore. I showed him the end result, and he liked it so much he passed it down to me. I finally shot it, thing still drives tacks.
When my grandpa got his Enfield he sporterized it. New stock, new barrel, cut the bolt handle off and welded it on at a different angle, lots of that kinda stuff. It's still a good rifle despite the historical value being removed.
Cool video. I have a Remington Model 30 Express, it is a commercial variant of the m1917. It is basically the same thing, except peep sights, a different stock, and a shorter barrel. It kicks like a mule due to the light weight.
This was a British response to the late 19th century Mauser, clip loaded Spitzer bullets carried by the Boers!
The British idea of a .276 round was excellent in concept but the round was hot, overheating and excessive blast.
In the end it was cancelled, but the Mauser rifle P13 was then made in the US as the War was touching our nose by then.
My P14 is phenomenally accurate and built for war and to last.
Supremely accurate too 🏆
@TheSnow77 I would love to, but unfortunately there's no one making them for the US civilian market. I could do an airsoft review. :)
Excellent video as always. I had the british version of that rifle in .303 British (I think we called it a P14) and it was an amazing target gun dispite the lack of windage on the sight. Obviously the old kentucky windage was the only way to deal with it, but it led me to a few champs so very happy. Great design and quality piece. Thanks for the great job on the reseach
The Mauser Bolt action was designed by Wilhelm Mauser, the 1917 action is based off of the action designed by James Paris Lee. His actions would always cock the firing pin at the end of the forward stroke of the bolt so it wasn't just a British thing.
This rifle was more easily used by those who never fired a shot before enlistment. The 03 with original sight set up is most generally are referenced as being more accurate in the hands of a marksman. The tolerance is not as tight in 1917 . Better for battle but not for accuracy. The wartime cartridge 3006 was loaded to near mag levels as well.
Sturm- Your videos are outstanding. Always very informative and great video quality. It's obvious you do your homework before opening your mouth. Keep up the good work. I'm a collector of mil surplus guns and you help me with my research.
The 1917 is a real joy to shoot. It's the perfect battlefield bolt action weapon.
With practice a shooter can learn to work the bolt of a 1917 without taking the rifle off his/her shoulder. That allows maintaining a sight picture and tracking a running target while you cycle the action.
I just traded for a Winchester 1917. It is all original with a barrel dated 9-18 still blued not reworked with parkerize. The orginal stock is in pretty bad shape. Lots of battle scars & it appears to have dried out over the years & then cracked from recoil. All of the metal is in excellant condition. I think I can salvage the stock with a lot of work. I hope the 5 grove shoots as good as ur 2 groove Johnson barrel. Great video.
Just shot my M1917 with original barrel out to 1000 yards consistently. They're amazing rifles.
By far one of my favorite rifles of all time.
@MrByronodmon Shop the online gun boards like Guns America and Gun Broker. You can find them occasionally. I prefer to shop gun shows so you can see the rifle and inspect it before buying. But you can get good deals online too. They're out there!
Again,,, I love how informative ur videos r.. thanks, as always..
I wish I could have at least two of every battle rifle from WW1 and WW2.
I just started my first... got a Mosin Nagant M44 Carbine and am currently refinishing the stock (it was previously refinished and in bad shape)
Great video!
Mine is a eddystone and has a very low model number. I love it
What's quite interesting is that pre-1898 Mausers were designed to be cock-on-closing. Swedish Mausers for example are cock-on-closing - quite an interesting feeling when using one if you are used to more modern Mauser designs. Makes for quite a smooth bolt manipulation.
I believe the excellent sights on the m1917 reflect the emphasis on individual marksmanship that Americans value - it is an emphasis to be proud of.
I'm glad you let it be known that the Model 1917 was MORE prolific than the 1903 Springfield. This, along with the SMLE, are my favorite WWI rifles, that REAR peep is MUCH easier to connect with from close to 200-300 yard's vs. the 1903's 'target sights'..... BEAUTIFUL RIFLE!! Now I need a M1917.... DANGIT STURMGEWEHRE, just when I thought I had all the weapon's (w/the SGL 31 recently joining it's SGL 21 sibling in my collection) I could dream of/HOLD IN A SAFE...you make another vid, sheesh!
S&K has one that mounts to the rear sight base. I do not believe that you have to make any permanent modifications (drilling, tapping, etc.) They make one either for proprietary rings or Weaver rings.
I have an Eddystone model of 1917. It's 30-06 and has a steel butt-plate. Kicks like a pissed off mule.
@Thegunnut1 I love old military rifles and handguns. I plan to do several more videos this year on older military weapons, both handguns and rifles.
oh I love my dads old M1917. I've used it as a deer rifle for as long as I can remember. It's always done well and recently took a beautiful buck with it this last season. It's only draw back is the weight, but at the same time the weight helps with shooting this big pig. My only gripe has to do with the sites. The stock peep sites I believe are set for 400m, which as you noticed makes it shoot high at 100.
I was lucky enough several years ago to pick up a really nice four digit Winchester 1917. The bad part, I haven't gotten around to shooting it yet. :( This video makes me want to get that done. Very interesting video. Thanks for posting it.
Did you change your front sight? I've heard complaints that the battle site is to long of a range and way high at 100 and even 200. Your group that 100 was only slightly high. Would be totally fine for a 6 hold. Thanks
Tim, this video is pretty old, but I need to ask:
How did you manage to get your paws on such a beautiful K98?
since this video at least one company was buying k98's ,restoring them and reselling at a hefty price.