M1917 EDDYSTONE, FEEDING PROBLEM

[Richardson]

I recently gave my "sporterized" M1917 a more thorough cleaning that I have before. First, it showed me that my scope mount was not tightly fixed, and that the base cover for the magazine could be reassembled without pounding (getting rid of crud can produce nearly miraculous results). ///PROBLEM 1/// Previous to this cleaning I was having trouble getting more than 2 rounds into the magazine. When I disassembled it, I found a "shroud" that doesn't apprear on the parts list. It looks like it fits around the bullet tip (it is 3 sided, and it fits perfectly in the front of the magazine well, but it's loose enough to move around so I don't know if it belongs there). The problem with this shroud is that it moves enough to jam the magazine making it impossible to load more than 2 rounds. I just removed it and 6 rounds load easily. Why was this shroud in there? ///PROBLEM 2/// While ejecting the second to last round, the last round also jumps out of the magazine. It's like I eject the spent round and the last unfired round at the same time. What can I do to correct this? I'm suspicious that the shroud (from problem 1) was supposed to correct this. Thanks for your help. /// Richardson

 

[Danger Dave]

The "shroud" is probably a part of an aftermarket or modified box magazine to allow feeding of soft-nose or HP rounds. The M1917 was designed for military ball ammo & sometimes has problem with round-nosed ammo. If the "improved" box mag I have is any indication, the piece should have been welded in - it being loose may have something to do with your ejection problem too, I'm not sure.

If you want my "improved" box mag, I'll be happy to sell it to you. $10 plus shipping (I've decided to use ballistic tipped HP's). I also have a "cock-on-opening" device I'll sell for $10 + shipping (It won't work with my Timney trigger).

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Beginner barbarians probably had the idea that every house they broke into would be full of untouched loot and frightened, unarmed victims. It just doesn't work that way, my friend.

I hope these evil men come to understand our peaceful ways soon - My trigger finger is blistering!

 

[James K]

Hi, Richardson,

I assume you have fired that 1917 and that it is in .30-'06 caliber. If so, I would remove the bullet point protector (which is what that block is called), and check the mag follower against an original. Also, check the bottom of the receiver for grinding marks. (There is the possibility that the rifle was converted to another caliber, which is why I made my assumption.)

In the past gunsmiths sporterizing the 1917 played games to get the gun to feed various types of hollow points and soft points. Sometimes they fiddle with the feed rails and with the followers. Followers were sometimes cut to allow insertion of the point protector.

(The purpose was to keep the point of a soft nosed bullet in the magazine from being battered against the front of the magazine when the rifle recoiled.)

Jim