I saw a 1917 Enfield action tonite used to build a 6x284 BR/heavy varmint rifle and it was quite interesting! It had a 27" barrel, trigger was SUPER(no guage but would geuess 10-12 oz) rifling sharp and bright and a Fajen BR/Varmint stock. Obviously and older custom rifle. The guy had RCBS dies and 50-75 peices of brass. The price was such that I am almost ready to tinker with it....actually he's supposed to bring me the dies and brass and let me tinker with it!!!!! Just never used any of those actions and wondered what kind of input you folks might have!!! Thanks! GHD

The only thing I never liked about them was that they cocked on the close instead of the open.

Blue

All I'll say is they're heavy and clunky old things. Not exactly what I'd call a really refined bolt action, but very capable.

To give you an idea of a how good they really are, mention here or on big bores that you don't want it and it is available and see how many offers you get.

they are great actions, they simple require more work than others to sporterize, and they are really large, so if you are worried about weight and doing a small cartridge then they are maybe not for you. But they are a fine action, don't believe otherwise.

Red

I've been shooting & winning Service Rifle comp for over 20 years. Everybody raves about the 6.5 Swedes but BAW still posts higher scores with his 30.06. These rifles have the longest sight radius of any military rifle ever made.

Even if you don't go the custom rifle rebuild a M17 is good choice for a good reliable and unbreakable rifle. I have several collector grade Winchesters, a Remington and two Eddystones that I shoot in competitions.

As a hunting rifle show me a commercial rifle that will hold 6 yes six rounds of full power 30.06 in the magazine.

Dago Red,

I don't want to get "jimmyd223'd" on this thread but here goes anyway. There is a reason Art Alpin went out of business with his Hannibal rifles and it wasn't just because he was an a$$h0le. Those damn actions are a nightmare to work on, as you have indicated. Just my humble opinion so let's not get all "jimmyd'd"

Jim

I am the first to admit that they require more work than any other action I know of. And unfortunately not all gunsmiths are as good with them as others. Then there is the whole Rem., Win., Eddystone thing, which one is best etc, how good of a rifle they can be made into. I always recommend that if the action has not already been sporterized it be passed on, because even for a big cartridge you can get into a cz550 much cheaper than the 1917.

None of this though takes away from the fact that the action is great, just a bastard to work with. I have seen some 1917's for goodish prices, but passed if they weren't mostly done with the sporterizing. The only way I would get into an Enfield now is if it was in a totally finished rifle that was for a good price. (and I LOVE the action, just am not into throwing money at getting them to realize their full potential :-)

It sounds like this particular rifle is already done, so if the deal is good no reason to stay away from it.

Red

Jim's right...
I put more time into just making the action presentable than I do a whole gun based off a springfield... (except stock)

for a benchrest, small caliber, the locktime would be a PROBLEM, and require fantastic skill to keep on target...

for a 6br/ppc, i would start with the fastest locktime rifle, short of electronic igintion, the rem 600.

jeffe

While the Enfield action is one of my favorites, it is an awful lot of action for a .284 based cartridge. There was a recent thread where one guy was seriously ragged on for using an Enfield as the basis for a .375 H&H project.

Now if someone was talking about a 6mm x 416 Rigby wildcat it would be perfect!

Groundhog,

Sounds like a nice rifle, and as you said, very interesting. Buy it and have a blast.