M1917

U

Ultrabuzzard

Inactive
I inherited a US Model of 1917 Remington rifle, serial number 69,916. I have been trying to read up on this and all I know for sure is that it is the Enfield M1917 30.06. It has apparently been sporterized with the stock not reaching all the way to the end of the barrel. The top of the stock has bneen modified with a chin rest blade, and the front sight is painted white. It has what appears to be a stamp that reads "L2" or somesuch near the bolt. The pad on the butt is stamped "Sile, made in Italy". Sile is also stamped on the side of the barrel half obscured by the stock. It is in fine shape mechanically and cosmetically. There is no clip or magazine for it. Can anyone shed any light on this rifle for me or maybe have an idea on what it is worth?
 
You will need to post pictures.

However from your description the rifle has been modified so it has negligible collector value. If the action has not been drilled and tapped someone could spend around $400.00 -$500.00 buying new wood and missing metal and have a $500.00 dollar rifle.

As a sporterized M1917, heck if I know. Send it off to Numrich and see what they will give you for the remaining parts.

A complete bolt has to be worth $80.00.
 
Of the three, the Remington is the first choice, the Remington does not have the hole on top of the rear sight bridge, I am building two bench rest type and thought about purchasing another receiver, found an Eddystone receiver for $80.00, I decided on using a Remington and Winchester I have already paid for.

I purchased a Remington M1917 for $120.00 plus shipping, I purchased it for parts, but, on the outside chance the rifle advertised as the ugliest rifle ever built shoot better than it looked I took it to the range with 12 different loads of 5 rounds each, there was nothing I could do to improve on accuracy. I applied the ‘leaver policy’. When the rifle shoots accurately I leaver the way I founder.

I purchased a few P14 DP 303 rifles, one of them is now a 308 Norma Mag, the other is a 30/06. At the time the DP rifles cost $50.00. (DP: parade and drill, The British drilled a 5/16” hole through the barrel chamber and? then shipped them back to us).

I do not get locked up on the building of a rifle when using a surplus receiver, I do not get into the ‘putting someone on a guilt’ trip for their choice of receivers, when they built the rifle the receiver was theirs to build or apply the ‘leaver policy’.

F. Guffey
 
Sile was an after-market maker of stocks, pistol grips and other accessories, mainly of wood.

Jim
 
Ultrabuzzard;
Your '17 Enfield has an internal magazine that holds 6 rounds of 30-06. You can load it with stripper clips or manually one at a time. The '17 Enfield is one of the strongest bolt action military rifles ever made. They are known for their accuracy, durability and for being a bit heavy. They were a popular rifle for sporterizing years back. They can be made into a very nice sporting rifle for about the same amount of money that a good new sporting rifle would cost but the new one would require no labor of love.
Replacement triggers are available from Brownells made by Dayton Traister and Timney. You can change the cock on closing to cock on opening with other parts from Dayton Traister. New wood of sporting design is readily available from many companys. Optics are an option, using Remington model 30 mounts, if the ears have been removed and the rear of the receiver has been rounded.
The photo is of my '17 Enfield. With its original barrel, it shoots 1 1/8" groups with boring reliablity. It took me about a year to build it from a rifle that had been modified like yours by a previous owner.

17Enfield001.jpg

17Enfield006.jpg
 
Great info! Thanks for the reply. Im not a hunter, and I dont think this rifle is the greatest thing in the world for home defense. I reckon I will end up selling it.
 
Greetings Ultrabuzzard, and welcome aboard.

As an aside, to protect yourself, in the future refrain from publishing the full serial number of a specific gun. For your gun, "69,xxx" would have been sufficient.
 
Ultrabuzzard;
Your '17 Enfield has an internal magazine that holds 6 rounds of 30-06. You can load it with stripper clips or manually one at a time.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, with that scope mounted, stripper clips are pretty much out of the question.

That rifle, however, will more than likely outlast you and at least three generations of your descendants. The workmanship looks to be pretty good.
 
Madcratebuilder;
Thank you for your kind words. That '17 Enfield is the culmination of a long story and a years hard work. No power tools, just files, stones & sandpaper.

Roger
 
My 1917 Rem for comparison

I love these rifles and currently have 2. One a bone stock Rem from Nov. 1918 and a Eddystone sporter in .25-06. They can be very accurate and are a blast to shoot. Around here sporters go around the $300 mark with a decent scope and a good bore.


IMG_3014.jpg
 
That's probably my nicest milsurp and it is all Remington with the original barrel. You can just make out the rack number on the butt.
 
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