The forgotten American Enfield

[cluttonfred]

Some of you will remember my message about the American Enfield (U.S. Rifle, Model of 1917) that my WWII veteran grandfather has found for me.

Well, I just watched "The Lost Battalion" starring Rick Schroder, from beginning to end for the first time, and I have to say that after watching that film, with the huge rear sight and rugged front sight of the Enfield visible in almost every scene, if you've never yearned to own your own 1917, you will.

Cheers,

Matthew

 

[BigGunsMoreFun]

I like that rifle

The 1917 Enfield is on the top of my list for my next gun. I think they are great rifles. I'm just waiting to find one in decent shape and decent working order.

I've seen a few at gunshows but they are way overpriced and in very poor shape. The last one I saw looked like it had been at the bottom of the ocean for the last 50 years. The wood was darn near rotted off of it and the pitting and rust were really bad. The guy wanted $800 for this junker.

I'm sure I'll run across a good one sooner or later and when I do, she will be mine. It's a must have for me.

Molon Labe,
Joe

 

[Chipperman]

Love the Movie and the Rifle.

 

[kwelz]

Wonderful Rifles. I wish I still had mine.

 

[MMCSRET]

I agree, I am the proud owner of a 1917 Enfield made in 1918 by Winchester. I also have and shoot an all original 1914 Enfield made by Remington.

 

[mukluk]

Good movie, good rifle.

 

[lysander]

My brother in law works in HVAC...he did a side job for a guy and the guy offered him the cash as agreed...or a fantastic Eddystone Enfield. My suspicion is that the guy didn't quite know what he had on his hands...and though my BIL isn't exactly a "collector" something in his gut told him to take the deal...

...it was a good call.

 

[buck460XVR]

Bought mine for $25 back in 1968 and been killin' deer and coyotes with it ever since.

 

[wizzegun]

The M1917s are definately under appreciated. Everybody wants an 03 Springfield even though there were MORE 1917s in WWI. The prices have been creeping up to 03 ranges so I would suggest getting one soon. With the centennial anniversary of the Great War approaching, I imagine all this stuff will take off as well.

 

[Ash]

I enjoyed that movie. There were some scenes, though, where the US troops carried Gew 98 Mausers.

Ash

 

[Threeband]

Yup, good movie, great rifle. (A tad heavy!).

I remember your thread from June. Still climbing the walls waiting? Patience, good things will come.

You must post pictures when you get your rifle. "It didn't happen if you have no pictures."

I hope your pictures will be a lot better than mine though. Take them outdoors, in sunlight.

Meanwhile, you do know that a penny is an important accessory for a '17, don't you? (especially for disassembling the bolt.) I went out and got a 1917 penny at a coin shop to go with mine. (Though I confess I long ago missplaced it. The penny, not the rifle.)

Anyway, here's my bad picture again:



(I forget what that rifle on top is called. It's some obscure model.)

 

[xd45gaper]

i realllllllyyy want one of these rifles.. i saw one at a local gunshop that had "guadal canal" scratched into the stock i think they wanted something like1700$ for it.!

 

[Sunray]

Go rent 'Zulu' and 'Zulu Dawn'. 'Zulu' being the better movie. You'll want to run out and buy a .577-.450 Martini-Henry with a bayonet.

 

[DougW]

Being a collector of British Enfields, I got my hands on a beautiful Pattern 14 made by Remington in a near even trade for a #4mk1. I am certain that I got the better part of that trade! Never thought I would own one.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I too love the model 1917. I have a sporterized one, and had an original one which I gave to my brother. I would like to get a .303 model 14 to go with the 17.

 

[cluttonfred]

As a matter of fact, Threeband, and all, I did post some pics here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4589830&postcount=3

But get this...I got a message from my Grandfather last week:

"Forget the 1917...my mistake. I thought you wanted collector pieces. I will keep this one. I have gotten another 1917 at a lower price...$262.50. It's from a dealer and I had to fill out paper work as the purchaser. Nothing else has turned up as of now. New serial #1193XXX.I have all the paper work for transfer whenever. I have test fired it and will keep looking."

The beginning of the message referred to the fact that I told him I wanted nice rifles, but shooters, something I won't field bad about firing as much as I want. Now, I love and trust my Gramps, and I know he'd never do me wrong, but I do have a sneaking suspicion he liked the 1917 so much that he found another one so he could keep the pretty one. ;-)

In fairness, he's deaf as a post, so communication isn't what is could be. No worries. That's OK, I've got him looking for anything U.S., a Savage-made Lee-Enfield or a really nice Mosin Nagant or SKS. I should have a quite a collection and someday I'll even get to see it, haha.

Cheers,

Matthew

 

[dagger dog]

Did you know that SGT. Alvin York, used the Enfield in his WWI exploits?
When the Gary Cooper version of the movie was produced they switched the rifle to the '03 Springfield, but York preferred the Enfield to the '03 stating the action was smoother!

 

[Threeband]

I had missed that second thread. Good stuff there: I'll have to check my ejector. (And your mother takes good pictures.)

I know my Eddystone-with-a-Remington-barrel-Mixmaster was refurbished at San Antonio Arsenal, based on the SAA stock cartouche.

So if I understand this, you are currently overseas, and your Grandfather is picking up rifles for you, and sending you the pictures?

That's got to be frustrating for you. Sounds like a great guy though. I suspect those rifles are going to become treasured heirlooms in your family.

By the way, he seems to have a knack for finding good deals. Can he get me a nice '03 shooter? And maybe a Krag?

 

[cluttonfred]

Gramps used to have a retail gun shop, and after that ended he then just had a small side business with a full FFL, even automatic weapons, for something like 40 years. All my life, he's been pulling treasures out to show me, and sometimes shoot. The list is too long to mention--original issue Krag carbine, original "Trapdoor" Springfield, Garands, M1 Carbines. I learned to shoot pistols with a Nazi-issue Walther P-38, and sometimes we'd have a whole brace of 1903 Springfields and the whole family plinking with the big guns. We have pics that would make Charleton Heston proud -- my little brothers and cousins too small to hold the Tommy, so an adult would hold it while they squeezed the trigger with both hands. We never needed fireworks for July 4, just the Thompson M1A1 and some loaded mags.

All that's in the past now. Our shooting range is now a retirement community, and most of the collection has been sold off or given to his five sons, my uncles. He is slowing down some, but he still has his C&R license, and he still goes to work the big gun auctions as an expert assistant to the auctioneer. Since I am overseas, now he's my "agent," adding things to his collection on my behalf.

Did I mention that he was a PBY Catalina pilot in WWII, and shares with another pilot credit for one German U-boat which both planes depth-charged and damaged? The German surfaced and surrendered, so they each get half a submarine. Not bad for a kid with just a high school education and a few years at East Coast Aero Tech.

 

[lionking]

nothing forgotten about them to me

Here is a Winchester I got 3 months ago,overall decent shape but with a upper guard that is a bit chewed up.It shoots decent though I can't lower the sights any more and hense it shoots low even at the lowest setting.Any ideas to make it shoot bullseye with a 6 O clock hold?

 

[lionking]

and my excellent/minty condition Remington.The targets illustrate a days shooting with it with the groups diverse and that has to do with me not the rifle as I have to become more use to it.

 

[JShirley]

Love the 1917. Maybe 15 years ago, commercial rebuilds in 7mm Mag and .300 Win Mag were offered. God, I'd love one in 7mm.

John

 

[missouri dave]

I love mine. It was unfortunately sporterized before I got it. Still a nice rifle though.

 

[onebigelf]

My 1917. Picked it up at a local Pawn Shop for $250 plus tax a few months ago.

 

[Jeff F]

Those are some gorgeous rifles. I would love to get one of the .303's I think they were 1914's. One of the 1917's would be nice also, I'm big into anything Enfield.