Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats sporterized Eddystone

OK so I picked up a sporterized Eddystone 30-06. It has what I think is an old school Bishop stock on it with the white line spacers and a Monte Carlo cheekrest. I already have a nice good shooting 06 so I don't really need another.But I really like this rifle so I want to do something with it. Thinking about getting it rebored to 35 whelen or 9.3x62. Or what would be involved in making it a 300 win. magnum or 338 magnum? Or maybe an 8 mm Remington magnum? Or maybe a 300 H&H magnum? Will work on trying to get pics of it, its just old school cool. Not really sure what I want to do with it so I figured I'd throw it out here and see what you guys think and what I would be getting into with it. Thanks, Don

35 Whelen

Perfect candidate for a 9.3x62mm rebore. Look JES up... I am thinking about having one done myself...

If I decide to get it rebored I will definitely have it done by JES. I picked this rifle up along with a Stevens 200 in 7mm-08 for $400 for the pair so I don't have much in it. I think this will be kind of a work in progress. It is drilled and tapped for scope mounts so that much is done. I also want to get the stock checkered and refinished and possibly get it reblued at some point. Then when he's old enough I'll give it to my oldest grandson. My youngest grandson has already laid claim to my Weatherby and my granddaughter wants my Ruger 77 30-06.
The Stevens I think I'm just gonna put a Boyds laminate stock and a half decent 3-9 scope on it and call it good if it shoots decent. Thinking maybe a Redfield Revolution.
Not sure what scope will go on the Eddystone yet...probably a 3-9 Leupold of some sort.

Pictures?

What level of customization, have the "ears" been ground off, dogleg bolt handle replaced?

DF

I'll try to get pictures up tomorrow.
Ears are ground off and it is drliied and tapped.

Sounds like you made one heck of a deal.

Those big ole actions are built like tanks. They'll make into a .404J or about any big round.

DF

Here's one Tom Burgess turned into a .404J.

Not sure how one could reproduce this level of work today must less cover the cost.

DF

Wow! Beautiful. More pics, please!

That sure is a beauty. However, I prefer the m1917 style safety over the model 70 wing type. DF, your collection sure is nice..

Reboring to .35 Whelen would definately be my choice, brass is readily available or can easily be formed from .30-06. There are also a myriad of choices when it comes to bullets, you can shoot jacketed, cast bullets and .357 pistol bullets. I had a pre '64 Winchester M/70 rebored to .35 Whelen about 25 years ago, it is one of my favorite centerfire rifles.

Wish it was mine. Got that photo on line a few years back when I was building a .404J on a SS M-70 RUM. I like the Enfield safety, too. The only reason I'd go with the M-70 safety would be familiarity with that set up.

DF

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10478656

Check this one out.

DF

I shoot lefty, it seems to be easier to manipulate than the wing type. However, I grew up with an old sporterized m1917, so it may just be I'm very familiar with that style. I really miss my BSA model D!!!!!

Getting rid of that ugly dog leg bolt handle helps a lot.

A 1917 done up right is a real jewel.

DF

I'm sure you are talking to the op, because that one I posted a pic of isn't a m1917 bolt handle... It is actually a factory sporterized M1917, done in England by Birmingham Small Arms company. No where near custom like the one you posted a pic of, but very usable and one of my favorite hunting rifles.

I have a Remington 1917 in 338-06.....IMO the 1917 makes for a damn heavy gun for anything on the 30-06 case....unless you dont have to pack the gun around i wouldnt do much of anything but a big case so that weight is put to good use soaking up recoil energy....if i wind up keeping mine it will likely end up being remade into something like a 404 Jeffery or a 416 Rigby or something like that...a 338-06 that weights over 9 pounds all up kicks like a 25-06 in a normal weight rifle but winds up being left in the safe when it comes time to grab something to hike the hills with...

I have a winchester p17 in 9.3x62. Great cartridge and works very well in this platform.

.338-06 would be my choice.

Hmmm...some interesting thoughts here and that is a beautiful rifle pictured. I know to go to a whelen or a 338-06 or a 9.3x62 is a simple rebored, but what would be involved in going to a magnum? The 8mm Remington mag has always intrigued me. Or maybe a 338 Winchester magnum?
On and yes it still has the dog leg bolt.
Still trying to get pics. Have them in my phone but mobile photobucket is not cooperating.

Since no one else is going to answer your magnum question, you need to open up the bolt face, refit the extractor so it grips the bigger case, mag box needs to be lengthened for the longer magnums like 300 WBY and 8mm rem mag. The 338 win mag will function in the standard enfield mag box. A lot of guys wanting magnums on an enfield action just used the P14's because the bolt face was already opened up for the 303 British. Whatever you decide to do, take your time and do it right. I might also suggest having it cerakoted instead of blued. It may cost you less and protect the metal better than a good bluing job. Here's my 338 win mag I had cerakoted midnight blue:





I look forward to seeing pics of your enfield...

Yes, your bolt handle looks good.

The military dog leg bolt handle is ugly, IMO.

Of course, I like the Oberndorf looking handle, like Tom Burgess built.

If I was building on an Enfield, that's the look I'd want.

I have a 98 FN Mauser with that type handle and I like it a lot.

DF

That's a beauty. One thing I have to comment on about the dog leg bolt handle is I've heard it can smack the shooters trigger finger upon firing the rifle. However, I've never had this happen since I shoot left handed.

Yes,but the bolt stem locks into the reciever for added safety. Look at the pic BSA has up above. See how it locks into the receiver in front of the safety.

I have one that one day will be finished its on a Winchester 1917 with a douglas barrel in a 300 Weatherby mag. Who ever ground the ears off they took to much metal so the rifle is at Dean Zollingers and get surfaced ground by my buddy under Dean supervision :)I bought some of the last 1917 bottom metal that Duane Wiebe made or was making. I got ahold Ed Lapour couple days ago asking about 3 position safety unfortunately he said he wont have any until next summer

J, I had a custom built m1917 chambered in 300 WBY and it was a sweet shooter!!! Rifle was pretty heavy so recoil was minimized. I truly enjoyed shooting the rifle. 84gr's of 7828 got those 180's to moving pretty well...

The lug stays. Cut the old bolt handle and weld the new one to the lug with no loss of action strength or alteration to the backup locking lug set up.

DF

Ok gotcha.

Not sure with the M-70 set up or how the Enfield safety is hooked to the frame. It looks like the metal behind the bolt handle lug isn't there with the M-70 safety modification.

I've handled Enfields, just never took one apart to see how the safety works.

Would appreciate info from someone who has done that.

DF

This is a pic of my 1917 with the Burgess bolt handle.

I used one of Duane's first pieces of bottom metal. Didn't know that he was quitting.

I have a 1917 made by Winchester that was converted to .300 H&H. I found it in a gun shop in Colorado Springs a few years back. The asking price was $99 + tax, when I looked at it the bolt face, feed rails, and bottom metal had been worked over, the original military barrel was rechambered, received was D&T, and a speed lock kit had been installed. So the price they were asking I thought it was a no brained.the hardest thing was finding the proper base to fit the screw spacing.

Here is how it pretty much looked like when I bought it.


I spent about $900 total including purchase, restocking, bedding, Timney trigger, and a Leupold VXIII 2.5-8X36. It was a fun project, but the rifle is a little on the heavy side, but it didn't turn out terrible.

Looks good.

Tough ole guns, for sure.

DF

I like that one too. Even with its dog leg bolt handle...

I'll have to agree with you on that...

DF

Well the dog leg isn't my favorite nor the laminated stock, but I was trying to do this as cheaply as possible. Wound up getting into it for more money than I wanted as the stock was inleted so poorly I took it to Kevin Weaver to be massaged into shape and had him bed it. That was about $350 of the total money spent on the rifle.

15 years ago I watched my brother buy a 1917 30-06 in the parking lot of a gun show for $35.

The barrel wants a 303 bullet.

MacFarland's gunsmithing book devotes all 35 pages about sporterizing to the 1917:
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-modern-gunsmithing-Harold-MacFarland/dp/0064634264

That is because the 1917 requires everything and more that other surplus rifles require for sporterizing.


This is my 50th year of sporterizing Mausers.
It is never worth it.
You have to want to do it.

I found another Burgess Enfield photo in my Photobucket Library.

DF

Some beautiful rifles here. My P-14 was a relatively easy conversion to .375 H&H. Biggest problem was feeding properly, but all in price was under $800, so l can't kick. Heavy, but with that round, l don't mind.

DF, That is one fine piece right there. I ran across an original Weatherby that Roy put together on an enfield action. It was almost as nice as that one. I wish I would have bought it!!!!!

One of my slickest feeding customs was a m1917 sporter 300 WBY. It was so slick, that you had to almost watch the cartridge load just so you knew it went in the chamber. I remember watching as I slowly pushed the bolt forward and watched the rim of the case slide right up into the extractor. No hang ups or glitches, just perfect function. I do miss that rifle..

Well it turns out that I won't be doing anything with the one I got as I was made an offer I couldn't refuse. When it was all said and done I ended up with a Stevens 200 7mm-08 for $50. Buying the pair wasn't even a thought till I was offered such à good deal on them.I originally only wanted the 7mm-08 for my daughter to use anyway so it worked out pretty good.
Thanks for all the advice everyone and I never know what I might buy tomorrow so this may get revisited again.

Very nice! DArcy Echols stock work. Lovely rifle.

A big action requires a big round. I'd go 358 Norma or 8mm RM.
I made my Winchester '17 into a 375 H&H AI. I have to finish the wood yet - gimme 2 more years and it will be done.
I flopped my bolt handle forward. I LIKE the dogleg, but I like it the other way on a heavy recoiler.

I don't like my trigger finger being bumped, either. That set up should give you plenty of space.

On a couple of rifles, I flattened the bolt knob, removing the part that hit my finger.

Works very well and you don't really notice the modification, viewing the rifle from the side.

DF



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