Winchester 1917 rifle

[evan price]

Was browsing a pawnshop and came across a rifle marked WINCHESTER MODEL OF 1917.
I assume it is a Win M1917 in .30-06?

It was sporterized into a "modern" stock with some sort of fancy adjustable rear sight- can't remember the name-

Worth $450?

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

No, not worth $450 now that's it's been hacked on. Maybe $250-$325 depending on condition.

Yes, it's probably a "US, model of 1917", aka "P17 Enfield", which happened to have been one of the Winchester made ones, assuming it's marked properly.

A Winchester in good condition would have been worth $600-$900 or more if it were in original configuration. A Winchester sporterized is worth no more than any other make of 1917 sporterized, even though worth more in original config.

 

[bonza]

It would be an Enfield Model 1917 that was MANUFACTURED by Winchester. Model 1917 rifles were made by a number of manufacturers, including Winchester, Remington, & Eddystone under contract to the U.S. Government. They were one of the more common GI-issue rifles of WW1, with the '03 Springfield being the primary issue rifle, I believe. To my knowledge, they came about due to the fact that the British had contracted with some U.S. manufacturers to manufacture the Pattern 1914 Enfield, which is basically the same as the Model 1917 except chambered for the .303 British cartridge. When the U.S.A. got into WW1 they didn't have enough Springfields to go around, so the decision was made to use existing tooling & modify the P.14 to use the .30/06 cartridge & it was issued as the M.17.

 

[Blacksmoke]

As I recall the 1917 had a 26 inch barrel and peep sights. They were a sturdy and accurate rifle. It is a shame so many were cut up for "sporterizing".

 

[kragluver]

I have both a sporterized M1917 and one in original condition. The Sporter was handed down through the family and is a real tack-driver. I concur that its a shame to see pieces of history sporterized (now), but keep in mind that our fathers and grandfathers probably never thought these old rifles would be collectors items. There were over 2-million made! The spoters sure make good hunting companions

 

[Hoppy590]

They were a sturdy and accurate rifle. It is a shame so many were cut up for "sporterizing".

but there was millions of them made and they only cost 50$. theres no way they would ever be worth anything. right.

lets hack em up!
*( not directed at you, but you know the guys im talking about)

450 is alot for a molested M1917.

what was "sporterized" on it, just the stock?

where the rear ears and sight still in place?

http://world.guns.ru/rifle/enfield_p14_fs.jpg

but keep in mind that our fathers and grandfathers probably never thought these old rifles would be collectors items. There were over 2-million made! The spoters sure make good hunting companions

quick some one find the pictures of the hacked up M1 garand. when its the fanboy rifle people will sing a differant tune

 

[frankadams]

Sporterizer

Ok, I'm one of those guys who did the dirty deed and had one sporterized. I got it from my father, who purchased it right after WWII. As I remember it, he purchased it through the NRA, for the grand price of $7 (seven dollars). He didn't use it often, and I took it after muleys a half dozen times.


Anyway, it's pretty much sentimental and useful; definitely not a collector piece.

But I would be interested if anybody knows of a site where I can find out the actual manufacturer and/or approximate date of manufacture?

It's marked:

U.S.
Model of 1917
Winchester

and has a s/n of 478xx


Any ideas?


Frank Adams

 

[Hoppy590]

almost all M1917s were produced in 1917 or 1918

a rifle in the 478XX serial range was made in 1917

Source: armscollectors.com

ADDED*
Further information

a rifle in the 478XX serial range would have been made in November of 1917

More info & Source: http://www.odcmp.com/Forms/M1917.pdf

 

[doubs43]

There were, as mentioned, three manufacturers of the Model 1917 rifles; Winchester, Remington and Eddystone. Eddystone was owned by Remington and made the largest number of rifles of the three plants. Remington made rifles were second and Winchester made the fewest.

While the 1903 Springfield was the standard US Army issue rifle, more Model of 1917 rifles were issued to the Doughboys than the 1903 during WW1. The three plants producing the 1917 were able to turn them out in great numbers so more saw service in the hands of our troops.

 

[Wirtbowhunter]

I've got a sporterized 1917 winchester. I bought it several years ago for 100 dollars not knowing what I was buying. I came to find out that it was probably worth the 100 I paid for it but not much more.

 

[gun nut chris15]

stripper clips

Well I have a original 1917 winchester produced by winchester and was wondering if stripper clips are a good idea for this gun.

 

[451 Detonics]

quick some one find the pictures of the hacked up M1 garand. when its the fanboy rifle people will sing a differant tune

or hack it up even more and add M-14 mags to it...



As someone said there were millions of these rifles made, some of the sporters made on them command 4 figure price tags today. If the 1917 in question was a Griffin and Howe $450 would be the buy of the century. Same can be said for several other companies that sporterized these fine olf guns.

These rifles are not holy relics, they are guns. I don't see anyone complaining about all the mods done to guns today that might become collector pieces in the future. If a firearm has historical significance and the providence to back it up I agree it should be left alone. But if it is just one of a couple million run of the mill rifles i have no problem sporterizing it. Btw...depending on who made it, that rear sight could be worth $450 by itself...

 

[BrocLuno]

I got some sportered 1917's and my BIL has an original issue to his dad (Coastal Watch - never returned ). Some of the sporters were professional jobs. When you say "some sort of fancy adjustable sight" - I'll bet it has target grade peep w/o the disk in hunting mode? It could very well be worth the money depending on who built it and when? Action is heavy and strong. Many were built to magnums (of all sorts). It'll easily support a H&H 375 and an go bigger without to much trickery.

 

[happygilmore]

M1917 Winchester

What do you guys find to be the best round for these?
150- grain or 172-grain (can they handle the PSI of these)
Just bought one and trying to learn more about them...

 

[oldgold]

Fourty years ago I bought a 1917 fo $17, Cut the barrel added williams sights , a tip off mount and lost it in a divorce before it was finished. Somehow my now brother-in-law got ahold of it and gave it to me.

I restocked it, finished it and worked up a load it likes. $450 wouldn't buy it now.

 

[AABEN]

Blacksmoke They was sold to a lot of people that could not afford a winchester or Remington but could get a good used Military gun and later have it cut down to carry hunting that is why most was sportered. I have a Eddie stone that was used to take meat for the family for years. I still use it to take deer. Yes it was cut down now it is sportered most people that first look at it want to know what make it is.

 

[AJumbo]

I learned to shoot rifles using my grand-dad's Winchester-made P17. He had sporteized himself, but left the GI sights in place. He claimed it had never missed a shot at game, or that a second shot was ever necessary. My uncle got it after Grand-dad died, and it disappeared some time thereafter. Breaks my heart. I loved that ugly old rifle.

There are those who believe that Alvin York used a P17 when he earned his Medal of Honor. Apparently, the '03 wasn't in available in sufficient quantities to arm the whole US Army so the P17 was issues as a substitute standard. York's outfit was known to have carried them.

It liked 180-gr bullets, but fired 150s with plenty of accuracy and less recoil; that's important for a 12-year-old kid. Grand-dad used the former for elk, the latter for deer.

 

[happygilmore]

Thanks AJumbo

I wasnt sure if the heavier bullet (with the higher pressure) was designed before or after the 17?
I tend to like the heavier as i shoot longer distances and the 150 tends to not cut the 500+ yds as well.

I tried to find info on net to no avail thanks for post

 

[HKGuns]

Since Winchester made the fewest 1917's I would snag that one, even at that price, unless it is a really bad sporter.

 

[velocette]

Happygilmore;
The P17 is probably the strongest mil surp bolt rifle ever made. It's long Controlled feed action has been used to chamber many a magnum round in many sporting rifles. It is strong enough to handle virtually any round you may choose to chamber it in.

Roger

 

[Jim Watson]

I wasnt sure if the heavier bullet (with the higher pressure) was designed before or after the 17?

A heavier bullet does not mean the chamber pressure is higher.
Pressure specifications are fixed, the powder type and charge are adjusted to not exeed the limit when the bullet is changed.
You will be just fine with a 180 grain bullet. Or any other.

 

[conhntr]

Unless its to be used in a m1. Pressure may be the same but the curve is different

 

[murdoc rose]

worth it in collector value no, but you would be getting a much better rifle than any "deer rifle" on the market for that price if the bore is sound.

 

[Jim Watson]

Unless its to be used in a m1.

That's the famous 1917 M1, eh?

For that matter, the M1 rifle was designed to shoot the M1 ammunition, 173 gr.
A number of target shooters used 180 grain bullets because that was as close as you could get in commercial bullets. Powder choice is what matters, you have to keep the port pressure to what the operating rod will handle.