I have a chance to purchase a sporterized 1917 Eddystone. Serial number is in the 1,300,000
range. How would this be for a conversion to 35 Whelan? I was thinking of a rebore, it has the original barrel?

It will definately handle it. The 1917 Enfield will handle any cartridge that can physically fit into the action, with the probable exception of the Ultra Mags and .338 Lapua Mag.

However, it is often the case that when the barrels of these rifles are removed the front receiver ring cracks. They are torqued on way too tight and the sudden release of the stress causes this cracking. In some cases this can be repaired, believe it or not, by a competent gunsmith. It is a risk you take, and I would say that most do not crack.

Any of these actions that have the barrel removed must be thouroughly checked for cracks by a competent gunsmith, as the cracks can often be microscopic, and only show up with a particular dye and powder kit.

Ultra no bigger than a 375 H&H, in the relevant dimensions. And they build 505 Gibbs' with these things, so the Lapua might as well be 223 Rem.

Whisler,
If it's cheap, go right ahead.. unless the work is done WELLL....

the rear bridge should be of sim. shape as the front...

has the bolt handle been straightened?

has the bottommetal been straightened?

has it be converted to cock on open?

what safety is it using?

are the OUTSIDE of the feedrails parallel?

these are all good things...

oh, yeah, and it will hold anything rimless short of the 50 bmg

jeffe

You can relieve the stress on the receiver prior to barrel removal by turning a gvoove in the barrel with a parting tool about 1/10 of an inch in front of the receiver ring.

I was thinking of a rebore, it has the original barrel?

Re-boring is only a good idea when you have a barrel with fancy outside contour. Is is much cheaper to buy a new barrel. There has been some instances of original barrels having seams that cause barrel failure, very rare but it can happen. It was more common with Springfields. The barrel and steel technowledgy of barrel making in WWI was was not up to par with today's. Why put alot of money in a worn out worthless tube? Besides you pretty much need to remove the shoulder in a lathe to get it off without chance of damaging the receiver, so, it will be toast anyway.

Most of the 1917 Enfields was built by Eddystone. As I recall they had case hardened receivers making it a chore to drill and tap scope mount holes.

The only other 1917 Enfields I've seen was built by Winchester and Remington. These are not case hardened receivers.

First, I'd not go for a rebore to .35 Whelen, I'd install a new barrel.

second, I'd never build anything larger than a .30-06 case head cartridge on an Eddystone. I wouldn't hesitate to run a .375 Ultra Mag through a Winchester or Remington built Enfield however.

Cracks have been a problem and Remington actions have had the least problems with this and Winchesters almost as good, but the Eddystones are something else.

While the barrel is off, have the action magnafluxed.

If memory serves me, the first .585 Nyatti was on a P-14 action. The Eddystones are hard! I'd check the action for cracks. Primarily the front receiver ring. Magna flux is good. If it is cracked, throw it away. If it has none, I'd build any caliber that will fit in the action. Drilling these actions for a scope can be a real adventure. Bettter to make it a true DGR rifle with express sights, then you don't need to drill the action. All this is a lot of work. Just be sure to buy it cheap.

I'm having a '17 Enfield rebarreled to a .505. The gunsmith I use cut the barrel off in front of the receiver, then milled out the barrel until he could see threads, then chased the old barrel threads out. He said it is the safest way to take a barrel out without cracking the receiver. In the '60's I saw a P-17 with a tremendous overload at a rifle match. After pounding the bolt open we found no brass. From what I am told, given enough pressure, brass will flow. As for the rilfe, new barrel and extractor and after "careful" reloading he kept shooting the rifle.

"The gunsmith I use cut the barrel off in front of the receiver, then milled out the barrel until he could see threads, then chased the old barrel threads out. He said it is the safest way to take a barrel out without cracking the receiver."

That is the most difficult solution to an easy problem, I have heard in quite a while. If you remove the shoulder is will unscrew with almost no resistance.

Thanks for the info. It is already tapped for a scope. Wings are still on the rear but sight is out, area has been milled, a custom (?) base made and is attached with 2 screws. Front scope ring and base sit over the bolt. Original trigger and safety, cocks on close (but my 6.5 does too...new wood ("nice" but needs refinished). Bolt is original but has some very minor pitting. Receiver and barrel have been reblued.

Has anyone ever seen a scope base like this?

Speaking of 1914/17 Endfields, where is a good place to pick one up (wholesalers, etc.)? I've always wanted one.
Wren

Wren, I've got two of them with a Remington stamp on them...interested?

To be sold as action only...

be careful about chopping these up. If it has mixmatched parts and already sporterized go ahead and chop away. If the barrel is orginal and uncut and the parts match I would say one could buy a matching orginal stock and have a rifle worth close to $500. So look at what you got before chopping you may find you have something worth more. I was gonna chop an eddystone I bought last year but found out it is all matching pristine bore and 80%orginal blue, so I keep it in the safe as a collector

Update on the Eddystone Project. Got the rifle today, serial # 1323248. Custom stock, not checkered, not sure what type of wood, but it looks pricy. Will try to get pics and post. Rear sight has been removed, wings are still attached but has S&K (?) base. Rifle has been blued, original barrel (cut to 23.5", cock on close bolt, safety and trigger.
I double and then triple checked with the previous owner to insure he wanted to part with it, especially for the $75.00 price tag he put on it....he did. Will have to shoot it before I decide to try and turn it into a 35 Whelen. Decisions Decisions Decisions.....

$75! You made a great buy on that!

Speaking of 1917's.... can someone recommend a 'smith in the general vicinity of Nebraska to work on one? Mine is re-barreled to a 308 NM, thinking of a new barrel, cock on open conversion, and a little trigger work. Anyone?

sure,,, kinda...

the cock on open and trigger can be done with more or less dropin kits from dayston.

the barrel work, depending, can be done by pacnor, in just about anything you want... 458 lott, 470 capstick come rapidly to mind, for a very reasonable cost and turnaround... and they'll blue/mount sights if you like

jeffe

Serial # 1,000,000 happened September 6 or so ,1918.They built 6,000 rifles a day.There you can even date your receiver.Mine was built about Seprember 20.

The Dayton-Traister trigger kit is excellent.

Here's the info:

http://www.daytraco.com/

I checked with Tool and Die makers at work, they can cut groove around barrel to relieve pressure then remove barrel. Another shop locally can do the magnaflux or I can buy a chemical spray that will do the same (they have used it before). That leaves locating a barrel plus blueing and installation. Trigger I can do, Safety is ok by me, change over to cock on close I have not done before, how hard is this conversion. Will also need to checker the stock.

Thanks for info on serial number, will have to make a note of that. Any suggestion on someone close to Indianapolis that can do the checkering and install barrel??

For working on a P-17,get Roy F. Dunlap 's Gunsmithing.There is a section on how to convert to cock-on-opening properly,like the way Remington did for their M-30S and M-720.good-luck