Over There- M1917 Range Report

[Mauserguy]

Well, yesterday I had a day off of work, so I headed out to the desert with my recently purchased M1917, US Enfield. She is an Eddystone. I had always wanted one, since this was the rifle that Grandpa carried in the Great War, so I jumped at a good deal at the local gun show few months ago. I shot her one time before, but not very seriously. This time I wanted to push her, and myself a bit.

I found the loading for the 30-06 cartridge as it existed in WWI. It's a pretty mild load for a 30-06. I figured that if I could approximate the original load, I could get the sights to closely match the bullets trajectory. I loaded some cases and headed for the desert.

I shot at several ranges, from about fifty yards out to 400 yards. She is very smooth shooting rifle. The recoil was lite and charging the magazine with stripper clips was very easy. Running out to check my targets felt like being on the Meuse, not the high desert. I love this gun. Anyway, below are a few pictures of my baby. I hope you like them.
Mauserguy


This was one of my shooting positions. The targets are set up at various ranges extending up the far hill and no, I didnt shoot any joshua trees.

This was my 300 yard target. The Enfield was shooting on level, but placing the shots about a foot left at this range. You can see that the shots were centered around the upper left hand quadrant of the target. I know, I'm a lousy shot, but heck, I could barely see the target out there and I was having fun.

Here's Mauserguy with his nifty, eighty year old gun.

Lastly, for some fun, here's my other baby at the beach.

 

[P.B.Walsh]

well, glad you have a desert to go shoot, I wish I did, keep on having fun.

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

Great pictures! I'd had never seen a desert until 5-years ago when my wife and I went to Vegas. Went up to the Valley of Fire. The vastness and beauty is hard to get use to when you live in the northeast.

 

[nitetrane98]

What a great old gun. My Dad bought one back in the 50's for about 20 bucks from the Bon Marche in Seattle WA. I can remember sitting at the kitchen table cleaning cosmoline off a few parts he let me do. He proceeded to "sporterize" it, (just took the forestocks off to lighten it up a bit) and it was his one and only deer rifle. He brought 'em home with iron sights. Years later when he moved to Illinois and found it was shotgun only for deer I got it and put a scope mount on it. A neat little deal that mounted on the leaf sight ears and extended out over the breech. Very accurate. My son now has it.

I hunted with it at Ft. Hood, TX one year and an oldtimer commented, "I used to get 10 bucks a month extra because I could hit a target at 1K yards with one of those."

 

[Tinpig]

Beautiful old rifle. Great to see you're keeping her going.

Tinpig

 

[Mauserguy]

I couldn't imagine hitting anything out at 1000 yards. I couldn't even see the target that far out.

It's getting hot now, but I will try to get her out again in a few weeks. My dillema, though, at this point is whether I should adjust the front sight to correct the windage. It's currently set at the factory witness mark, so I am reluctant to start monkeying with it, but it is definately off a wee bit.

Also, I need to find a bayonet for it. I've seen a few, but holy mackerel, the prices on these things will keep my kids from going to college.
Mauserguy

 

[Eightball]

It's currently set at the factory witness mark, so I am reluctant to start monkeying with it, but it is definitely off a wee bit.

Firstly, fixed your spelling. Secondly......a lot of good the sights do you if they don't actually work all that well. If you bought it for a collector piece, then take note of where the sights are before you mess with them. Otherwise.....make 'em work the way they should, and plant those rounds on your target.