Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Does a Winchester m1917 count???

RGK, you fellow lefty. Here are some photos of the rifle. I shot it the other day and it is a damn tack driver. We were having some gale force winds, but I still went. I loaded up some good bullets, that I've been hanging on to for a while, for just this occasion, thinking the higher BC would buck the wind better. This didn't help with the wind blowing the target stand over and shaking my shooting bench. Wind flags were all over the place, surprised I was even on the target. Anyway, after 10 months here's the rifle:






Here's what I did to it Saturday after I bought it:

1. Re-drilled and tapped the receiver for 6-48 scope mounts screws. I don't know what it had, but they were not your typical 6-48 threads. What a pita to tap this hard as the hubs of hell receiver. Got her done though and the Weaver #12's are screwed on tight.

2. Glass bed the weaver #12 scope bases to the receiver of the rifle. Blue loctited the mounting screws.

3. Modified the extractor so the CRF functions properly/smoothly/perfectly.

4. Skeletonized the heavy azzed mag box to lighten it up.

5. Stoned and polished the trigger/sear, may eventually just buy a Timney like I normally do with these m1917 rifles.

6. Modified the ejector to accept a coil spring. The original leaf spring on the ejector was intact until I thought to myself that is going to be the first thing I change, then it broke... Easy modification and worth every penny!!

I realize this is not a Winchester model 70, but after growing up with one of these, you become kind of biased toward them. I love these "poor man's model 70" rifles... Don't think too poorly of me...

I don't think I'm going to have the rifle cerakoted like I had originally intended. The bluing is too nice. I realized this after getting it home and cleaning her up. I will probably re-shape the stock a bit, but as it is the cheek rest and palm swell fit me like a glove. It feels awesome when shouldering and shooting in the offhand position. I plan on shooting this one in the hunting rifle centerfire shoot this Saturday. Wish me luck!!