What's it worth?

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

My father n' law has an Enfield 1917 in 30-06. (I've sort of confescated it so it doesn't get lost) Function looks good. Nothing special about that trigger. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts. Barrel bluing is almost gone, but there's no pitting or rust. The stock is a sporterized piece of what looks to be European Walnut with cheek piece on the right, sort of like a left handed stock on a right handed rifle. Rifling looks good, but I haven't shot this to know if it's as accurate as my 03-A3.

I've taken my eldest son to task to hand sand the stock so we can re-finish it together. (Good 'out of school/summer project for him)

I'd like to make it, 'nicer', without pouring a bunch of money into it, and offer it to one of the grand kids. Not my boys, as it's not something for them.. They like the .243 and my 30-30's right now. But I don't want to put more work into it than it's worth.

So, what's it worth? I could coat the barrel and receiver with some home kit I suppose. I'll bet there's a Timney trigger available...

-Steve

 

[rbernie]

If it still has the rear sightr ears and sight assembly - STOP. It's worth some money. If not, well, then carry on.

Bubba versions (sans rear sight ears) go for $150-$250 dollars depending on quality of sporterization. Intact versions sell for $500 and up.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

Can you send me a link to a photo of what, 'sight ears', I'll be looking for this evening so I can possibly tell how 'Bubba-ized' this one is? There's no rear or front sight.

-Steve

 

[rbernie]

This rifle has the rear sight ears - that hunk o' steel above the bolt release/bolt handle. If you don't see this on your rifle, they've been ground off the receiver.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

Hmm... I don't need to wait to get home to know this one. Those ears have long been bubba-ized. I'll have to speculate, by a pretty good machinist though. I didn't detect that there was anything missing at all. But I see clearly now.

So, it's just a sporterized rifle. That's OK, sort of what I expected. We'll refinish the stock, (that's a good learning opportunity for the boy), and figure out some sort of sighting system. There's really not much there to glass bed the action.

Does anyone have suggestions for a trigger? This one's got the pre-travel and pull of a stretched lawn mower starter cord, and the let off of a freight train head on into an Amtrac. -Yeah, there's a little over-travel too.

I don't know what I'm going to do about that raised left handed cheek piece.

Now to figure out some sort of durable home coating for the metal. I'm certainly not going to spend money to have this one re-blued.

-Steve

 

[rbernie]

Timney and others make nice triggers for the Enfield 1917. The big question is whether you have the stock magazine floorplate or not - the triggers will be different if your action has already been placed into a sporter (vertically shorter) stock. See http://www.timneytriggers.com/index.php?cPath=25 for details.

There are a couple of options for restocking the action - I'd start with Boyds and see if anything strikes your fancy.

Frankly, my local gunsmith charges me $30 to beadblast and hot blue most any action I give him so long as he doesn't have to do any disassembly or reassembly. Having done a LOT of home cold bluing and spray on finishes - I'd pay the $30 and get it hot-tanked.

 

[USSR]

Drilled and tapped for scope mounts.
So, what's it worth?

Since the receiver has been drilled and tapped, it's been bubba-ized. It's worth is strictly as a shooter now. I would say $150-$200.

Don

 

[ugaarguy]

and figure out some sort of sighting system.

Do you want a scope or irons? Depending on your machining skill, or what the local smithy will charge, perhaps a Parker-Hale or similar micrometer peep rear target sight? If you check e-bay you can find a deal here and there. They ain't cheap, but they're nice. Shoot a PM to PV74, he can tell you all about them.