I just picked up a sportered 1917 Enfield for next to nothing. I had an idea of turning it into a scout rifle since the barrel was already cut down to 18 inches.

I checked it over pretty well before buying it and noticed the safety was missing, but at the time I thought I could just buy some replacement parts and be back in business. Once I got home I noticed that whoever sportered it had removed the safety by grinding on the receiver until the whole thing was gone. Needless to say I don't think getting some parts from Sarco are going to fix this.




I'm not willing to take this into the woods hunting without a safety, but I don't want to abandon the project. Anybody have any ideas on how to get some kind of safety on here?

Sure; find of the Model 70 type bolt shroud safeties they used to make; not sure where to get one now.
Do not load it until ready to fire. Or leave the bolt open.
Install a new receiver.
Pretty much your only options.
I would leave the bolt open; not hard to push forward, and down when ready to fire. Practice doing that quietly.

Timney, I think, makes a trigger with a side safety ?

Check their website.

Just looked, they don't. As Tom said, round in chamber, bolt up 'til ready to fire.

Nope; they already have a good side, low scope safety so a timney side safety would be a bad idea.
Or they do until you grind them off.

careful tig buildup

Welding a new safety block on and machining it will cost more than another receiver.
But it is certainly an option...

I thought Ed Lapour made a m70-style 3 position safety for the M1917?

He used to anyway, I’ve been lusting after one for years but never got the project started yet....

Unfortunately, these are no longer made due to low demand.
As I said above, not sure where to get one now. Unless you find a stray one, no where.

I guess that I was lucky.

Butch every time I see those pics I get a tear in my eye. Absolute perfection!
Shame the demand didn’t keep up for Ed to keep making those safeties, sadly I missed the boat

quote:

Originally posted by kala_azar:
Butch every time I see those pics I get a tear in my eye. Absolute perfection!
Shame the demand didn’t keep up for Ed to keep making those safeties, sadly I missed the boat

Not sure of the brand of my safety. It came out of a junk drawer, million dollar drawer, as we call them. At that time Ed said he wasn't making them as he was redesigning them. I see they are pictured on his website.

Disregard

Pictured yes, with a big banner that says we no longer make them.
Get that receiver from LDO.

Here is your advice; get this and use it as is. That cracked and welded place has no bearing on safety even if it were not fixed, which it is.

The stock Enfield safety is the reason I've made
four of 'em up to suit me.
IMO there hasn't been a better, more fool proof safety made yet.

I have an extra action but, it's missing these parts too.
It hasn't been butchered in that area though.

George

Drill a hole thru cocking piece. Put a pin through it. Pull pin out when ready to shoot!

Seriously, I would look into somehow converting a mauser 98 shroud with flag safety

It would be easier to start from scratch and make a Model 70 type safety. Threads and all.
I like the pin idea, but really, just leave the bolt up.

Couldn't an original safety be modified to work with what is left of the modified receiver?
Just thinking outside the box...
But I must admit I am a fan of the M70 style safety on everything.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
careful tig buildup

Mill(file) a flat spot, and make a block to rebuild the safety "block" and fit .. you could tig it (i would) zero heat issues back there for a decent weld -- that is, it's not likely a critical area, and I wouldn't worry about it-- but you could drill and tap two attachment screws .. borrow a friend's enfield to copy -- refit to standard safety ...

why would I bother? well, you got it cheap, and a drop of O1 is dead soft, easy to shape with hand tools, and blues pretty well .. you don't need hard steel .. 1018 or other "rubbish" steel at home depot could work, but it likely won't blue as well...

it's a weekend project with hand tools ..

total cost? five bucks for a piece of o1 drop .. or 6 for a 18" or 36" piece of 1/4 or 3/8 1018

I betcha Mr. LaPour would make up a bunch of safeties if someone made it worth his while!
No reasonable person would make just one or two. But he might make 20. If someone had enough cash for a large wholesale order he might even make a buck or two on the deal.

I would imagine someone could get said cash by taking firm orders...as in prepaid, in a thread with an estimated/ "not more than" price.

Doubt it; very low demand for $300 safeties for a rifle that already has a perfect low scope safety. Otherwise he would be still making them. I would not invest in that venture.

A perfectly ugly safety!

quote:

A perfectly ugly safety!

ugly works for me.

The pin idea is something in might approve of.

or do the jeffeosso way

The safety bolster doubles as the third safety locking lug. IF the bolt were to shed it's lugs the bolt has a straight shot to kill you.

1917 actions are cheap, get another one and use it. Whoever removed the whole safety lug ruined the action....IMHO. I personally would not use that one.