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The Model 1917 never had the same heat treatment problem as the early Model 1903's. True, some Model 1917's do crack when excessive force is used to remove the barrel, but the problem with the Model 1917 was that Eddystone used hydraulic machinery to install the barrels to the draw line. While normal installation would have required some shoulder work to get the proper alignment, the machine put the barrel on, hell or high water. That excess tension sometimes caused season cracking or cracking when a gunsmith attempted to remove the barrel. Most gunsmiths will make a relief cut before removing an M1917 barrel, unless the barrel must be saved.
I once had to rebarrel an Eddystone M1917. Knowing the problem I might encounter, I set up with a tight barrel vise, and a long bar on the receiver wrench. (Had that failed, I would have made a relief cut.) Anyway I got set to really strain and about fell on my face. That barrel was barely hand tight!
Jim
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