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

Well, I started out on a really nice sporterized m1917 and I'm very partial to them. I'm thinking about getting another one, but a custom left hand stocked rifle. When I work the bolt on this rifle, it brings back fond memories. Hope you guys don't look down on me for this, but for a hunting rifle, they fit me better and function a little easier than my sacred Pre 64's. I know it's blasphemous and I do apologize, but am being honest. The gun shop owner has had this particular rifle in the back of his safe for a couple years now and it may just come home with me in a few weeks...I'm thinking about re-boring it to 9.3x62mm and doing a few mods to it to make it a little more aesthetically pleasing. If I get it, I'll have it cerakoted like my 338 in midnight blue. I'll also refinish and re-contour the stock a bit. Pre64Hornet's thread made me want to start another project myself. I just wish I knew how to checker stocks!!!!!

I have a Winchester 1917 as well with one of the last produced Duane Wiebe Bottom metal, Remington model 30 trigger (brownells was selling them at one time), cock on opening conversion, Douglas barrel chambered in a 300 weatherby (I bought it this way), piece of French walnut stock and one day might finish the project up its at my buds place in Idaho.

I had an original 1917 Winchester I let go at a weak moment several years ago with original Kerr sling on it. One I kick myself over. I also had a 1917 with Elmer Keith's inspector stamp when he was an armorer at the Ogden Armory. Yes, stupidly I don't have that one either.

Nothing with a 1917. I had a few when I was into US military rifles. I think it was a far better combat rifle than the 1903, with a much better rear sight. Stronger, too.

Project guns are always more fun, BSA. Photos!
Bob

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!!

Awesome! I think the only thing that one needs is a checkering job. Nothing fancy, just a nice point pattern with borders; it'll look correct for the era and feel great. Glad you FINALLY got a '17.
Bob

I like em, I had a chance to buy one still wrapped in heavy paper,and cosmoline,It has not been dicked with since it left factory, or rebuild depot.... very tempting, I also have a line locally from an arsenal rebuild that looks real nice, the old fellow that owns has nailed many whitetails with her, he says his eyes just cannot work with the military irons and the weight makes his style of walk ,stop and look ,hard at his age anymore, it is a nice old gun, heavy sob! very best WinPoor

There is a very nice Winchester 1917 custom Flaig rifle in my area that is for sale. The stock work is amazing.

I am also a fan of the P14 and P17 rifles. Yours is beautifully done.

Cool old school back in the day milsurp sporter.

Thanks guys. I didn't know what kind of response to expect. I'm glad there are still a few of us out there that appreciate these old rifles. This one is different indeed, but since I shoot left handed, it's been calling my name for about 10 months now. I finally had to take it home with me....

Good news. Took the rifle to the centerfire shoot (hunting rifle class) and shot a 100-4x with it. Had some newbies at the range today that pissed me off though. They were sighting in their rifles on a target 10 feet to the right of mine and shot my fu cking target 3 times. RSO told them they were shooting the wrong target and they said "oops, we thought we could shoot those targets". Then I said FU CK!!. I was shooting my .223 rem then. When we got the clear your firearms and make range cold call out, one of the stupid f ucks had an accidental discharge with his AR and shot the dirt 5 feet in front of the benches.. Glad I'm home safe right now with no bullet holes in me....!!!! Here's the target I shot with my Ruger m77 mkII .223 rem. with the 3 extra holes in it. Guess which ones are not mine:



It was windy yesterday, as a storm was moving in and we got done shooting right before it started to come down. Hope you guys are having a good weekend.

Oh yeah, I also blued the bolt handle on the m1917 and threw a pre 64 model 70 Winchester extractor on it to give it a more subdued look:



Now I'm off to buy a timney trigger for this one. You should see the military trigger. Someone put a piece of metal in to take up the slop on the 2 stage trigger, so it acts like a single stage, but it's gritty as hell and kind of tacky. I've always just thrown in the $58.00 Timney sportsman and said to hell with working on the military sob. It's not like a good sweedish mauser trigger..

Well done sir!

No, original pre-64 standard rifle is already heavy enough. I don't see advantage in carrying bigger crowbar unless it is chambered in 500A2 or 577A2.

Great looking rifle BSA. My future plan is get a 1917 and rechamber/rebore to 400 Whelen. They are built like tanks and seem like a perfect platform for the 400.

Yep, they are great for bigger cartridges like the 404 Jeffery, 416, 378 WBY, etc. etc... I know A square used to make some nice dangerous game rifles out of them.

So I put the Timney in the other day and it was a pain in the azz. I've done about 5 Timneys in these m1917's and they were drop in and a little stock relief and you were golden. This rifle has the Dayton Traister (I believe) speed lock cock on open kit and the cocking piece is different than the original military one. I had to modify the sear on the Timney to get the bolt to open after you pull the trigger. It works like a million dollars now though and is completely safe. Safety works great, it's all adjusted to 2.5 pounds and will make an improvement over the 4.5 pound gritty pull of the military trigger that was in it. I'll shoot it this weekend and see how much the groups shrink. I know it's going to make a huge difference in field positions/hunting as well as paper punching.

Well, I reshaped the stock a little bit to fit me instead of the original owner. I did away with the tacky roll over and lengthened the grip. Went to an easy to care for oil finish too. I also shortened the maple burl piece on the grip which was too long and tacky as well. Still needs a good Pachmayr decelerator. Rifle not perfect, but I think it's huntable now. Eventually it might get re-bored to a 9.3x62m:






I also free floated the barrel and re-glass bed the action. There was too much pressure on the barrel and noticed the poi shifted between range visits. Now since the barrel has been floated, that hasn't been an issue. Shoots to the same place now, which is how a good hunting rifle should act.

Thanks Bob. I've had great 17's in the past, but stupidly got rid of them. Grew up using one in Nevada, so I'm pretty partial to them. I'll hang on to this one for a looooooong time.

That reshaping and oil finish came out mucho nice. The ultimate righty/lefty rifle. Great candidate for a "I only need one rifle" discussion.
Bob