Help decoding 1917 Eddystone

T

Tomsriv

New member
Hi,
I recently acquired an old hunting rifle from my grandfather. He used it for hunting in the 1940's when he lived in Canada.
The top reads "U.S. Model of 1917 Eddystone 221108" The left top of the barrel has a "Z", a "B" and an eagle head with "K4" under it. The middle has a flaming wheel symbol and the right side has a symbol that looks like a jellyfish, along with an eagle head with "K3" under it.
Their are bell shaped markings near the bolt, trigger lock and on the left of the bolt. The have the numbers 278, 258 and 269 under them respectively. The end of the barrel has the letter "E" with the flaming wheel symbol underneath and the numbers "12 17" underneath the symbol.
The sight on the end has the ".075" stamped on the top and "6492" on the bottom.
I don't know anything about gun markings so any insight is helpful. I would especially like to know what year this rifle was made. Also, who is Eddystone? I understand this rifle is a copy of a British design. Did Eddystone just manufacture this weapon, or did they do some engineering too?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the expertise on this board.

Tom M.
 
U.S. Model of 1917 = the model make though not surprising

Eddystone was the factory in Pennslyvania bought by Remington to cope with the command for the M1917 by the US military.

221108 is the serial number. Indicates most likely it was a Spring 1917 creation.

eagle head = The first US government acceptance mark. The number was the number of the inspector who did the check.

flaming wheel symbol = a flaming shell. Its the US ordinance mark.

E = Eddystone marking. R is used on the Remington plant parts and W for Winchester.

Those three letter markings where either individual subcontractor marks or inspector marks.

The 0.75 marking is the height of the sight blade to the barrel. There are a number of different blades that can be used to adjust the sights.

The M1917 is based on the British Pattern 13 Enfield that was at the time being considered as a replacement to the Lee Enfield No1 Mk3. It used a Mauser type action and originally a .280 or something like that cartridge. When World War 1 broke out the British decided to adopt the Pattern 13 in .303 British as the test cartridge was too over pressured. They did this as the rifle was very easy to make rapidly compared to the No1 mk3. This became the Pattern 1914 and was made by Remington and Winchester. Remington bought the Eddystone factory in Pennslyvania to cope with the large order of rifles required.

Later on when the US entered WW1, there was no where near enough Springfield 1903 and they had finished the P14 order of 1.2 million rifles so they changed a few things since they had all the machinary made, altered the ammo to 30-06 and pumped out the M1917 until the end of WW1. 2.5 Million of them were made and ended up the most used weapon by US forces in the Great War. However after WW1 they decided to go back with the US designed rifle and decided to put them all in storage or dumped them. When WW2 broke out a number were sent to Britain for the homeguard.
 
"221108 is the serial number. Indicates most likely it was a Spring 1917 creation."

Wow, I thought this rifle was a lot newer. Since it has the US ordinace markings does that mean it was issued to a soldier? It is in great shape so I assume it didn't see any combat action, but is it safe to say that it was originally issued to a soldier and then sold after the war?
 
From my reading I would put the serial number in the second half of January 1918. The first Eddystone of January was 174160 and the first recorded one in February was 256006 so its a matter of guessing.

There should also be a month-year date on the barrel. If its original it should say 01-18. Otherwise the rifle has been rearsenalled and the barrel changed which is not that uncommon. Yes the rifle probrobly saw service with a GI in the Great War. It was then either thrown into storage and later sold through most likely the CMP or was exported out the country to Britain and some other places after WW1. Its not likely easy to find out unless it has an importers mark on the barrel.

I had hit the wrong date with 1917. That makes me grumble alot since the first one at Eddystone wasn't built till August 1917.
 
Limeyfellow,
Thanks a lot for your expertise. The barrel is stamped 12 17. So it looks like it was made December of 1917. My grandfather was from Manitoba Canada. I am not sure what an importers mark would look like, but it was bought in Canada.
 
I have a model 1917 Eddystone with serial number 148 110 made January 1918 how can I get Field Manual and how can I find outhow this rifle was used because I have a 34 almost 36 inch barrel
 
I have a model 1917 Eddystone with serial number 148 110 made January 1918 how can I get Field Manual
Click to expand...

Quite simple really. All you have to do is PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send you the M1917 Manual in .PDF format.

The M1917 is a pretty good, accurate rifle, heavy and robust. Everyone should have one a part of American History.

1917%20Enfield.jpg
 
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Since it has the US ordinace markings does that mean it was issued to a soldier?
Click to expand...

As far as I know, ALL of these 1917 Enfields were produced under military contract. I don't know of any that were produced and sold directly to the civilian market. As to being issued - that would be a "maybe". While many were issued and used in WWI, others were kept unused in warehouses until well after WW1 and then used as training rifles up through WWII. Some may have even seen service in WWII until they were completely phased out.

BTW, I killed my first deer with a 1917 borrowed from my landlord when I was in college.
 
Actually Eddystone was built and owned by Americas largest steam locomotive manufacturer, The Baldwin Locomotive Works. Because the company was founded by a Quaker, any war related enterprise was forbidden under the company charter. They had to form another corporation to manufacture not only rifles but also all kinds of munitions. Remington ran the plant but it was owned and financed by Baldwin. http://www.scott-duff.com/Eddystone.htm
 
The history is just a bit more complex. The British, deciding that their SMLE was obsolete, decided d. 1912 to go to a Mauser-type rifle, which they called the Pattern 1913, in a powerful "small bore" cartridge, the .276 Enfield. Unlike the later American .276 Pedersen, the British cartridge was quite fat, with a base over 1/2 inch. The magazine had to be made extra large to hold five of the big rounds. As WWI approached, they decided to keep the rifle, but scrap plans for a new cartridge; that resulted in the Pattern 1914. When war broke out, they decided to concentrate on producing the SMLE in England and farm out P-14 production to three contractors (Remington, Remington/Eddystone, and Winchester, in the U.S.

The British contracts had just been completed when the U.S. entered the war, and with an inadequate supply of the Model 1903 (the "Springfield"), the U.S. Army contracted with the same makes to produce a version of the P-14 converted to use the U.S. .30-'06 cartridge; that rifle was designated the Model of 1917 (called "the Enfield"), and was the most common rifle used by the AEF in WWI.

Jim
 
Hi Guys, I'm Newbie from Down Under, I have just purchased a model 1917 Enfield in 30.06 and was hoping some one on here could supply me or point me in the right direction for a manual. I have already in my collection of firearms a 1945 Enfield No.5 Jungle Carbine and a '98 Mauser beside my usual modern arms
here in Australia we do not have a site like this one which is a great shame and I look forward to learning much. Any help will be much appreciated
 
OK, a wrapup. The story of the "American Enfield" didn't stop in 1919 when the contracts were cancelled. Remington had a couple of weeks worth of parts left over, and that was enough to produce its line of centerfire bolt action rifles for the next 20+ years. The Model 30, 30S and 720 all used left-over Model 1917 parts with only the sights, stocks and non-.30 barrels being new. Remigton even made a military rifle, designated the Model 1934 from Enfield parts; some 3000, in 7x57, were sold to Honduras in the 1930's.

Remember all those rifles placed in storage after "the war to end wars"? Well, in 1940, FDR ordered 1.2 million of them released to the British. That depleted the war reserve and resulted in the U.S. Army contracting with Remington to produce the M1903 and later the M1903A3.

Jim
 
a little help, please

i have a sporterized (sigh) 1917

how do i get the bolt to stop hitting my trigger finger knuckle?

i tried repositioning my hand a bit, but i still get knocked

any suggestions?
thanks in advance!
 
The only way is to keep a tighter grip so your hand comes back with the rifle. If the hand is holding the rifle loosely, the rifle will recoil and the bolt handle will hit the hand. FWIW, that problem may be exacerbated by the bolt handle of the M1917, but it will probably happen with most heavy recoiling rifles.

Jim
 
thanks, james k....i appreciate the response

will try that next time i have it out

a shame it was sporterized, but it is a beautiful rifle even after
the barrel was shortened....that was the only thing that was done to it
(sadly)
 
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