Eddystone Enfield

[Jimmay]

I aquired an old Eddystone 1917 Enfield that was Sporterized(Messed up). It's a 30.06. It shoots good but the Headspace is close to max. I load my own ammo and I'm getting +- 2" groups at 100yds. The people that sporterized it welded on a Standard scope base. I have a cheapo 3-9 Millet scope.
My question is "would I be wasting my time and limited resources rebarelling this thing or could I inexpensively make a safe and more accurate benchrest shooter out of it"?

 

[JohnKielly]

It was the least desirable of the American Enfields behind those from Remington & Winchester plants. Welding a scope mount onto it wouldn't increase its value or safety.

With a lot of messing about, converting to cock on opening & installing a useful trigger prior to bedding the skinny whippy action in a single shot stock made them into poor shadow of a commercial Remington or Winchester 70 action for Camp Perry shooting.

Screw or nail it to a wall and enjoy it as somebody else's mistake.

 

[mdavis78102]

If you are loading your own ammo, then you can control the head space.

 

[CaptainMal]

...and the welding on the action did what to the heat treatment of the action?

By design the action is not worth messing with. Use it for what it is and keep the pressures and headspace reasonable as you load. If you try to make a "silk purse out of a sow's ear" you might just be throwing money into a hole to fill it.

 

[Jimmay]

Thanks guys. I think I'll just shoot it for what it is and start from scratch on a benchrest rifle.

 

[matthias]

Pictures of the welding would be good. That way we all can see exactly what was done.

Headspace is near max? How did you measure it ?

As far as controlling the headspace , it is more like stretching your brass to fit this rifle.

Don't mess around to much . A savage or remington can be had for little money ( compared to customs) and barrels are readily available . Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[stansrifles]

The action is to hard an brittle to do anything with like someone said hang on the wall an relish the history behind it.
Stan

 

[jdh47]

While Eddystones are not the best of the 1917's the action does have merit for certain things. They are actually pretty good for making a dangerous game gun but it costs a lot. The modifications are many and cost prohibitive unless you are making a showpiece. They have a long ejection port and a heavy front receiver ring. They can handle big bores like the 416 Rem.

They have never really been good for bench rest. I am guessing the weld is on the rear of the receiver bridge. The rear ring had large ears for the aperture sight. Those would be ground or cut off leaving a hole. It would not be advisable to weld the front ring.

If the barrel is original it will be hard to get off and some actually cracked the receiver getting them off. Eddystones were famous for being hard and brittle. I have seen some fine hunting rigs made from 1917's if done correctly.

You can have the barrel bore scoped to see how much wear it has. It might just need bedding to shoot. They actually outshot the Springfields when new. It would not be competitive for bench rest. Hardly anything is anymore unless it is a full blown custom.

If it is shooting 2" or less at 100 yards it still is a competitive deer slayer and can be enjoyed for what it is.

A call to Remington will confirm that they only guarantee 5" at 100 yards for the model 700. While most of us will fight to the death proclaiming that our hunting guns will shoot sub minute groups "all day long", truth tell 1-1/4" is really good if it is relatively consistent.

Joe

 

[gimp4ever]

Hi . Flaig's and P.O.Ackley used the P14 and P17 to make some very fine Gun's. I Have some that they both built from 6-284,7X57,7x61 SH,up to 300wm.

 

[boltman13]

If your head space truly is in spec, and the action will not swallow a No-Go gage then you can get a Forster Shoulder Bump Neck Sizing die or a Lee Collet Sizer and a Redding Shoulder Bump die and minimize the stretching you do to your cases. It might give you a slight improvement in accuracy with neck sizing. This rifle will never be competitive at the bench, but should be more than adequate for hunting. I am embarrassed to say how much I have spent on an old Model 93 Mauser in 7X57 to get it to shoot better. Take my advice, don't go there. As others have stated, "you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear."