Hi all, looking for some inspiration/direction here.

I'm curious about any between-the-wars custom rifles built on Remington 30, 1917 or P14 actions. I'm particularly curious in any that are done in the classic English or European type of style rather than the American style that evolved into what the M70 is today, if that makes sense.

Did these exist in quantity? Mausers and 1903's galore but I haven't really seen a 1917 in 375 from that era, but it may be because I live a sheltered life....

TIA

Mark

Westley Richards has a P14 or 1917 rifle for sale that is in Brit style (Made by Cogswell and Harrison). It is in 404 Jeff I believe. Just check out their website.

http://www.westleyrichards.com...product.php?id=25845

is the half moon cut out where the stripper clip necessary to put a 404 jeff on an enfield? i had planned to do the same conversion and have not seen that modification before.

Here is my 9.3x62 Enfield that was done up by Lon Paul in a English/european style. Below it is an early Rigby 350 of Lon's

Phil, both guns are really classic looking guns

I'm not sure if this fits your request. It's a Rem. 720, which came after the Rem. 30. It's basically a commercial Enfield. This one was completed just last year.

quote:

Originally posted by slancey:
I'm not sure if this fits your request. It's a Rem. 720, which came after the Rem. 30. It's basically a commercial Enfield. This one was completed just last year.

http://flic.kr/p/9ar6Xx

Superb! But then all of Dave's products are superb.

The rear upper tang line has been raised noticably above the line of the original Enfield tang, for a more attractive and sturdier wrist.
Regards, Joe

Yes, actually the entire rear tang was replaced by Ed LaPour. He also installed a new safety, trigger, and bottom metal which is a Blackburn with an Oberndorf style bow. Dave did the final shaping of the tang to work with his stock design.

Beautiful rifles Phil.
Butch

I have one in 375H&H made by Jeffrey but am having trouble posting the pictures (any suggestions?)

Here's my favorite 1917, though it's definitely in the American style. Unknown maker, but very well executed. Stock oval is marked F.A.T. Pacific sights, Lyman Alaskan in Western QD mounts. Sorry if I've gone off-topic.

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Here's one from Ed LaPour's website.



Better and more photos here (click on Custom Rifles):

Ed LaPour Gunsmithing

I wish I had a photo of a 500 Jeffery that belonged to a departed friend of mine named Julius. It was built on a Remington 30 Express action, very African/British style too it, and a gold elephant engraved on the floorplate. (BTW, if anyone happens to know of this rifle and the whereabouts, please PM me).

Julius also had a 1917 built into a 9.3x64 which he bestowed upon me shortly before he passed. A wonderful rifle, although a bit more American style. (sorry for the poor pic.)

quote:

Originally posted by Shane White:
Here's my favorite 1917, though it's definitely in the American style. Unknown maker, but very well executed. Stock oval is marked F.A.T. Pacific sights, Lyman Alaskan in Western QD mounts. Sorry if I've gone off-topic.

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Shane, that is a nice rifle (as are the other pics here too btw). Is the buttplate steel, aluminum, or something else?

P.S. - Welcome to the forums here!


Here is another question on style for everyone-

What are the thoughts on the bolt handle? On every picture here the dogleg has been replaced with a straight handle. Is there a practical reason for this at all or just for styles sake? After thinking the dogleg was kinda ugly, I've kinda grown to like the "uniqueness" just a tad.

quote:

Originally posted by stoinski:
I have one in 375H&H made by Jeffrey but am having trouble posting the pictures (any suggestions?)

PM sent, feel free to email it and I'll post it up for you.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Here's one from Ed LaPour's website.



Better and more photos here (click on Custom Rifles):

Ed LaPour Gunsmithing

As nice as that metalwork is, I like the stock by Clint Meier even better.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark:
Here is another question on style for everyone-

What are the thoughts on the bolt handle? On every picture here the dogleg has been replaced with a straight handle. Is there a practical reason for this at all or just for styles sake? After thinking the dogleg was kinda ugly, I've kinda grown to like the "uniqueness" just a tad.

The dogleg is guaranteed to rap your index finger with a cartridge having as much recoil as the 30-06. Every single one I've ever shot has been painful for me and I can't imagine keeping it on anything larger than a varmint rifle. JMOFWIW.
Regards, Joe

My P14 458 lott drew blood from a friends finger.

They absolutley need to be replaced.

45 years ago, when I was first getting ready for a trip to Africa, the P14 Enfield seemed to be the best choice for building a heavy game rifle. Here are two which date from this era:

This is my .416/.300 Winchester, which predated the .416 Taylor, with Lyman All American scope in Buehler mount and Dayton-Traister Cock on Opening conversion. Stock by the late Hal Hartley. That is a blank slide in the Lyman 48 receiver sight.



This is my .505 SRE, another wildcat based on the .460 Weatherby case shortened to 2.500" and opened up to accomodate the .505" bullet. The cartridge is the one in the middle, with a 570 grain solid in front of it.

I killed three elephant, five Cape buffalo and a black rhino with it. It is equipped with only a Lyman 48 receiver sight and gold Sourdough front sight, on a Williams ramp. Dayton Traister Cock on Opening as well. Stock by Reinhard Fajan.



The gunsmith was the late Harry Creighton, of Nashville, Tennessee, who started his gunsmithing career after leaving his job as a tool and die maker and shop foreman. A master of metal work

A nice looking pair there XAUSA, do you have any full length images of them? I'm interested in how the forend of the stocks are done.

quote:

Originally posted by stoinski:
I have one in 375H&H made by Jeffrey

Here is Stoinskis rifle:

quote:

Originally posted by Mark:
A nice looking pair there XAUSA, do you have any full length images of them? I'm interested in how the forend of the stocks are done.

First the .416:



and then the .505. It has a 22 inch barrel and a foreend to match.

quote:

Originally posted by stoinski:
I have one in 375H&H made by Jeffrey....

Is that bottom metal some kind of an alloy? I have heard that British gun makers went with aluminum or alloy bottom metal right after the War, for lack of anything better.

I was told that aluminium was used on pre-war rifles from Holland's and others because it was so rare and prestigeous at the time. I would think it was even harder to acquire right after the war because of the demand for aircraft production. ???

Not sure what type of bottom metal it is, I'll take a better look tomorrow and give my best guess.

BSA in England actually did, in the 1920s, as I am sure you know, convert a lot of these into their "custom" calibres 26 BSA and 33 BSA.

They do seem quite rare even here in UK!

If you were to join www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk you might also get some assistance on the rifle section of the Forum.

After WWII BSA again made these military guns into sporting rifles. Some quite crude...just a cut and re-sight job really...others with a new stock AND the magazine plate cut and straightened.

These above were the BSA Model D and the BSA Model E rifles. Even offered in 30-06 I understand as well as the ever ready 303.

I've got a sporting stock from such a rifle just a few feet away from me. But no metalwork nor the barrel and action that went in it.

Try You Tube and look at "BSA 30-06 sporter" posted by a user called "gungeek". Not me but and interesting video.

Hello Mark,
Sorry for the delayed response. The buttplate is, indeed, Aluminum, and is marked Pacific. It reminds my of a 1922 buttplate with it's hollow design and checkering. Front and rear sights are also by Pacific.

There are many nice looking rifles on the thread. Keep them coming.

Here, and here, and here....from an old thread I was involved in on Gun Boards:





Hope it helps? My old wood stock is from a Model D it seems from the picture.

Here is some more eye candy. A 416 Rigby Lon Paul built with Wisner bottom metal. I believe it is for sale.

The straightened magazine bottom metal on the BSA conversions was MOST DEFINITELY STEEL. I had one, as I may have written, and it was the original steel one cut and straightened. I do not know what it was on the Cogswell & Harrison conversions.

I have the aluminum bottom metal from a 333 Jeffery that looks to be the same and I've seen Hollands from the same time period with identical looking bottom metal as well.

I was recently looking at some old British catalogs from the late 40's and early 50's that showed a number of Enfields being used by English builders. Commercial Mausers were in short supply after the war and there were plenty of pattern 14 and 17 actions floating around.

There's some nice rifles there!

Jack O'Connor's .416 Enfield was probably built entirely by Al Biesen, wood and metal. I have not located the article where the gun is pictured, but I don't remember him attributing metal work to anyone else. I may be wrong about that and will correct myself when I find the article. The gun was stocked with very straight grain wood, probably juglans regia and had massive features. In my opinion, the forearm was made heavier than neccesary, but in character with the caliber. I think his first scope on the gun was a K-1. He probably changed that later to something with some magnification.

where's the Lon Paul rifle for sale at? are there more pics. I love his work.

Red

quote:

Originally posted by Dago Red:
where's the Lon Paul rifle for sale at? are there more pics. I love his work.

Red

Check his website @ www.lonpaulcustomguns.com for his number and give him a call - He is currently at SCI but should be home by monday.

This is an Eddystone in 30/06. I dont know who did the work but they did a pretty good job.

Mark, here is a thread from a few years ago with some wonderful 1917 Eye Candy.


http://forums.accuratereloadin...=116108856#116108856