M1917 project

[Polaris]

Picked up an interesting rifle at the local Pawn and gun for a song. It's a Remington M1917 sporter, presumably still in 30-06 caliber as the original modified barrel is still installed. It needs a re-blue or re-finish as the barrel has little blueing left and some slight pitting outside. Bore is perfect except for the last inch or so at the muzzle. May need a shortening and re-crown if I want to make it shoot as-is. Has an interesting vintage sporter stock with some really nice lines that is glass bedded. Trigger work has been done and a Remington style safety installed. Vintage Redfield scope bases are installed and stripper clip guide has been ground away and refinished (well). All appears to be quality gunsmith grade work. I plan to take it to the range and see how it shoots as-is. If good, I'll just refinish (I'm leaning towards parkerization) and keep it as a spare hunting rifle.

Question, if it doesn't shoot and I have to rebarrel, what would be some good options? I already have a .280 rem that is my primary big-game rifle. I know some interesting rounds can be chambered in this action. I think I'd have the most use for something smaller bore and really fast like a 6.5-06 or .25-06 AI. I'd like to stay with the 30-06 case head and not have to rework the mag well and bolt face for a magnum round. 9.3X62 might be a fun one also as I hope to hunt moose someday and would see some service for deepwoods deer and black bear in the meantime. I like eclectic calibers. Anybody here have any opinions :wink: ?

 

[Guy Miner]

Don't toss that original barrel away too fast!

You may remember, since I talk about it a lot, my .30-06 Model of 1917 sporter. My family has been using that thing for four generations now, with my youngest son using it the most in recent years. He's taken two bears and a couple of whitetail bucks in the past few years. Normally we're getting between 1 and 1.5" MOA groups, holding that out 1.5 MOA out to 300 yards, no problem. Not bad for the original military barrel!

Some years ago I had ours cut from 26" to 21" and re-crowned. Made it much handier.

I've got two stocks for it. The walnut sporter stock that Dad made for it back in the 1950's. Not bad looking but it doesn't lend itself to scope use, nor does it really fit anyone except Dad real well. The other is a Bell & Carlson, which I put on there about 10 years ago. Really handy, comfortable stock. A little odd-looking to accommodate the deep 6 round magazine.

Ours has a Timney trigger on it, and the original two-position safety. Trigger pull is good. At some point Dad had it converted to cock on opening. I kind of liked the original cock-on-closing feature, but those parts are long gone.

Looking at that massively strong action, I think a .338-06, .35 Whelen, or 9.3x62 are all great choices! Have come real close to having mine re-bored or re-barreled to one of those larger cartridges, but frankly, we (my son and I) really like it as a plain-jane .30-06 rifle.

Those modified 1917's are fairly plentiful, and still pretty easy on the pocket book. I'd build another one.

Guy

 

[Elkman]

I am thinking "exactly" like guy on this one, 338/06 or 35 Whelen. I passed on your rifles, cousin a few weeks ago, only because I have to many other rifles. They make a strong durable sporter, if the price is right grab it.

 

[Vince]

I'm inclined to say go with the Whelen but the old '06 will get it done too.

 

[DrMike]

The cartridges Guy suggested are chamberings I would be inclined to consider. I do like the Whelen, and the 338-06 would be an excellent cartridge. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with the '06.

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, I am with the others, the 338, 35 Whelen or 9.3x62 would all make really cool cartridges in a rifle like that. Set up properly it would make a heckuva ANyTHING rifle!

 

[tddeangelo]

Something to keep in mind on a 1917 receiver---

The barrels were put on with pneumatic barrel wrenches, and they were put on TIGHT. They also have a bit of a compression fit between the shoulder of the barrel and the receiver face. The only SURE way to remove the barrel without stressing/cracking the receiver is to relief cut the barrel, however this ruins the barrel.

If you're looking for suggestions, I would recommend keeping that barrel on the rifle, ESPECIALLY if the barrel is dated 1919 or prior (means it's an original barrel and the receiver never had a replacement barrel put on it). If accuracy is poor, you could have it rebored/rechambered to 338-06, 35 Whelen, or 9.3x62 pretty easily, and you'd be in good shape.

Does it still have the full length barrel in place (front sight still attached)?

 

[JD338]

35 Whelen and don't look back.

JD338

 

[tddeangelo]

I sure won't argue with that vote, Jim. I sure do love my Whelen!

 

[PJGunner]

I found mine at a gun show, an Eddystone. All the mill work like grinding off the ears ws done, a Bishop or Fajen stock in the popular style of the 1950's nice receiver sight and the dude was asking $200. Gun did need polishing and rebluing especially on the trigger guard and floor plate but otherwise not too bad for what he was asking. Then I took the bolt out and plenty of corrosive primer damage. Oh crap! Then I notice the barrel is a two groove marked 43. Rebarreled? Told the man the best I could do was $150 due to the needing a new barrel. He hemmed and hawed a bit but I said, "$150, take it or leave it." He took it. I figured I could take it up to Danny Pederson in Prescott and have it rebored to 338-06 or .35 Whelen then have my regular gunsmith polish and reblue the barrel and action and do a proper glass bedding job as well. Barrel is still 26" and I kind of like it that way. :shock: Most country I hunt is fairly open so the long barrel isn't much of a handicap.
Paul B.

 

[BK]

My suggestion: shoot the thing before you start worrying about stuff that may not happen. If it doesn't shoot now, trim the barrel back to remove the bore pitting, and try again. If I could get 2" groups with 200-220 bullets, I'd just leave her as is, with maybe a little tweaking of the bedding and such.

If she won't shoot, I'd be all over the suggestion I've heard numerous times from Brian... 6.5-280AI.

 

[Polaris]

I definitely plan on shooting it first. I have 2 "standard" 30-06 handloads. One is 150 gr Sierra Flat base, one is 165 Hornady flat base. They are my standard 200 yard CMP loads for the Garand. Have found them accurate in multiple '06 chambered rifles. Stoked to Garand pressures with IMR 4064, they are a good baseline to tell whether a given '06 has potential. I also have a bit of HXP M2 ball. Should see if I get hunting rifle accuracy or not.

This rifle has the original 1918 Remington barrel but all the fun military parts are ground off. Still cock on closing though. On more careful inspection, the muzzle rifling isn't as bad as I thought, just some cleaning rod wear. If it throws funny shots, my first correction will be a shallow counterbore. I have no problem leaving it in '06 if it shoots alright. Just wanted to know what sounded good to everyone.

Another question. Does the .220 Swift work on a standard '06 bolt face?

 

[Thebear_78]

Here is one in 9.3x62 made up as a scout

Here is one becoming a 458 Lott

Don't waste that big action on pipsqueak cartridges !

 

[DrMike]

Couple of fine cartridges, TB. Eminently suitable for the north.

 

[SJB358]

Here is one in 9.3x62 made up as a scout

Here is one becoming a 458 Lott

Don't waste that big action on pipsqueak cartridges !

That 9.3x62 is an awesome rifle. What sorta finish did you put on that rifle.

How does it shoot?

Mike nailed it, seems like a great rifle for the North Country.

 

[tddeangelo]

I definitely plan on shooting it first. I have 2 "standard" 30-06 handloads. One is 150 gr Sierra Flat base, one is 165 Hornady flat base. They are my standard 200 yard CMP loads for the Garand. Have found them accurate in multiple '06 chambered rifles. Stoked to Garand pressures with IMR 4064, they are a good baseline to tell whether a given '06 has potential. I also have a bit of HXP M2 ball. Should see if I get hunting rifle accuracy or not.

This rifle has the original 1918 Remington barrel but all the fun military parts are ground off. Still cock on closing though. On more careful inspection, the muzzle rifling isn't as bad as I thought, just some cleaning rod wear. If it throws funny shots, my first correction will be a shallow counterbore. I have no problem leaving it in '06 if it shoots alright. Just wanted to know what sounded good to everyone.

Another question. Does the .220 Swift work on a standard '06 bolt face?

Any chance you'd be willing to share out the data on those M1 loads? I'm always looking for good Garand loads, now that LC and HXP isn't the cheap range ammo it used to be.

My Winchester M1917 (rebuilt, but i don't know why...has original 1918 W barrel, and it's rifling looks new) shoots HXP into right about 2" at 100, just as a ref. point.

 

[Thebear_78]

One of the biggest reasons that the 17s make for great big bores are because they are such large action. They can hold big cartridges, and are heavy. My 9.3x62 will hold 6 down compared to most magnums that only hold 3. There are few actions better suited to big cartridges than the 1917.

The 9.3x62 is hard chromed. It has proven a pretty durable finish. It occasionally develops some tiny red flecks but they can be wiped off with some oil on 0000 steel wool. I like the nitride finish better but it is a lot more expensive than hard chrome.

That rifle is a very good shooter and has a surprisingly good trigger considering its a worked over original.

My go to load is 286gr Partition @ 2460fps. The Partition is probably the best 9.3 bullet out there. Performance has been spectacular. Excellent penetration and expansion even out to 300 yards. The 270gr Speer is an accurate bullet but it doesn't hold together at higher velosity, might be ok for whitetail but completely blew apart in a moose neck at 15 yards.

It will shoot moa out to 300 yards, probably much further in the right hands. Target shooting is different with the 2.5 scout scope, you need to shoot 6 or 8 inch circles and aim for the center, it is fairly easy to shoot some really good groups even at long range with some practice.

This is a 35 whelen with Sierra 225 gameking compared to 9.3x62 with 286gr Partition

 

[SJB358]

Very cool. Both of them look ready for work!

 

[Guy Miner]

TheBear_78

Seriously considered building my 1917 as a scout rifle. But... The more I used a scout scope, the less I liked it.

Did you have the base custom milled, or were you able to buy one that fit the barrel contour?

People sometimes pressure me to build a belted magnum on the 1917 action, but I like it as a .30-06, or I'm equally interested in making a medium bore without altering the bolt face. Just keep the same basic case and neck it up to .33, .35 or .366 Yup....

Guy

 

[SJB358]

People sometimes pressure me to build a belted magnum on the 1917 action, but I like it as a .30-06, or I'm equally interested in making a medium bore without altering the bolt face. Just keep the same basic case and neck it up to .33, .35 or .366 Yup....

Guy

Send that old 1917 off to JES Guy.. He'll do any of the excellent .338's, 358's or .366's based around the 06 case.. JES does good work.