School me about buying a sporterized 1917 Eddystone 30-06

[Oro]

I have been thinking lately on getting an inexpensive mil surp bolt rifle in .308 or .30-06. I'd been looking at/thinking about a .308 Ishapore Enfields, etc. I'd ruled out a 1903 type as too expensive. But today at a gun show I saw something that really caught my eye - a sporterized 1917 that was gorgeous. I have searched the forum archives on "eddystone" and read past posts and some pages I found from googling, so I understand the history and general comments on the gun.

This one has been cut down to 20", and the upper handguard removed and the end of the foregrip mated to the upper band/stacking swivel so it had a lovely Mannlicher-style stock. Gorgeous, perfect work. The muzzle was perfectly crowned and the bore excellent. The wood was all refinished - very smooth and gorgeous. The grip had been turned down thinner and shaped into a nice pistol grip like on a fine shotgun. The original steel butt plate was still there - all the wood was gorgeous - like a fine hunting rifle. The sights had been removed and a windage adjustable aftermarket peep installed on a bridge on the receiver, sort of like an old Parker-Hale type sight. Very fast to acquire. The action had not been drilled for sights.

The gun handled really well, with the cut-down, and the grip re-work, the thing handled like a nice 12 gauge. It was fast and handy. The seller stated it was a Winchester build, but had a Remington bolt in it (I am guessing from an aresenal re-work at some point in it's life). Asking price was $400.

So, my questions are:

1) what do I look for in a 1917 Eddystone action?
2) What do you think it's worth as a sporterized version (albeit a beautiful one on the original stock, not a hatchet job).
3) How do you think that steel butt plate and cut-down 20" barrel is going to feel with a 30-06 barking out the muzzle?

I am a neophyte on mil surp rifles, but this thing just really caught my eye, and I've heard great things about the Eddystone action. I look forward to your comments.

 

[mickeydim468]

Well Oro,

I just so happen to own the cousin to the rifle you described. Mine is a sporterized Remington. I have some Eddystone parts on mine from some reworking I assume as well. My barrel is cut down to 20" too. The stock work was in pretty bad shape when I got mine and I had to work the stock to bring it to the beautiful piece it is now. I know what you mean about the original wood being a nice piece as mine also has the original metal butt piece too, which leads me to believe it is original wood only cut down. I had to repair it as it was split down the fore end about 4 1/2 long. I glued that and then sanded and stained it with ebony stain and I think it really turned out nice. My action is complete with original peep site and has not been cut. I just today received my S&K Scope mount in the mail and I installed it a few minutes ago. I am keeping the original peep just in case I decide to use it down the road.

As for how it feels with that 20" barrel to fire. It kicks pretty good, but not unmanageable. I went to the range last Saturday and shot it 25 times and my .303 No.4 MK2 20 times and I had a bruise on Sunday, but it was a light bruise and it was gone by Tuesday.

As for price... That is speculative. I ended up paying $165.00 plus $20.00 for a transfer. This was just over a month ago. Since then I have refinished the stock and really cleaned it up and now I don't think I would take less than $400 to $450 for it without the S&K mount and $550 to $600 with the scope mount and a 4-16X40 scope.

That is how much someone would have to offer for me to consider selling it. I am not sure I would take it. But then I don't need the money right now either. If I was broke and needed some fast cash maybe things would be different.

If you would like to see mine here is a link to my pics of it. http://picasaweb.google.com/mickeydim468/USModelOf1917Remington#

I hope that helps a bit!

Mikey!

 

[Oro]

Very interesting, thanks. That barrel looks longer than 20", but maybe I'm just not judging very well. This would be similar, but with a Mannlicher stock and slightly different rear sights.

Your second group looks like it 1 MOA - once you warmed the barrel up and concentrated, I take it. That's pretty nice for 20" barrel and iron sights, I'd say. I'd say you have totally got your moneys worth out of that rifle! I was thinking I would offer $300 on this rifle and not go any higher than that. It's just had some great work done on it, and you've just told/show me the 20" barrel is quite capable. Also, I see the CMP 30-06 ammo is just one of the better deals on used ammo there is, though I read somewhere googling that the Eddystone barrel did not love the 150gr. M2 bullet.

 

[lead-inspector]

M1917 Eddystone

The Eddystone Arsenal was a Remington Factory. Many sellers tell people stories just to sell a gun.

Steve

 

[mickeydim468]

That barrel looks longer than 20", but maybe I'm just not judging very well.

From the front of the action where the barrel meets the action, I measured 20 1/4" to the crown.

As for the groups at 100 yards, I shot 5 shots and 4 of them were pretty close to MOA but I had one flier, and I don't know if it was me or the gun. I was trying pretty hard to be as accurate as I could be but, I have soe health problems, joint pain, so I could have been shaking or something. I would like to think it was me and not the rifle! At any rate I am quite pleased with mine!

If he takes the $300.00 that would be excellent. If it is as nice as you say it is, then it is probably worth every bit of that and maybe even more.

I hope the best for you.

Mikey!

 

[JWF III]

I would suggest starting a little lower. Maybe $200-$250? If it were me I'd say $200. Original condition rifles are going for $500-$700 depending on condition and manufacturer. On a "bubba'd" version, I know you said it looked good, but a 1917 can never be returned to original if the sight's been cut. But on a sporterized version,1/3-1/2 the original value would be good starting point. And even that is in favor of the seller in regards to collector value.

1917 Eddystone action

seller stated it was a Winchester build

One question to put in your mind. Is it a Eddystone, or is it a Winchester? As a collector piece, the Winchester is more valuable than the Eddystone. Generally a 60% Winchester will be worth about the same as a 90% Eddystone. How this translates over into a sporterized version? I don't know that.

Wyman

 

[Runningman]

The seller stated it was a Winchester build

Eddystones were built by Remington not Winchester. I could not see paying anywhere near $400 for a sporterized Eddystone 1917 myself. Had a sporterized 1917 Winchester back in the 70s I used for hunting. It is long gone and I don't mis it at all.

 

[Art Eatman]

I guess I wouldn't pay over $300 for it. Preferably, around $275. I'd put a good recoil pad on it. What worked for me on a sporterizing job almost sixty years back was to put in a Dayton-Traister trigger. That made it cock-on-opening, and was adjustable for the weight of pull.

I'll note that a 20" barrel makes an '06 no better than most any .308, other than a "maybe" for full-pressure reloads with heavy bullets of 180 grains or more.