P-17 Enfield

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cleardiddion

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
1,353
Location
US
So, I found a Bubba'd 1917 in one of the local shops today and for a fair price I couldn't really resist plopping down the few bucks to put it on layaway (didn't have the full amount on me). I've been itching for one since I had to sell my old P-14.

Anywho, it doesn't look too bad at all. Good metal, original barrel (12-18), all the right proof marks. The thing that bubba did was to hack the stock and toss the handguards and whatnot. It looks like for the most part I can get the neccessary parts to put it back to original condition. However, the one big problem arises from the fact that I can't seem to figure out a place to find replacement rear sight guards/wings or if it's even a part that can be replaced.

I guess what it comes down to is that I'm asking the community's help in either finding out where to get this part/how to install it.

Cheers and thanks in advance for the help!
 
Last edited:
The "wings" were machined into the receiver when it was made. I don't know of anyone that can restore them. Someone else might know....I restored a couple of P14s with parts from Numrich and a local gun parts guy.....and alot of luck when I found an original P14 stock at a gun show. chris3
 
You can try to find a de-milled parade rifle on the cheap and have a good gunsmith do a reweld in the rear sight. The other choice is to do a class sporter job on it and do it right.
 
oh BTW better to get another receiver than try and weld on wings as it will never look right nor will it park or blue correctly.....
Click to expand...

You obviously have never seen a proper re-weld or if you did you couldn't tell it was a re-weld. I have seen some that it took a loupe to determine and I am still not sure about a couple I have seen. The Israeli sideplate on my 1919A4 was a re-weld and it took scoping for me to find out were the welds were.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the input so far guys, I do appreciate it.

You can try to find a de-milled parade rifle on the cheap and have a good gunsmith do a reweld in the rear sight.
Click to expand...

This is something that sounds like a viable idea unless I keep it as a sporter. Any ideas on where I can get a hold of one of these?
 
The other thing I guess I should ask your opinions on is whether to keep it as a sporter or to try to restore as much to original condition as I can.
 
Cleardiddion;
You can make the rifle into a VERY nice and strong sporter.
Since it has already been Bubba'd, with about 100 hours of hand labor with files, emery cloth and some $ you can build yourself a custom rifle.
Here's the P17 I just finished, built from a badly bubba'd rifle.

17Enfield001.gif
Enfielddone002.jpg
Enfielddone011.jpg
Enfielddone006.jpg
Enfielddone012.jpg
 
I have a few 17 Eddystone 'Bubbas' that I'm working on over time. One will be 'Tacti-cool' with flash suppressor, bi-pod, scope, on original cut down stock. The other will be a hunter. Neither will have full military stock or original sights as they are long gone by previous owners. But, they make great project rifles. Taking a hack job and making a nice rifle is good past time and worth while.

Velocette, I only hope I can do as well :eek: Love Mil->Sporter when well done right and that's a beauty :)
 
Those "wings" were ground off. It was a re-do that was popular about 40 - 60 years ago. The action is very strong and long. Guys would make them into 308 Norma's and such. The rifle pictured is a very nice looking rifle. Is it cock on open? I wouldn't touch it.
 
CMP will be selling 1917 barreled receivers sometime this year at $150. They may also have some junk receivers or you could visit one of the stores if you're close to one.
 
Velocette, that is one amazing looking rifle even if I'm not usually into milsurp conversions!

That might be the way I might go because since I've always wanted to see about making a mannlicher style rifle.

Cuervo, do you happen to have a link that shows when those are going to go on sale?
 
If you can locate a picture of the old Remington 720 which was based on the P14/17 action you will see what a beautiful rifle may be made from what the one you purchased. Sounds like someone ground the sight wings off which pretty much makes a restoration to original configuration impractical.
 
It is your gun and you should do as you like. But if I picked it up I would either turn it in to a custom sporter, or find a guy sporterizing one with the rear sight intact and work out a trade. I am not implying that a reweld would not work, just wondering if it would be worth the trouble of taking the rear sight of a deactivated action, reweld onto your action, reheat treat your action, and then reblue. There are a good number of bubba'd 1917s out there with the rear sight intact which may make a better candidate for resurection. What ever you decide to do have fun.
 
Here's CMP's rifle sales page. Click on the 1917 tab.
http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/rifles.htm

They had also sent out an email recently about having box-lot auctions. I don't remember when that was, but I thought they mentioned junk receivers in some of those as well.
 
Simply buying what you really want is usually cheaper than acquiring odd parts much less a restoration. I would not chop a P-14 or 1917 today, of course. But, the 1917 is a great platform with cock-on-opening kits, stocks etc. still available.
 
So I've decided to go the way of making a good sporter out of a kinda crummy sporter. Now what I need input on is whether to keep it iron sighted or to drill and tap for a scope.

I was thinking I was going to go the way of a low mounted 4x to make it somewhat classic but on the other hand I wouldn't mind putting on some Lyman or similar peep sights. The other idea I was having was to have the barrel cut down to 20" to make it a bit more manuverable. I'm wondering if this would make it much more brutal than it needs to be.

I would really appreciate some opinions on the subject matter. Much thanks!
 
Clear;
The stock sights are clumsy and clunky. Great for military use, but not so much for sporting use.
The rear part of the receiver must be ground / filed down & re-shaped if you wish to mount a scope or most adjustable aperture sights.
Scope mounting will require that you use mounts for a Remington model 30 rifle (which was a sporterized P17) You will also have to shim or grind the rear part of the receiver to the correct height so your scope will be within its verticle adjustment range. I'm still working on mine to get it right. I found it easy to take too much material off and found my rifle shooting low. Shims on the rear or take some material off of the front mount. Be absolutely certain that after that, you lap your scope rings in or you willhave a misalignment problem which will damage your scope.
shortening and re-crowning the barrel is not difficult, make sure you have it done before you have the metal blued. A 20" barrel may appear too short, you can try putting white tape on the end of the barrel to simulate shorter barrels to see how the rifle appears to the eye. Ballistically and accuracy wise it will not change much down to 20"

Before you proceed with all the work, I suggest that you take the rifle out and shoot it with decent ammo from a bench to make certain that your barrel is in good shape. They can be changed (CMP sells them) but not easily, they are notoriously TIGHT in the receiver.

Did you receive my e-mail about the stock?

Roger
 
CMP will be selling 1917 barreled receivers sometime this year at $150. They may also have some junk receivers or you could visit one of the stores if you're close to one.
Click to expand...

Just took a trip to the North store last weekend. Had a few Winchester 52 barreled actions and I think a 40x or two. Nothing else other than Garands.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Advanced Technology SMLE stocks
Replies
3
Views
715
Rifle Country
Dienekes
D
D
Restoring ANOTHER Enfield, and have No1*** questions
Replies
92
Views
4K
Rifle Country
courtgreene
courtgreene
DasBoot1941
  • Locked
1917 Enfield stock issue
Replies
22
Views
4K
Rifle Country
boom boom
boom boom
C
  • Locked
Looking for an Enfield MkIII Barrel
Replies
5
Views
266
Rifle Country
Gunnerboy
G
P
  • Locked
Where to find a good Enfield 1917?
Replies
7
Views
639
Rifle Country
Biff
B
Top Bottom
Back