1917 Enfield action

[TTundra]

I remember when you could buy a Enfield action from Sarco for $100 with either a 30-06 or 303 bolt. Sadly that was only 3 years ago. I should have bought a few, but didn’t.

Used to say the same for the roosky Nagant revolvers. Were $99 with the holster, lanyard, etc. Now they're selling for $400+ and rising...

 

[sestoppelman]

Yo Bob!!
." This is a big no no the cock on opening is far quicker to operate than cock on opening because part of the...."

We know what you meant, but.....

 

[Sarg]

I was only saying a couple of weeks back how we have a lot of the BSA P14 factory conversions in New Zealand & I had bought a lot over the years thinking of building some thing large on them, but moved on, even had a Jefferys 375 H&H that was built on one, which is rare as most or lots of them are by Cogswell & Harrison !

Then last week end up getting another BSA P14 sporter, one of the lower grade models.

Looks a little better now after a clean, a real "Barn Find" also got 3 other rifles, one a nice fully wooded SMLE .

Funny even found in my parts another BSA stock & it has checkering on the fore end as well !

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

She cleans up nicely. Mag box has an R, bottom metal has a W. Everything on the rest of the rifle has an E. I assume it's not all Eddystone? Bloted out some of the SN but looks like it was made August of 1918. Have not been able to double verify as of yet. Darn shame it has holes in the reciever. View attachment 392067View attachment 392068View attachment 392069

@ John J
You have a Remington mag box, Winchester bottom metal and an Eddystone action. Even tho it a,bit of a dogs breakfast you have all the parts for a,good rifle.
The bottom metal is the old guppy belly and not many people realize this type of mag actually holds 6 rounds.
If you look at the photos of my 2 Enfields on has the modified flat bottom metal and the other is the original guppy belly. Have fun with your selection of cartridge. If you are going the magnum route it may be cheaper to get a P14 bolt than modifying the 17 bolt and extractor..
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yo Bob!!
." This is a big no no the cock on opening is far quicker to operate than cock on opening because part of the...."

We know what you meant, but.....

@sestoppelman
Yeah I know it is early Monday morning. At least you understood.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I was only saying a couple of weeks back how we have a lot of the BSA P14 factory conversions in New Zealand & I had bought a lot over the years thinking of building some thing large on them, but moved on, even had a Jefferys 375 H&H that was built on one, which is rare as most or lots of them are by Cogswell & Harrison !

Then last week end up getting another BSA P14 sporter, one of the lower grade models.

View attachment 392078View attachment 392079

Looks a little better now after a clean, a real "Barn Find" also got 3 other rifles, one a nice fully wooded SMLE .

Funny even found in my parts another BSA stock & it has checkering on the fore end as well !

@Sarge
Could you post a,photo of the BSA markings on your P14s. It's not that I doubt you but it would be great to see one other than a Winchester, Remington or Eddystone.
Bob.

 

[sestoppelman]

I know where there is a very nice BSA conversion for sale.... I'll never tell.... LOL.

 

[Sarg]

I think I posted a nice pic of one on another thread & if you look just under the peep on that photo you can see the BSA emblem but ill look for a better one or take the peep off .

Not sure what manufacture made the rifles BSA used I'm sorry.
I only have the one right now but there are hundreds here I'm sure !



Ok found it !

I do like these stocks be good on some monster chambering on the Big Enfield action

 

[Lee in Texas]

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Looking good. What bottom metal is that? I have one in progress with Duane Wiebe bottom metal, before he quit selling it.

 

[Flipper Dude]

 

[Flipper Dude]

Looking good. What bottom metal is that? I have one in progress with Duane Wiebe bottom metal, before he quit selling it.

It’s a Wiebe. It’s now a 404 Jeffery

 

[C.W. Richter]

Eddystones were first made by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, PA until Baldwin sold out to Remington. I've seen many 3006 sporters converted to 308 Norma Mag. I believe the earliest Wby guns (esp in big calibers) used the same action (they still retain the Enfield-style safety.) A-Sq manufactured its own, modern copies of the actions using the finest metals available. They used M70 style actions on the std calibers, but used the Enfield-style long mag actions for big calibers. My .338 A-Sq (A pre 338-378 variant) shoots phenomenally, owing to the action, stock design, trigger, full length bedding, crosspinning, etc. I see plenty of Eddystones for sale in PA on the cheap. Excellent PG cartridge, but quite capable for DG use as well...

 

[jpr9954]

Eddystones were first made by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, PA until Baldwin sold out to Remington. I've seen many 3006 sporters converted to 308 Norma Mag. I believe the earliest Wby guns (esp in big calibers) used the same action (they still retain the Enfield-style safety.) A-Sq manufactured its own, modern copies of the actions using the finest metals available. They used M70 style actions on the std calibers, but used the Enfield-style long mag actions for big calibers. My .338 A-Sq (A pre 338-378 variant) shoots phenomenally, owing to the action, stock design, trigger, full length bedding, crosspinning, etc. I see plenty of Eddystones for sale in PA on the cheap. Excellent PG cartridge, but quite capable for DG use as well...

Interesting! I have a .308 Norma Mag made on an Eddystone 1917 receiver. I picked it up in an auction in 2017. I just looked up the price I paid. It was $375 plus shipping.

I also have a non-sporterized Eddystone in its original military configuration. It was one of the first US military firearms I bought with my Curios and Relics FFL.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I think I posted a nice pic of one on another thread & if you look just under the peep on that photo you can see the BSA emblem but ill look for a better one or take the peep off .

Not sure what manufacture made the rifles BSA used I'm sorry.
I only have the one right now but there are hundreds here I'm sure !



Ok found it !

View attachment 392083

View attachment 392085
I do like these stocks be good on some monster chambering on the Big Enfield action

@Sarg
That confirms what I thought. BSA didn't make any P14 or M17 action.
What happened was BSA converted a lot of them to sporting rifles and added their own brand. If you look at where the brand is it is where the rear sights and dog ears have been milled off and the resulting gap has been filled in and contoured. This is softer metal and allowed BSA to brand the rifle.
These were made in the 50s and 60s in numerous calibers on the P14 and M17 actions that were made in the USA and rebranded BSA
Hopefully this doesn't disappoint you thinking they were actually made in England.
Bob

 

[Sarg]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen, I don't care about them that much, only posted for others information so no disappoint on my part !

If you read what I posted I never said BSA made them, I always said BSA converted them !

Same as Holland & Holland, Cogswell & Harrison, Vickers, W.J. Jeffery & no doubt others, so they were in good company .

If folks wanted a M17/P14 action to make sporters on the BSA is a good cheap starting point, as a lot of the work has been done & better than the same work I saw done on my C&H & Jeffery 375 H&H's, granted I think these were very low end rifles, would love to see how H&H did theirs up .

It does actually have "Made In England" stamped on them but we know what they mean .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen, I don't care about them that much, only posted for others information so no disappoint on my part !

If you read what I posted I never said BSA made them, I always said BSA converted them !

Same as Holland & Holland, Cogswell & Harrison, Vickers, W.J. Jeffery & no doubt others, so they were in good company .

If folks wanted a M17/P14 action to make sporters on the BSA is a good cheap starting point, as a lot of the work has been done & better than the same work I saw done on my C&H & Jeffery 375 H&H's, granted I think these were very low end rifles, would love to see how H&H did theirs up .

​

View attachment 392109​

It does actually have "Made In England" stamped on them but we know what they mean .

@Sarge
You're not wrong the sporting BSA would be an excellent place to start for a rifle build.
If'n you ever come across the H&H version take a photo of it and post it so I can drool over it. That would be one nice rifle to have.
Hopefully you will or already have visited the H&H shop in England. Beautiful rifles and doubles to look at but the prices are to much for this black duck.
A Royal double in the caliber of your choice was a mere 250,000 English pounds.
Bob.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Used to say the same for the roosky Nagant revolvers. Were $99 with the holster, lanyard, etc. Now they're selling for $400+ and rising...

But, you can still buy Gatling guns from SARCO, which are legal for deer in PA (manually-operated and loaded to capacity! just turn the crank and fill your tags out!)

 

[CoElkHunter]

@John J
Please listen to @Professor Mawla and myself re converting to cock on opening. This is a big no no the cock on opening is far quicker to operate than cock on opening because part of the cocking is done on the upstroke of the bolt and completed when the bolt is driven home.
The M17's and P14 are big actions that lend themselves to making into bigger cartridges. Art Alpin used these actions for his big A Square magnums because of their size and strength. If you look at the locking lugs on the bolt you will find they are not square as in modern actions. They have a slight taper to them and lock up like a vault with no play at all because of this helical action
In his blow up test P O Ackley tested 3 rifles. The model 98 Mauser blew up first followed by the Enfield then the early model Arisaka.
375 mag boxes are readily available and a GOOD GUNSMITH can do wonders with them. My gunsmith made one into a beautiful 505 Gibbs for a customer and did a nice 35 Whelen AI in a model 30s style with the action lightened. The ugly dog leg bolt is positioned perfectly for quick bolt manimanipulating as well.
Some people say the Eddystone is prone to cracking but this is a load of Crockshit. Some of them had barrels put in that tight that some bubba the blacksmith gunworkers where to ham fisted and didn't know what they were doing and invariably twisted or cracked the action getting the barrel out.
As stated by by @Newboomer they are capable of great accuracy. My own P14 in a 25 cal that I designed will group less than an inch all day at 200 yards.
The Dayton triggers while good are not as good as the Timney in my humble opinion. To overcome the shortness of the trigger just get your gunsmith to straighten it.
I'm sure what ever you decide to do with your rifle you will be more than happy with it.
Just make sure you have a gunsmith that knows what they are doing not some bubba the blacksmith.
Bob
View attachment 392015
The rifle on the left is my M17 styled into a 30s in 35 Whelen AI and the other is my P14 in 25 cal.
View attachment 392016
View attachment 392017
What the 25 will do at 1 and 200 yards

BobNelson35Whelen,
I guess I need to find an Arisaka for when I decide to build a .465 H and H? Seems like this would be the strongest action unlike the weaker Mausers, P14 and 17s? Hard to believe the Japanese built the strongest action back then?
CEH

 

[CoElkHunter]

@Sarge
You're not wrong the sporting BSA would be an excellent place to start for a rifle build.
If'n you ever come across the H&H version take a photo of it and post it so I can drool over it. That would be one nice rifle to have.
Hopefully you will or already have visited the H&H shop in England. Beautiful rifles and doubles to look at but the prices are to much for this black duck.
A Royal double in the caliber of your choice was a mere 250,000 English pounds.
Bob.

Or 2,258,778.63 Chinese Yuan!

 

[John J]

@ John J
You have a Remington mag box, Winchester bottom metal and an Eddystone action. Even tho it a,bit of a dogs breakfast you have all the parts for a,good rifle.
The bottom metal is the old guppy belly and not many people realize this type of mag actually holds 6 rounds.
If you look at the photos of my 2 Enfields on has the modified flat bottom metal and the other is the original guppy belly. Have fun with your selection of cartridge. If you are going the magnum route it may be cheaper to get a P14 bolt than modifying the 17 bolt and extractor..
Bob

I ordered a P14 bolt to cover my bases. We'll see what the smith says and if I can get there. Calling for alot of snow in the area the next few days. CEH may be doing alot of gun cleaning this weekend down here.