View Full Version : How accurate is your M1917?
On a different thread, I mentioned that shooting my Winchester M1917 at 100 yard distant targets is the most accurate with the ladder sight bottomed out at the lowest possible setting and shooting from a Caldwell Lead Sled rack minus the ballast weights. The rifle is zeroed on the horizontal axis, but you can see variations in the vertical axis, possibly from recoil. I’m going to add some weight to the rack the next time out and see if there’s any improvement. I added a 2nd strip of Velcro to the buttstock to completely secure the rifle to the rack.
46340
So, the question is, where do you set your ladder sight when shooting at 100 yard targets?
I cannot remember where I had the sight set, but my Winchester using HXP ammo is about a 3 minute gun,
shooting from a bench, front of the stock on a rest, my left hand holding the sling at the rear swivel,
when I went prone, just normal sling on the arm, it opened up about an inch (To 4" group) at 100
Last one I owned was a Winchester. Barrel was close to a sewer pipe. With common 150 gr. FMJ's, it shot about 4 inch five shot groups. This was firing from a good solid benchrest with proper sandbags, etc. However, it was suggested that I should try it with 180 gr. bullets. So, I loaded up 100 rds. using 180 gr. Hornady round nose bullets. Also I fiddled a bit with the bedding. End result was that thing went to shooting under 2 inches for five shots. Ten shots would stay under 3 inches. Got to think that if the barrel had not been so rough it would have given wonderful results. Really liked it a lot. Great for deer hunting. However, at that benighted time of my life, I was only really interested in 03 and 03-A3 rifles. So ... that Winchester went on down the road. Oh well. Live and learn. Sincerely. bruce.
PS. One thing that made this Winchester shoot very much better involved some toothpicks. I took two very hard round toothpicks, the sort that are pointed on both ends, and used them to improve the bedding a bit. I thought the rifle would shoot a bit better if it had a smidgen of upward pressure on the muzzle end of the barrel. So, I flattened two toothpicks into a long thin wedge, cut the opposite end off flat and then drove them in about a 1/4 inch off center to the right and left side of the barrel. Result was groups became nice and round and group size went consistently under 2 inches. When I whomped up some fiendishly accurate hot shot super marksman grade ammo - - - the rifle started bunching five shot iron sighted groups under 1.5 inches with pleasing regularity. Just a delightfully accurate rifle . . . even if it did have an odd number of grooves! Sincerely. bruce.
2 inches for 5 shots is nothing to sneeze at. Having looked at about 2- x 19017 barrel with boroscope they are all rough.
I don't suppose you have a TE gauge? That can separate a non cleaned and ugly vs a serious shot (the only one I have yet to see was a 5 on a 1903 and it will not clean up)
On the other hand with Bore Tech Eliminator and Carbon Killer 2000 I have gleaming 1917 barrels (1.5 or so on the TE so they are pretty well low or un-shot)
Those are cut rifled barrels so they are indeed rough appearance with the scope but clean up to gleaming from a look at the rear.
As of 100 yards I set mine at 100 yards and shoot the bottom of the black. Never did a lot of consistent pattern shooting though 3 inches is kind of the norm.
I don’t have a TE gauge but I have measured the jump gap on my ‘17 and it’s barely measurable. It is an early Winchester with a circle star stamped on the receiver that never made it to Europe because of the parts interchangeability issue. The muzzle shows slight cleaning rod wear but not enough to impact accuracy.
The dealer that I bought my ‘17 from had several ‘17s to choose from and I picked the one with the best corrosion free barrel even though there were external parts missing and internal parts were “worked” on by someone who obviously didn’t have the right replacement parts. I found all the original Winchester NOS parts I needed on the Internet to make the rifle whole once again and it rewards me every time I take it to the range. I’ve been back to the dealer many times looking for an Eddystone or Remington but I haven’t seen any other ‘17s for sale.
My Eddiestone is a Canadian/Danish return(red paint, no arrow) and I really like this rifle. Big,solid and accurate. Here are two of my targets. I don't know why I was at 65 yrds. with the left one. The right was shot using some 180 gr. estate sale reloads. Yes, I buy estate sale reloads and sometimes I get great ammo like this(center to center- 1.5"). 85 yrds is as far back as I can get at this place. I need to play around with bedding I suppose to really get a little more out of it. I also use a Lead Sled. I don't use weights but I have spring gizmo attached to the sled and the front of the table. Oh, and the table is a wobbly buffet table but it seems to work OK. Sights bottomed out.
46436
My Eddiestone is a Canadian/Danish return(red paint, no arrow) and I really like this rifle. Big,solid and accurate. Here are two of my targets. I don't know why I was at 65 yrds. with the left one. The right was shot using some 180 gr. estate sale reloads. Yes, I buy estate sale reloads and sometimes I get great ammo like this(center to center- 1.5"). 85 yrds is as far back as I can get at this place. I need to play around with bedding I suppose to really get a little more out of it. I also use a Lead Sled. I don't use weights but I have spring gizmo attached to the sled and the front of the table. Oh, and the table is a wobbly buffet table but it seems to work OK. Sights bottomed out.
46436
does your Canadian\Danish have the cut on the receiver ring?
I don't see anything unusual about the receiver, but I don't have anything else to compare to. I believe the follower has been modified to close on an empty chamber.
I don't see anything unusual about the receiver, but I don't have anything else to compare to. I believe the follower has been modified to close on an empty chamber.
my Remington (Danish via Canada) has a cut in the receiver ring ,
looks like a round endmill was used,
rumor was for the points of the bullets to clear,, but that was debunked on the net quickly and I cannot remember the reason why the Dane's did it,
46437
Nope, don't have that, but I have this.
46438
If its a Canadian Danish return it should have several distinct features
Bolt handle will have a SN on the underside . Likely not the same SN as the rifle but it should have it (they got separated on return).
It should have the rifle SN on the stock bottom at the rear. More likely the right one but the stock is also likely not to match the rifle MFG.
It should have the Canadian arrow.
I am not sure if others did not do the cutout thing.
Nope, don't have that, but I have this.
46438
that is normal
If its a Canadian Danish return it should have several distinct features
Bolt handle will have a SN on the underside . Likely not the same SN as the rifle but it should have it (they got separated on return).
It should have the rifle SN on the stock bottom at the rear. More likely the right one but the stock is also likely not to match the rifle MFG.
It should have the Canadian arrow.
I am not sure if others did not do the cutout thing.
mine has the notch, as pics show
cannot remember the details (it is in the back of the safe) on the rest
C^ somewhere, stock or receiver,
no number on stock I do recall, and some paint on stock at muzzle,
went searching, and apparently it has also been in Norway,
see this post
The article linked above has a lot of BS. The cut was done in Norway in the 50's, because of an adaptor to use k98k stripperclips. Later the rifles were sold to Denmark.
It's a very stubborn internet rumour that say the danes did it to accomodate a longer 30-06 round, but it's not true.
See these links.
https://forums.gunboards.com/showthre...7-1917-mystery
http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=41281&page=2
from here
https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?744138-Well-my-huntin-bullets-won-t-get-dinged-anymore&highlight=1917+receiver+notch
I don't know about the Notch.
I have not seen any info the Nords sold 1917 to Danes, does not mean it did not happen.
If it was in Dane hands it should have the bolt with SN and the Stock.
I have a few rifles that I was told 'did not exist', after that I posted the last pictures I will ever post on a gun forum. Members got wildly indignant and then they saw the pictures, and they moved on looking for something else to be wildly indignant about.
The British and Canadians had a problem with rifles that were similar. The notch in the top/rear of the receiver was a dead giveaway when determining the difference between the 303 and 30/06. The Turks had a Mauser with a similar notch.
F. Guffey
I have 2 P14s I am going to turn into bench rest type rifles. I have not decided if I will use magnum chambers or 308W chambers. If the P14s work I will build a third one.
And then I will use Mauser receivers for the 308Ws.
F. Guffey
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.