M1917

gustav129 · December 28, 2008, 04:58 PM

I was at Cabela's last night and they had an M1917 on the Used gun rack for $225. I didn't really get to look at it very well because I was in a hurry to get out anyways.

But my question is, would this rifle possibly be a collector item in the future? I read a website saying that more M1917's were used during WWI, but they still called the 1903 the official issue arm for moral. I understand they shoot 30-06, can hold 5 rounds.

I'm just wondering becasue if it's still there when I go to Cabela's in two weeks, I'll check out the bore.

Would it be worth the $225 for a "beginning of a collection" piece? Usually Cabela's will sell Mosin M44's around $150 and M91/30's for about $110, so I know there's a mark up.

Tom2 · December 28, 2008, 09:40 PM

I doubt it will still be there in two weeks at 225 unless it is total junker or the bore is shot out. You can count on paying twice that or more for a nice one at most places. They were used extensively in WW1 and were like in reserve or used by guards and stuff in WW2 like the A3. Collectable guns too. Most that were refurbed were parkerised instead of blued for WW2 purposes and may have replacement barrels. If the park. looks a really light gray and perfect it might have been more recently redone, the original finish should be darker and probably show some wear. It might not be a bargain if the bore is shot though. Still could resell it for your 225 with no loss even if the bore was roughish, IMO. I would think it would almost have to be a rusted falling apart sporterised one to get that low in price around here! If you want it better get it asap. Unless it has "problems" that you don't want to deal with right now.

mnw42 · December 28, 2008, 10:59 PM

You do see some older stuff at Cabelas for ridiculously low prices from time to time. I think who ever does the pricing that day just doesn't know what he has in his hands. If the rifle has a good bore and isn't beat that is great price for one.

gustav129 · December 28, 2008, 11:43 PM

I have found at me local Cabela's, that the Milsurp rifles usually tend to last a couple weeks before somebody picks them up.

Tom2 · December 29, 2008, 07:58 PM

That is unless somene else realises what a steal it is, pontentially. SO I want you to come back here and tell us if you got it or if it was gone. I myself would plunk down the green for it right now, if it were decent just as an investment. Turn it for 400$ or more easily at the next gun show. Well I did own one once, in a way I wish I still had it but it was not a pleasure to shoot from the bench for me. Maybe a combination of the drop of the stock and the shape and angle of the buttplate but it did whack me pretty good when I would fire it. Even more than the 03A3 does. But it is a strong rifle, they converted alot of them to magnum rifles when it was still OK to butcher up milsurp collectables.

gustav129 · December 29, 2008, 08:50 PM

I would drop the green on it right now, but unfortunately, due to severs winter conditions and slow season, my last paycheck was only enough to cover rent.

So I have to wait two weeks for my last paycheck.

VonFireball · December 29, 2008, 09:23 PM

Quote:

I was at Cabela's last night and they had an M1917 on the Used gun rack for $225. I didn't really get to look at it very well because I was in a hurry to get out anyways.

So begins the tale of "shoulda coulda woulda".

Those actions alone have been hitting better than $200 on gunbroker lately. I wouldn't care if the barrel was a rusty pretzel, if I had the cash it would've been mine.

Quote:

But my question is, would this rifle possibly be a collector item in the future?

If it was all original it would be a collector right now. They've been going for better than five hundred and sometimes upwards of one thousand bucks in excellent condition.

Quote:

But it is a strong rifle, they converted alot of them to magnum rifles when it was still OK to butcher up milsurp collectables.

Probably the gnarliest and toughest bolt action ever produced for the military, or anyone else for that matter. A perfect choice for building that .458 win mag or other african dangerous game cartridges. The P-14 version has the magnum bolt face, and so no modifications to the bolt are necessary for the magnum conversions. Sarco has P-14 bolts for about 75 bucks which will drop right in those M1917's if I remember correctly.

The only thing to watch for is hairline cracks in the receiver in front of the recoil lug. Eddystone models were more notorious for this than the Remington or Winchester built ones. I think the reason it's more common though is because there were twice as many Eddystone versions as Winchester or Remington. Some chalk it up to inferior heat treatment while others say it was caused by factory barrels that were overtorqued upon assembly and caused a crack when removed. Regardless, it isn't all that common of a problem.

It's a KILLER action. Set one next to a Remington 700 sometime and you will realize just how burly and massive this thing is.

Really, the M1917 was a better gun than the 1903. It bested it in military trials IIRC. The sights were better. It was a cock on closing design. Dayton Traister makes a conversion kit for it that cocks it on opening as well as shortening the lock time.

BUY IT!

kraigwy · December 30, 2008, 04:58 PM

If its $255, and total junk I would buy it. I assume we are talking about the 1917 Endfield.

One of the strongest bolt actions ever made. I have a 416 Rigby built on one. I'm looking for another to build a 338 Luppy, fix her up right and sell it to some sniper enthusialest.

taylorce1 · December 30, 2008, 05:16 PM

I've got one in .300 H&H! Great thing about those actions is they can handle the longer H&H cartridges. If I decide that I don't like the .300 I'll rebarrel into th .375 H&H which I do like very much, but I'd probably have to get rid of my Ruger though and I don't like the thought of that.

Quote:

I would drop the green on it right now, but unfortunately, due to severs winter conditions and slow season, my last paycheck was only enough to cover rent. So I have to wait two weeks for my last paycheck.

Got enough to put it on layaway???

finfanatic · January 1, 2009, 03:13 PM

Man, why can't I ever find a deal like

If it wasn't a rusted out piece of junk, I would have grabbed it and RACED to the counter to pay for it before someone realized what an outrageously low price that is!

I just bought a M1917 from CMP...RACK GRADE...and paid $400.

I was thinking it would be an Eddystone, but was very surprised when I opened the box and it was a Winchester!

The things shoots like a dream.

VonFireball · January 3, 2009, 07:39 AM

Quote:

I just bought a M1917 from CMP...RACK GRADE...and paid $400.

That's still a pretty fair deal. Nice score.

Tikirocker · January 3, 2009, 09:56 AM

M1917 Enfield ( basically an Enfield P14 in 30-06 ) ... developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory in Middlesex, England. Yup and like all Enfields, a superb rifle by all accounts.

Ruger4570 · January 6, 2009, 11:22 PM

My very first rifle was an Eddystone from my Grandfather to me. I think he paid something like $29.00 for it, maybe less. It was a mail order gun back then. Mine had a 2 grove barrel and it did in fact shoot pretty good. I wish I still had it, but there is NO WAY on this earth I would pay $400.00 plus for one of them. It is simply supply and demand, but I have no demand, I would prefer a Winchester Model 70.

December 28, 2008, 04:58 PM	#1
gustav129 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 140	M1917 I was at Cabela's last night and they had an M1917 on the Used gun rack for $225. I didn't really get to look at it very well because I was in a hurry to get out anyways. But my question is, would this rifle possibly be a collector item in the future? I read a website saying that more M1917's were used during WWI, but they still called the 1903 the official issue arm for moral. I understand they shoot 30-06, can hold 5 rounds. I'm just wondering becasue if it's still there when I go to Cabela's in two weeks, I'll check out the bore. Would it be worth the $225 for a "beginning of a collection" piece? Usually Cabela's will sell Mosin M44's around $150 and M91/30's for about $110, so I know there's a mark up.

December 28, 2008, 09:40 PM	#2
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	I doubt it will still be there in two weeks at 225 unless it is total junker or the bore is shot out. You can count on paying twice that or more for a nice one at most places. They were used extensively in WW1 and were like in reserve or used by guards and stuff in WW2 like the A3. Collectable guns too. Most that were refurbed were parkerised instead of blued for WW2 purposes and may have replacement barrels. If the park. looks a really light gray and perfect it might have been more recently redone, the original finish should be darker and probably show some wear. It might not be a bargain if the bore is shot though. Still could resell it for your 225 with no loss even if the bore was roughish, IMO. I would think it would almost have to be a rusted falling apart sporterised one to get that low in price around here! If you want it better get it asap. Unless it has "problems" that you don't want to deal with right now. __________________ Your gun is like your nose, it is just wrong for someone else to pick it for you!

December 29, 2008, 07:58 PM	#5
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	That is unless somene else realises what a steal it is, pontentially. SO I want you to come back here and tell us if you got it or if it was gone. I myself would plunk down the green for it right now, if it were decent just as an investment. Turn it for 400$ or more easily at the next gun show. Well I did own one once, in a way I wish I still had it but it was not a pleasure to shoot from the bench for me. Maybe a combination of the drop of the stock and the shape and angle of the buttplate but it did whack me pretty good when I would fire it. Even more than the 03A3 does. But it is a strong rifle, they converted alot of them to magnum rifles when it was still OK to butcher up milsurp collectables. __________________ Your gun is like your nose, it is just wrong for someone else to pick it for you!

December 30, 2008, 04:58 PM	#8
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	If its $255, and total junk I would buy it. I assume we are talking about the 1917 Endfield. One of the strongest bolt actions ever made. I have a 416 Rigby built on one. I'm looking for another to build a 338 Luppy, fix her up right and sell it to some sniper enthusialest. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

January 1, 2009, 03:13 PM	#10
finfanatic Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2008 Posts: 136	Egad! $225??? Man, why can't I ever find a deal like If it wasn't a rusted out piece of junk, I would have grabbed it and RACED to the counter to pay for it before someone realized what an outrageously low price that is! I just bought a M1917 from CMP...RACK GRADE...and paid $400. I was thinking it would be an Eddystone, but was very surprised when I opened the box and it was a Winchester! The things shoots like a dream.

December 28, 2008, 10:59 PM	#3
mnw42 Senior Member Join Date: March 3, 2008 Location: Bucks Co., PA Posts: 210	You do see some older stuff at Cabelas for ridiculously low prices from time to time. I think who ever does the pricing that day just doesn't know what he has in his hands. If the rifle has a good bore and isn't beat that is great price for one.

December 28, 2008, 11:43 PM	#4
gustav129 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 140	I have found at me local Cabela's, that the Milsurp rifles usually tend to last a couple weeks before somebody picks them up.

December 29, 2008, 08:50 PM	#6
gustav129 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 140	I would drop the green on it right now, but unfortunately, due to severs winter conditions and slow season, my last paycheck was only enough to cover rent. So I have to wait two weeks for my last paycheck.

January 3, 2009, 09:56 AM	#12
Tikirocker Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2007 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 909	M1917 Enfield ( basically an Enfield P14 in 30-06 ) ... developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory in Middlesex, England. Yup and like all Enfields, a superb rifle by all accounts. __________________ The Lee Enfield forums - http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewforum.php?f=27 Surplus Rifle Forums - http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/index.php

January 6, 2009, 11:22 PM	#13
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	My very first rifle was an Eddystone from my Grandfather to me. I think he paid something like $29.00 for it, maybe less. It was a mail order gun back then. Mine had a 2 grove barrel and it did in fact shoot pretty good. I wish I still had it, but there is NO WAY on this earth I would pay $400.00 plus for one of them. It is simply supply and demand, but I have no demand, I would prefer a Winchester Model 70.