Friends-

I have asked questions about this issue indirectly in the past but, this time, I want to address this issue head on.

Preface - there is no source for aftermarket bottom metal for a M1917 Enfield; at least not a source that anyone has fessed up to.

Question - how hard would it be to convert either Mauser or Model 70 aftermarket bottom metal to fit an Enfield. If it is a question of spacing of the action screws (the Enfield being longer, I assume) wouldn't a little cutting, adding on, welding, grinding and polishing get you there.

I know that is a gross over simplification but, coundn't it be done without "re-inventing the wheel"?

Your comments and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

I know that 1903 Springfield bottom metal has been converted to use on 1917 Enfield sporters. You have to weld up the rear hole and re-drill it slightly farther back.

Rick0311, I remember Tom Burgess had told me he used to use springfield bottoms on Enfield actions.

I wondered what the required to fit :rear hole move.

Do you know if the box lines up and fits the reciever?

huh?

mauser to springfield aint hard...

enfield? that's a whole nother bit of work

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by GSP7:
Rick0311, I remember Tom Burgess had told me he used to use springfield bottoms on Enfield actions.

I wondered what the required to fit :rear hole move.

Do you know if the box lines up and fits the reciever?

I don’t know, but will pull one of my Enfields apart tomorrow and take an 1903 guard and take a gander and see what it would take. Like I said, I’ve never done it but have heard and read about guys doing it. Alvin Linden speaks about it in his book on stock making and also has some pictures of an Enfield sporter with a 1903 trigger guard installed.

Rick , I saw a springfield bottom on ebay, New it sold for $61 , Ouch , no floorplate. Think Ill keep a eye out and get one and see how it fits.
Burgess said he used to cut the side rails off a enfield bottom and weld the front tang and trigger guard to the box also.

For a simple answer to a complex operation, I offer this:

I can do anything you want me to do if you have enough money!

Simple? And, really, not trying to be a smart ass.

Jim

just eyeballing a springfield bottom to an enfield (because I didn't have a mauser sitting on my desk and the mauser/springfield are close enough to talk about)

the distance from the back of the mag to the tang is okay... if you pull it all the way back

you would have to cut the box OFF just infront of the rear of the mag (so it's a standing "wall")

move it forward about .300 or so, and rejigger the mag geometery, and make a new floorplate.


why? because it's too short through the enfield box hole in a stock..


BUT, if you where inletting a new stock (or making a patten) you might could get away with just lengthening the front tang.

lots of work

jeffe

dunlap has a section in his book on converting 1903 bottom metals to mausers because they look so much better. if a 1903 can be converted to m98 or 1917 then the logical progression is that a 98 to 1917 "could" be done.

Brownell’s GunKinks books show a little home made forging plate that looks pretty simple to use to reform the front of the tang. D’Hass also mentions converting 03 trigger guards in his book Bolt Action Rifles.

The other thing that would need to be done to an 03 guard to convert it would be the installation of the feed ramp portion off of the Enfield mag box.

I agree with jeffeoso, BIG JOB just about anyway you look at it.

I think I would be more inclined to make a straight, complete front tang and braze it to the Enfield guard after I cut the other one off right at the juction of the tang and the mag-box opening.

One other little thing I found after comparing the two is that the 03 guard needs to be relieved a bit to allow the factory Enfield trigger to fit through the slot. Minor thing, but one more mod to add to the list if you’re using the military trigger.

Since just about all of the Winchester aftermarket guards are actually made in two pieces (front and rear) you would think that it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to cut the rear portion off the Enfield guard and attach it to the front portion of a Winchester the same way and then just shorten the height of the Enfield mag box so you would have the same mating relationship with the bottom of the receiver.

The first steel trigger guards used on the Marines M40A1 Remington 700’s were made from modified Winchester 70 guards that were cut and pieced together. You can still buy those modified Win/Rem guards from Texas Brigade Armory.

If you are working on a P-17,get Roy Dunlap's book.I followed his instructions on straightening the bottom metal.

M30 bottoms are actually cut and rewelded enfields also.

Very interresting thread.

Thank GOD I am NO LONGER making these guards.

You start with a 12 pound block of 1018 mild steel, that is 1 1/4" thick x 3" tall x 9 1/2" long.
Then spend about 10 hours on the milling machine to make it into a trigger guard.

Sorry I do not have any left that will fit a P14 or P17

Jim Wisner
Custom Metalsmith

I have seen them but the common way when I was in gunsmith school was just to cut and weld the front tang on the Enfield and shorten the box. I saw lots of big bores done that way. This was 50 plus years ago and the big Ackley and Watts magnums were popular then. Enfiled actions were dirt cheap and a good learning platform as you had to fill in the birdbath,mill the ears ,contour the rear ring and alter the dogleg bolt handle,in addition to modifiying the bottom metal. One you had to change to cock on open. Not cheap in hours but cheap in experience. I've probably done a dozen or so over the years. Today it would cost far too much to have done. The last one I had was a Remington 30 that David Miller had worked over and bottom metal was either Wisner or Wells I can't remember. It was 375H&H.