Hi all, first post here. So I inherited this old sporterized 1917 Eddystone and I'm trying to bring it back to life. Not much wrong with it, had to replace the ejector spring of course, but now I've noticed that the magazine won't cycle a new round into the receicer. Everytime I work the bolt the new round gets jammed. It seems like the mag only kicks it up half way so the round gets pinched going into the chamber at an angle and the bolt can't close. Is this just a mag spring issue or could it be something else?
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1917 Eddystone Magazine issue
- Thread starter rtq89
- Start date
Is it just the first round off a full magazine? The first round is usually a bit harder to go in. The subsequent rounds should be ok. It will help if you can show some pictures. Probably the magazine lips need some adjustment.
I have a 1917 eddystone too. A bit heavy, good rifle other than that.
-TL
I have a 1917 eddystone too. A bit heavy, good rifle other than that.
-TL
What type of ammo are you using? What is the actual caliber of the rifle and is the ammo the same? A "sporterized" rifle might not still be the original chambering.
Yes, it's possible to damage a "controlled feed" extractor by hand feeding a round into the chamber and forcing the bolt closed.
Yes, it's possible to damage a "controlled feed" extractor by hand feeding a round into the chamber and forcing the bolt closed.
You can't damage it by single loading.
I always do that with mine. I slow target fire and its a lot easier when they call a cease fire not to have to remove the remaining rounds.
Pretty much has to be 30-06 if nothing bad has happened but something you should check extremely careful and confirm before loading a round into an unknown chamber.
I always do that with mine. I slow target fire and its a lot easier when they call a cease fire not to have to remove the remaining rounds.
Pretty much has to be 30-06 if nothing bad has happened but something you should check extremely careful and confirm before loading a round into an unknown chamber.
Yes you can damage it with single loading!
the US rifle of 1917 is a controlled feed design, copied from the '98 Mauser action.
The 1917 rifle is designed to feed from its magazine, not by loading into the chamber.
The Mauser extractor is designed for the round coming from the magazine to slide under the extractor as it is being fed from the magazine into the chamber. Under "control" at all times. Feeding a round into the chamber, forces the extractor to ride over the rim of the cartridge, not as it was designed and overstressing the extractor.
If you want to feed rounds into the chamber directly, buy a push feed action rifle, not a controlled feed action rifle.
Properly set up, a controlled feed rifle will feed upside down, sideways, or any way that you may hold your rifle. Not so a push feed rifle. This is why virtually all military rifles are controlled feed as well a all dangerous game rifles.
the US rifle of 1917 is a controlled feed design, copied from the '98 Mauser action.
The 1917 rifle is designed to feed from its magazine, not by loading into the chamber.
The Mauser extractor is designed for the round coming from the magazine to slide under the extractor as it is being fed from the magazine into the chamber. Under "control" at all times. Feeding a round into the chamber, forces the extractor to ride over the rim of the cartridge, not as it was designed and overstressing the extractor.
If you want to feed rounds into the chamber directly, buy a push feed action rifle, not a controlled feed action rifle.
Properly set up, a controlled feed rifle will feed upside down, sideways, or any way that you may hold your rifle. Not so a push feed rifle. This is why virtually all military rifles are controlled feed as well a all dangerous game rifles.
Well, that is only partially true. Those contolled feed rifles were intended to be fed from the magazine in the normal course of events. But all of them, including the Mausers, the M1903, the P-13/14 and the M1917 were made to allow a round to be dropped into the chamber and fired in an emergency. The extractors will snap over the rim of the cartridge without damage to the extractor or the rifle.
The common belief is that controlled feed was intended to allow the rifle to be loaded in other than the upright position; while that is true, it is not the real reason for controlled feed. The very first Mausers had what we now call "push feed". The drawback was (and is) that if a round is chambered and then the bolt withdrawn without being fully locked, the live round will remain in the chamber and pushing the bolt forward will move the next round up behind the chambered one. That was not a big problem with lead round nose bullets, but when pointed jacketed bullets came into use, the point of the bullet could be shoved into the primer of the chambered round, with interesting results. Controlled feed prevents that by ensuring that a round cannot be left in the chamber if the bolt is not fully locked.
Jim
The common belief is that controlled feed was intended to allow the rifle to be loaded in other than the upright position; while that is true, it is not the real reason for controlled feed. The very first Mausers had what we now call "push feed". The drawback was (and is) that if a round is chambered and then the bolt withdrawn without being fully locked, the live round will remain in the chamber and pushing the bolt forward will move the next round up behind the chambered one. That was not a big problem with lead round nose bullets, but when pointed jacketed bullets came into use, the point of the bullet could be shoved into the primer of the chambered round, with interesting results. Controlled feed prevents that by ensuring that a round cannot be left in the chamber if the bolt is not fully locked.
Jim
Just for the record, the "suggested" way of single loading with Springfield and Mauser rifles is to use finger pressure on the outside of the extractor about half it's length to assist the front part in snapping over the cartridge rim.
Simply slamming the bolt forward will eventually cause extractor damage. If you're about to get shot by the enemy, the possibility of "eventual damage" is inconsequential. If you're shooting on the range, it's your choice.
Simply slamming the bolt forward will eventually cause extractor damage. If you're about to get shot by the enemy, the possibility of "eventual damage" is inconsequential. If you're shooting on the range, it's your choice.
James K is correct, you CAN single load a Mauser action by dropping a round in the chamber. You will have to force the extractor over the rim of the cartridge using a bit of strength. I see commonly at the range I supervise, folks with controlled feed rifles work to get the bolt closed. It is much more difficult than allowing the round to feed from the magazine. When shown why their rifle does not want to have its bolt closed / extractor ride over rim, they are pleasantly surprised at how easily their rifle functions.
It does give me pain when sumdood got his hands on his dad's pre 64 M 70 Winnie and is forcing the bolt closed as he single loads into the chamber instead of the mag.
Roger
It does give me pain when sumdood got his hands on his dad's pre 64 M 70 Winnie and is forcing the bolt closed as he single loads into the chamber instead of the mag.
Roger
Ego recognizing the issue I went to my version of single loading, or more accuracy, the combination of the problem with controlled feed and the extract and having a cease fire called along with that problem.
Cease fire on our range not only requires the bolt back but the magazine empty.
Cease fire on our range not only requires the bolt back but the magazine empty.
I have also wondered about single loading CRF rifles and can reason that it might eventually cause damage to the extractor for the same reasons previously mentioned. For that reason I was surprised to see that the operators manual for my new M70 actually includes instructions for doing exactly that.
Another thing I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned is the magazine cutoff switch on the M1903: the way I have been made to understand, is that the US Army felt that repeating rifles were really just a way of wasting ammunition....that troopers would aim more carefully if they had to single load each cartridge. Therefore, the intended practice was to load the magazine for an emergency, using the cutoff switch to require single loading...and the switch moved to "on" only under the supervision of an NCO. I think this was a carryover from the Krag...I don't have one so I'm not sure, may a Krag guy like Kraig can chime in and confirm. At any rate, if the rifle was designed and adopted to accommodate this method, one might reason that at least the US Army didn't think it harmful back in the early 20th century.
And even after that dissertation....I still don't do it on my own CRF rifles.
Another thing I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned is the magazine cutoff switch on the M1903: the way I have been made to understand, is that the US Army felt that repeating rifles were really just a way of wasting ammunition....that troopers would aim more carefully if they had to single load each cartridge. Therefore, the intended practice was to load the magazine for an emergency, using the cutoff switch to require single loading...and the switch moved to "on" only under the supervision of an NCO. I think this was a carryover from the Krag...I don't have one so I'm not sure, may a Krag guy like Kraig can chime in and confirm. At any rate, if the rifle was designed and adopted to accommodate this method, one might reason that at least the US Army didn't think it harmful back in the early 20th century.
And even after that dissertation....I still don't do it on my own CRF rifles.