US M17 Eddystone Sniper Rifle

[bigskybound]

Google search turned up no photos, so maybe a dumb newbie question. Was the M17 rifle used as a sniper rifle in WW I? If so, what were the optics and does anyone have a photo?

[Marcus]

No, just the 1903 with the Warner-Swazey

[usmc69]

The Brits had them in .303 (P-14). There is a picture of one in "SNIPING IN FRANCE" by Hesketh-Prichard.

[dave]

I think the US had a couple made up as test rifles, may have been after the war however.

[jgaynor]

The US Model 1918 sniper rifle was essentially a sporterized M1917. Some 50,000 were ordered however only about two prototypes were built. The rifle had two problems:

1. The 2.6X Scope manufactured by Winchester was a flop. The W&E knobs were so heavy they had a tendency to break off within a couple hundred rounds.
2. The war ended.

The rifle was about 50 years ahead of its time however, resembling the Remington 700's adopted by the USMC in Vietnam.

The following illustration is from an article in the American Rlfleman circa 1965. Most of the better references also have information and or pics.

[Promo]

I believe the USMC also had trial rifles with the Winchester A5 scope, at least such rifles are pictured in various books.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

I believe the USMC also had trial rifles with the Winchester A5 scope, at least such rifles are pictured in various books.

The USMC extensively used the 03 with modified and unmodified Winchester A5 scopes as a sniping platform from day 1, and started training snipers at GITMO before the 6th Regiment was deployed. The W&S sniper rifles used by the US Army were abandoned early in the war according to Pershing's telegrams, because they couldn't repair them fast enough. The W&S on a Ross was used very successfully by a Canadian sniper (he wrote a book about his experiences in the war - quite a man). I read someplace that two of the M1917 sniper rifles were sent to France for evaluation, but I have no idea if they were actually used in the field.

jt

[jgaynor]

In 1940 Marine Col. Julian Smith wrote to the Commandant suggesting the Marines adopt a hunting style telescope similar to the ones the Germans had used so successfully in WW1. He also cited the poor results the US had with the delicate target scopes (A5). Col Smith even even cited several specific recommendations for testing, the Weaver 330 and 440, the Noske and the Lyman Alaskan.

Ultimately the Marines turned the project over to Van Orden and Lloyd who suggested the rifle be a Winchester Model 70 topped with the Unertl 8x scope.

I just think its intersting how the lineage of todays modern sniper rifles cna be traced to WW1 albeit with a lot of bumps in the road.

[Rotor]

Here is a shot of the Brit's version.



.

JR

[da gimp]

Rotor, that sure looks like a German scope that came off the rifle that wounded my dad in Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge, WWII...........he couldn't get the rifle , but kept the scope & case.......... I have them........ looking for a proper rifle & mounts for it............the German sniper hit dad in the shoulder, his men in Company D, 310th of the 78th Div got him....... before he could get off a second shot.............

[Promo]

I was referring to this rifle:

[chuckindenver]

that rifle or one like it sits in the Cody museum...i may have a pic someplace.

[pelago]

Brophy has several pictures of 17's set up with scopes, tests? don't know but several pictures

[pelago]

Rotor, that sure looks like a German scope that came off the rifle that wounded my dad in Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge, WWII...........he couldn't get the rifle , but kept the scope & case.......... I have them........ looking for a proper rifle & mounts for it............the German sniper hit dad in the shoulder, his men in Company D, 310th of the 78th Div got him....... before he could get off a second shot.............

wow, what a story and what an item to have, i believe i would have to find a good k98 and go for it