Cool rifle man, congrats! I really try to live by "to each, their own"....BUT I really hate when people only like modern, tactical firearms. All guns are beautiful! My collection is a perfect mix of wood and polymer and I love them all equally ;)
@@guaporeturns9472 You misunderstood his comment imo. He doesn't hate to hate but hates that those types of old school war horse tend to get overlooked for the latest and greatest polymer firearm/s.
You are so fortunate to have your grandfather's 1917. What an heirloom. I trust you continue shooting it and it isn't just a wall hanger. I'm jeaulous.
The M1917 is the best military bolt action IMHO. Before WWI, Britain looked to replace SMLE and .303 cartridge... they came up with the P13 firing a .276 round. The rifle kind of combined the best aspects of the Mauser and Enfield. The war started, and Britain was already maxed out making SMLEs, so they rechambered and rebarrelled the P13 to fire the .303 round, this was the P14 and the intent was to contract Remington (along with affiliate Eddystone) and Winchester to build it. The Brits were never really satisified with what was being sent over. When the US entered the war, Springfield had the monopoly on 1903 rifles and was already maxed out. Since there were lines ready for the P14, they rechambered and rebarrelled it for .30-06 and it became the Model 1917.
I don't know if it's the best military bolt action of all time (the K31, MAS-36, No. 4 MK1, Swedish M38, Madsen M47, and Kar98k all give it a run for its money) but it is most certainly the best military bolt action of WWI. It's also arguably superior to the M1903 and thus the best bolt action the U.S. ever adopted in large numbers.
You said it was superior to the 1903, which is a Mauser. The K31 was good, but never tested in battle. With the exception of the Madsen, I own and shot the rest (and I have shot a friend's Madsen). I would take the 1917 over all of them.
@@MilsurpMikeChannel Fair point on the K31. Not all Mausers were created equally though. I consider the Swedish Mausers to be superior to the M1903 and Kar98k because they're cock-on-closing and I consider 6.5 Swede to better than both .30-06 and 8mm. The M1903 is arguably inferior to the Kar98k because of the changes to Mauser's original design the U.S. made to try and skirt patent infringement. The unnecessary and needlessly complex magazine cutoff/bolt release and the less sturdy two piece firing pin are my two biggest personal criticisms against it. Imo, the M1917 is the best simply because I see it as the perfect synthesis between an Enfield and a Mauser. I genuinely prefer Enfields and small ring Mausers over large ring mausers though so I'm completely biased and I could see someone arguing in favor or the Kar98k or M1903 or whatever being better.
@@MilsurpMikeChannel If they had made a lighter carbine version of the M1917 and chambered it in a 6mm caliber (or perhaps even the original .276). I'd say there would be no question of its superiority compared to anything else.
I'm in the same boat as you. I think I have some years on you, I'm 50. But as a gun collector as I get older I'm gravitating for to the WW1, WW2, firearms. I love my EDDYSTONE. So heavy. Imagine lugging that rifle around 24/7.
I've loved my Eddystone my whole life. First rifle I ever shot and has dropped more than it's share of deer, elk and even a bear. It was sportorized at some point long before my dad bought it. The old marble sights have never let me down. Very accurate rifle. There used to be people cooking off some hot rounds because of how thick the chamber is. I kind of remember some were bored out to larger calibers. 30-06 is a great round and that rifle soaks it right up.
1917 Eddystone was the best out of all the manufacturers. I've had them all & wished I had them all back. That Eddystone was a tack driver. Absolutely NO scope needed at 700 yards with M1 Ball ammo. The Eddystone fit & finish are tops. A very fine rifle.
Great find... sad that most of these old rifles has been sporterized and butchered and by doing so getting harder and harder to find.... I recently pick up a 03 Springfield
Remington, Winchester and Eddystone (Remington subsidiary @Baldwin locomotive works in PA) were producing them for the British as the P14 Enfield (Rifle No. 3). Because they were already tooled up and running and because there were problems getting ‘03 Springfield production up at the U.S. Arsenals, when the U.S. entered WWI, it was decided to just produce P14 Enfields in .30-06 with a few minor changes and call them 1917’s. Fine rifles. Simpler to produce than the ‘03 (at least at the time). U.S. soldiers were said to prefer the Springfield because it was a few inches shorter and nearly a pound lighter, that 6th round would be nice though. Nice video, Love those old guns... Oh, and the ‘03A3 was a later WWII model of the Springfield, not contemporary the P17 😉
I absolutely love the history and more so the skill set of the shooters. Dream, rifle Sprinfield 30-06 just not sure wat year. Loves so nice and certainly made to last. Whoo Hoooo Go the Tac Driver!
Very nice rifle. Why does the camera shake when you work the bolt? Is it attached to your body? Or is your cameraman that nervous? ;) I’ve been debating between getting this or the M1903 Springfield. The weight and spring on the bolt take some getting used to on the Enfield.
I just picked one up and I’m a lover of all things history especially guns, and holy fuck I fell in love with it immediately, I got an original Eddystone m1917 from the war and it’s an amazing rifle
I inherited one I can’t pull the bolt back at all without great difficulty just far enough to hear a click when trigger pulled. Do I need to oil it or something?
Mr. Eddy stone was the Vice President of Remington arms. When the first word war began the U.S Government announced to all arms companies to build weapons of the sort. Remington arms was given the contact for the rifle. The demands for production was found too be more than Remington could handle So Mr. Remington gave the patient rights to his executive director Mr. Eddystone and the financial abilities to build another factory and Mr. Remington allowed Mr. Eddy stone to put his name on the rifle. So the contact was more than filled. And this is why we now have the 1917 Eddystone 30 06 rifle. I have one as well. It still has the factory die. I kept the rifle In it’s original condition too. When my vision was in good shape I would hit targets up to 800 yards. The sights go to 1250 yards. (using the 178gr. Silver tip). CWA
Never was a Mr. Eddy Stone associated with the M1917. Eddystone is a city in South Philadelphia where Remington converted a Baldwin Locomotive factory to build rifles.
Im looking for one to add to my collection. One correction to your comments. The 1903a3 was not around in WW 1. It was manufactured during the beginning of WW2 . I have a 1903a3 Manufactured by Remington .
You kind of contradicted yourself correctly. The 1917 was a stopgap rifle because US manufacturing couldn't ramp up fast enough for the 1903. The P13 was already in ramped up production and it was an easy to re-chamber it to 30:06. It is rumored that the 1917 was the rifle Sgt. York used when he earned his MO not the 1903
P.S. you do not have to rachet that bolt hard which you're doing. Make sure that it is lubed properly and all will be smooth & easy. Use the sling for a better sight steady for your shots.
The model 1917, also known as the "American Enfield", went to war for the U.S. because American factories were producing it when we were still years away from joining the fight in Europe. Our factories were producing it in the British 303 cartridge for the British. When it became evident that we were going to enter the war they found that it was easier and quicker to convert it to 30 ought 6 than it was to build or convert whole factories for the Springfield 1903. More model 1917 were used in World War 1 by American troops than the Springfield 1903 by a factor of almost two to one.
I cut my teeth loading for a Eddystone p17@ about 19 years old and I sure learned a lot I like to never found a load that would shoot a 1-inch Group at 100 but it was with the original 24-inch Barrel, I think 24in very nice rifle I had a bishops stock on it that didn't look much better than what it came with
2 corrects the p14/p17 is a mauser action also the spring 1903 was the standard issue rifle of the US military at the time the only reason the p17 was used was because we need guns for the war also most US troops didn't like the gun
I have a non import marked M1917 Eddystone. Manufactured in Nov.1918, Barrel is R-12-17 marked.. You can look up your guns date of manufacture at. U.S. military dates of manufacture-OldGuns.
@@tortoise_gaming crazy, I wish you the best. Each year the harder it gets. I feel like I got last of all the bakelite AK magazines on eBay three years ago, lol.
i hate how you only showed the right side of the rifle the entire time i own one that is modified as a hunting rifle and i wanted to shoW the bolt release slight FAIL
