During WWII, the Alaska Territorial Guard was supplied with M1917s. The ATG was a militia comprised largely of Alaska Natives. They were so impressed with the rifle's ability to work in the cold and ice that at the end of the war many of them ended up in Native villages where they are still taking moose and caribou to this day. The fact that the Alaskans and the Greenlanders preferred them over any other rifles doubtless says something about their utility in harsh, cold environments.
They are still in use in Greenland. After Denmark was overrun by the Nazis, the US supplied them to the unit that became the Sirius Sled Patrol. Still in service to this day, with no plans to change. This Danish Greenland unit captured the German forces (very small units) that had been sent there for weather observation These M1917s have been rebuilt several times and there are no plans to replace them, since the Sirius Sled Patrol has refused anything else. I just thought that was an interesting tidbit of information...Also, you might mention in the future that Alvin York earned his Medal of Honor with one of these fine rifles - not a 1903 as depicted in the movie Sergeant York. Thanks for all the great work. I am a proud Patreon supporter here and have encouraged others to do the same.
Jesse Urban...I wonder if we’ll ever know, definitively, what Sgt. York used when he won the MOH? I have read, on multiple occasions, that there were often a mix of M1917 and M1903 rifles in any given company. And that York, having had a reputation as a marksman within his company, was given a choice of rifles and selected the “03”. Either way he was well armed!
Aaw, I'm all a-flutter. I'd love to handle one of these; the p-14 is a strange one, and I really wish we'd have put more work into it. Or since we were looking to move from .303 to 2.76; at least got rid of the rim to get at least extra capacity into the rifle. Although further development of this over the SMLE may have led to us never developing the No.4 Enfield, which is my raifu~
@@DaddyPims I keep thinking about the number of .303 rimmed weapons around the Empire. Rifles are only one group. In the end they would probably have been trashed because of the amount of work each one would need to be changed and checked. Then there are the machine guns. Lewis seems to have been slightly tricky as it was, even though it was built for the cartridge it had. The firing tables for the Vickers would be reprinted. Don't forget the ammunition supply. A changeover during peace would be bad enough.
I've found it easier to strip the bolt using a coin. Pull the bolt to the rear and flip the safety on, then close the bolt. There should be a space between the cocking piece and the shroud to place a coin perpendicular to the bolt. Flipping the safety off will bring the cocking piece forward lodging the coin in the space. This allows for the cocking piece and shroud to be spun out of the bolt body much easier.
18:25 - plus, besides the extra round in the magazine, you can put one in the chamber and then close the bolt over the rounds in the magazine, for a total of seven rounds up.
I have both the P-14 .303 and the P-17 30-06. They are both excellent firearms. I like how Mae still has a smile on her face even with the stout recoil! Whenever I take them to the range other people want to shoot them!! Many years back I had the P-17 at the range and experienced several misfires. An elderly gentleman approached me and asked if he could help. He deftly removed the bolt and adjusted the firing pin. The rifle worked fine after that. I thanked him and later found out from the range master that he was a WW1 veteran!!! Thanks for your video…
I use an M-1917 for reenacting and target shooting. I would never trade it for a Springfield or any other firearm. Hard hitting, reliable, and easy to take care of.
I was recently gifted with an Eddystone and was extremely excited to watch this episode in particular! Great work on the channel! Keep it up! I love the animations, light box and all of the history you dig up on these old warhorses. One of the things I look forward to most in every episode is the huge smile on May's face when at the range! You can't fake a genuine "I'm having a blast!" smile like that! Keep up the exquisite work guys!
Probably my favorite bolt action military rifle. Have taken many deer with it. Interestingly the Danish Sirius Sled Dog Patrol responsible for Greenland still use this rifle.
Okay, after taking the bolt apart as described in the video, I found it was pretty difficult to get it back together. The cocking piece must be seated in pretty far before rotating, and that’s only before putting it back into the bolt body. To the laymen: bolt springy hard to put back together
seriously though they had full autos back then on the commercial market and shit and Noone gave a darn. People used to be much more acute to their freedoms
I had 3. A Remington, Winchester, & Eddystone. I liked the Eddystone the best because of fit & finish plus ease of operation. The Eddystone worked flawlessly and was more accurate than the other two. All 3 were very very good.
Dont know who made the statement, but it was said that, "the Germans brought a hunting rifle to the war, the US brought a target rifle, and the Brits brought a battle rifle". M1917 most issued US rifle in WW1, by a ratio of about 3 to 1, and none other than Alvin York used one during his heroic deed. He actually says, in his autobiography, that he had a "Remington"
Re: Dont know who made the statement, but it was said that, "the Germans brought a hunting rifle to the war, the US brought a target rifle, and the Brits brought a battle rifle". It's pretty much a bullshit statement, whoever made it, probably a Lee-Enfield fan-boy. The most-versatile and capable rifle and cartridge combination to emerge from the Great War (WWI) was the Springfield M1903 and its 30-06 cartridge, which many firearm historians consider the most-important cartridge of the 20th century. While it is true that the .303 Lee-Enfield Mk SMLE was very fast in action, it paid for that speed by being limited as to its power ~ 90% of the later .308 Winchester. Why? Because the L-E action was not as strong in its lockup as the Mauser-type design (which includes the M1903). That's the reason almost no one makes modern hunting rifles using the Lee-Enfield as the basis for the receiver & action, but rather employs the time-tested Mauser action instead. The Lee-Enfield action simple isn't as suited to high-pressure modern hunting cartridges, let alone magnum chamberings. Even the British had second thoughts about their SMLEs, apparently, since they got as far as making some prototype M1917 rifles, which were based on the Mauser action, though they did not end up adopting it as a replacement for the SMLE or the later no. 1 Mk. IV. The M1917s are excellent rifles, and many later made their way back to Britain during WWII as Lend-Lease. The Home Guard made extensive use of them, amongst others.
@@GeorgiaBoy1961 you know by saying that nobody uses Lee Enfields as a basis for hunting rifles supports the quote saying the Germans brought a hunting rifle, also being 90% of the .308 Winchester sounds like battle rifle range to me
@@alecratterree9576- Oh, good grief, not that tired trope again. You Lee-Enfield fan-boys never give up, do you? If you like your Lee-Enfield, congratulations! Get another one, or two, or three.... either way, I don't care. Is that clear-enough for you? For that matter, why are you wasting time worrying about what I think? It has not bearing on what you do, so why bother?
In UK it was Conscription not The Draft. In WW2 these rifles ended up in Home Gaurd use, with a 2 inch Red Band painted on the stock to signify that they were .30.06
Thank you both for your passion to study history. We must not forget the struggles of our past. My grandfather fought through WW2 from the beginning to the end. My other grandfather fought through the Korean War. Thankfully they both made it home to survive the horrors of war. I more than appreciate your studies into world history. Your videos inspire people around the globe. Thank you for teaching history of engineering and the tools used in these complex conflicts.
I have been gifted as 19017 Enfield rifle I, after owning it for a couple months had my adult son point out the barrel wasn't 24" long. It is a Winchester carbine manufactured in January 1919. Finding information about it is painful. If you have info on the carbine I am dying for it. I really enjoyed your video. I've been a 1903 Springfield lover for 65 years suddenly I have a new love.
There was not a factory carbine variant. It is most likely your rifle was modified by a civilian some time after its time in service. Not an uncommon fate, unfortunately. There were a small number of rifles later cut into carbines during their service lives, but they are very rare today.
The 1917's WWII service in addition to guard duty and rear-echelon service also included it's widespread use by artillerymen and mortarmen. It was especially known for being used by Chemical Mortarmen units during the war as well. But it's biggest testament is that it is still standard issue for the Danish Sirius Patrol in Greenland due to the harsh and bitter cold. An old school compliment to their more modern sidearm choice of the Glock 20 10mm Auto. I'm surprised you managed to get ahold of an unmodified WWI rifle. Most I've seen (Including mine) are WWII refurbishments.
I have the Win in P14 and two '17's my Dad bought in 1937. Thoroughly enjoyed your review and the young lady's shooting and her input. I have some good rifles, my 6.5 Creedmoor in Ruger, a .416 Rigby in a Ruger Mag bolt and 2 Win Suoer Grade Classics immediately come to mind. But my 1917's would be all I'd keep if I was forced to give all of them up but two. Thank you for spreading some much needed light on these old girls. I came in from deer hunting tonight on our farm and put Nov. 18 back in the safe. They still get a little action at 102 years of age. Again,Thanks
I've never really had a fascination with rifles and guns in general (I'm from Australia where guns are pretty rare) but I'm hooked on these videos! Great production and editing. Keep it up! :)
I finally ordered one from Empire Arms last night. My maternal great grandfather was training in a replacement battalion the summer of 1918, got the Flu and was discharged in December. We have some of his paperwork and pictures of him, including a great panorama of his unit that we had professionally conserved. I wanted to buy the rifle he was holding and didn't know which one it was. I googled WWI US rifle and the results hit with the '03 Springfield. I found a great interwar USMC version that I instantly fell in love with and decided to "make sure" it was the same rifle. It turned out that the one He was holding in the panorama was the Enfield, so I am awaiting on a Remington to ship out Monday. And tell Mae: Merica is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails.
A few 1917 notes. Their weak link is the ejector. For military use it sometimes couldn't stand up to sheer number of rounds expended during battle. The eddystone version had heat treatment problems. The receiver would develop cracks at times. Those 1917s sold to NRA members that did crack could be exchanged for another receiver, usually a remington version.
Roland Deschain, you are correct. I have an '03 Springfield parts gun assembled from a barreled action with a Lyman #43 rear aperature mounted on the receiver bridge ( in addition to the ladder sight mid barrel) and a mixture of milled and stamped small parts all cobbled on a "C" stock, with a 10 shot extended magazine having a small chain on the side. Have also seen a similiar magazine mounted on a Mauser 98 with straight bolt handle in a gun store last year. While fun to shoot I have been leary of the fragility of the extension body magazine on my rifle and "just in case" acquired the standard 5 round capacity magazine floorplate, spring, and follower to keep as spare parts. The serial # dates from 1919 and stamped parts from the 1940s so who knows who created this rifle .....
Stagger Lee, Lee-Enfield magazines are durable enough for the detachable role that they were intended for. The problem is that they were never used as such.
Just got one, paid more than I wanted but the condition is very good, still has the 1918 barrel, still has a very nice bore. Look forward to shooting it.
My sporterised M1917 Winchester captured my heart the moment I laid eyes on it. Yes, she’s not light, it’s definitely a man’s gun, but what a beautiful beast.
Thanks for this and the Pattern 14 videos. It's interesting to consider what might have been. These rifles had a lot of good features. Things could have been interesting if the US and UK had pursued "product improved" versions after WWI. The later models of the Springfield and the No. 4 Enfield might not have existed, replaced by shorter, lighter offspring of the Pattern 14 /M1917. Something I read just recently, by August 1940 the British had received about 600,000 M1917's, and ultimately around a million. These were all used to equip the Home Guard, which freed up .303 rifles for the regular forces.
Sorry to piss on your fireplace but I couldn't care less, it's a typical Battlefield fantasy game with some WW1 skins thrown on for good measure. The weapons I've seen so far are atrocious - you have Brit soldiers running around with Winchester M1907s and Beretta OVP M1918s and Germans wielding Mondragon and Mauser self-loaders, not to mention MP 18s used by the Entente. Add to that a variety of stupid looking scopes on everything. hip-fired LMGs like the M1909 Hotchkiss, A7Vs with RAF markings and British Zeppelins and you have a recipe for disaster. The game does look beautiful though, but that's to be expected with EAs budget.
Oh, and from what I've heard the French won't have a presence in the game, because obviously their input in WW1 wasn't considered important enough. Paid DLCs anyone? Hooray for EA!
I bought a late production Eddystone P17 and had it re-chambered in .308 Norma Magnum. O M G! It took down many elk and still sits in my gunsafe. A remarkable firearm that is completely under-rated.
Probably not the doctrine way of disassembling the bolt but if you open the action, put it on safe and then close the action there will be a gap between the shroud and rear of the firing pin, then place a coin or paper clip between them as you reopen the action and then remove the bolt from the rifle. From here, make sure the coin or paper clip doesn't pop out and you can easily spin the firing pin and separate it from the bolt housing then finish disassembling as Othais does.
The Model of 1903 Rifle is an outstanding rifle and the rear sight I will agree the rear sight takes more time to learn. Having said that I love the U.S.1917 Enfield. And it's rear sight. But I Love the M1903 Bolt , it's like glass in operation and to remove the bolt from the Model of 1903 action is the best in the world.
My grandfather was in the Engineers in the 79th Division. The division did rather poorly in its first battle., worse than units around it. They did a study after the war and found that there was a serious flaw in the training. Rather than having a separate basic training, apparently the new divisions were trained as units. A draftee came in and on a set date they did rifle training. Then, as the division filled out some of the original soldiers were transferred to new companies as junior NCOs. Their replacements had not gone through rifle training, BUT the company had. At some point, it appears there was a second round of rifle training nut that was it. There was continual personnel turmoil even after the Division reached France, with some trained men being transferred out of the division entirely. Remember that on the paper work, the company was trained, hut the companies that were in fact best trained were most at risk for losing those trained personnel to plus up new units. There may have been some ad hoc training in France, but it sounds like there were some men who had not trained at all on the rifle, and many of the others had not fired it for months. As a result broad sides of barns were in little danger In reading the report, I can see the seeds of the modern training program. BTW The divisional history notes that while they were training at Ft Meade, there was nationwide shortage of toilet paper. The men were issued four sheets a day. "One to scrape, two to wipe, and one to polish" As a farmer from PA Dutch country, my grandfather may have need training here.. My mother , born after the war, was raised using corn cobs, which she reported were effective and "surprisingly soft."
I don't understand why it is almost never mentioned that it is impossible to use peep sight in dark conditions and that even if you can't see open sights in the night you still can align the barrel over it. Yeah, and try to clean that aperture if it gets dirt!
The improved Lee-Parkhurst was in the works, but unfortunately that rifle design kind of fizzled when the US Navy agreed to standardize on the Krag. With no active military contracts and Lee’s death in 1904, there was no real chance for that to happen :(
I agree with May ,,this is a great and very under estimated rifle ,, I love it and enjoy owning and shooting this fabulous rifle ,,, another great episode my friends, hope you continue to do well ! 😊😊
Too bad they didn't make these in a carbine version. I think that would definitely be much better than the 03A3. The sights on these guns still rustle my jimmies. I love them!
Hi from England! Love your videos as over here we don't own or consequently learn about weapons... especially military bolt actions (my favourite). Thanks for uploading look forward to the next!
About 17 years ago, youngish me bought a bubba'd 1917 Eddystone that still had the sights but the stock was chopped. I went up to the pine beetle clearing and put up a sticky target on a holly tree. I then drove back to the road about 200 yards. I sighted on the tiny dot of the target(sans glasses because I have been known to go a year or two without reupping when I break them) with the issue sights and squeezed off a full mag. Imagine my surprise when I drove up to the target and took it from the tree. A three inch group under field conditions with a nearly 100 year old chopped stock rifle. The 1917 is far more than serviceable. It is supreme.
I have been trying to get a non-sporterized M1917 for over a year now... either people want $1,100 (USD) for an Eddystone or it's a poor conditioned Winchester for $600. FYI as of this post, NO M1917 is worth $1,100 (USD) unless you have irrefutable proof that Alvin York used that rifle to obtain his medal of honor.
paid 25 bucks for mine, it was disassembled in a 5 gallon bucket. the stock was broken and several parts had been lost by the previous idiot., who also had used a steel brush or something to scrub the barrel and removed all the blue, so there was some light surface rust. I rebuilt it and had to use an aftermarket stock but for a 100+ year old rifle she's incredibly accurate and very fun to shoot. total the gun cost me about 150 bucks to restore to a functioning battle rifle.
Case in point for my glaringly obvious and not at all original observation that gun people are bigger dorks than Trekkies. Not a judgement. Just an observation. Shine on you nerdy diamonds.
I hunt deer with this rife in Northern Pennsylvania. It is a tack driver. Last deer I shot was a 110 yards. My gun was manufactured in March 1918 at Eddystone Pa on what was then the site of Baldwin Locomotive Works and is now part of the Boeing Veritol factory which makes Chinook Helicopters. It was bought for $30 in the 1960s. Unfortunately, the sights were milled off to mount a scope but the rest of the rifle is intact (still using original barrel with ordinance mark on it) and hopefully it will be used to harvesting deer by my great- grandchildren long after I am gone
That's awesome to hear! I have a eddystone with a 1917 reciever and a 1918 barrel. It is wicked accurate and a good shooter. $30. for your rifle? That's awesome. I paid $800. A few months ago. It came with an original sling and bayonet.
You guys rock I have a eddy stone P 1917 and it is a dead nuts shooter. One of the best guns I use it for hunting in Florida. Thanks for your show I learn a lot and your collection of firearms makes me green with envy.
In addition to the post WW 1 uses you mentioned, these were issued for basic training at Fort Benning when my Dad was there in late 1943 prior to their receiving M1's. They'd been packed in cosmoline since the end of WW 1 and the trainees had the delightful task of unpacking and cleaning them--a royal pain in the ass according to Pops.😅
Mine is an Eddystone. It has 2 groove rifling which apparently means that the barrel was probably replaced in the Second World War. My grandfather used one in WW1. He would remove the bolt, stick the muzzle in a bucket of soap water and use a long wooden cleaning rod which he pumped up and down to clean the bore because of corrosive primers.
I love my Winchester 1917. So glad I have one with all Winchester parts. Mine found it's way to the Canadian Arsenal in 1945 and then some how made it back to the states before the 80's.
by the way, another major WW2 recipient of the M1917 was the Free French Army. We had piles of M1917s around and the French Army was being rebuilt in North Africa (after the Tunisian campaign). Early French units had aligned with the British and had used British equipment, but the bulk of the French Army was re-equipped by the US. The M1 Rifle was still in short supply in 1943-44 and most French units received M1903 and M1917 rifles along with M1 carbines and M1A1 Thompson SMGs.
Hey Othais, I just recently picked up a 1917 Enfield Eddystone at a local gun show. However, there's a quirk to it. It appears to be outfitted with a P14 stock because I see the slot where the brass disk would be and that mounting position on the left side where the volley sights would have been. Are there any records of perhaps US 1917 Enfields using leftover P14 stocks when they were cranking them out?
Not certain if someone else has covered it already but you can actually administratively load a +1 into the chamber via the same method you would use on a mauser
I stopped and decided to pick up my extremely slick vz 24 the other day and I was shocked. It was the slickest thing I owned but after getting a 1917 at a local gunshow I don't think my vz is my favorite anymore. hands down the 1917 is worth it's weight (literally). Not bad for only 225 $ either 😄
My first hunting rifle was a sporterized Eddystone 1917, it was originally my father's rifle and I'd seen him make some pretty amazing shots with it. Still love that rifle, super accurate if a bit heavy to tote around hunting! And before the hate starts over the sporterizing, it was done in the late 60s or early 70s when surplus military bolt action rifles were stacked like cordwood at gun shops and it was much cheaper to have one converted for hunting rather than buying a new commercial gun. Most people weren't looking at them as collectibles they have come to be. I acquired an unmolested example over the years and love shooting that one also.
30-06 is a "full 30", so you shoot em long enough without experience and your shoulder will tell you. That said, a good shooting 30-06 is undeniably nice and by now we know that Mae knows what she's doing.
I bought one of these rifles in 1958 (I was 17 )for the some around $ 22.00 at a outlet store in Minneapolis called Banks! It was my first high - powered hunting rifle (over 2,000 fps) , the first thing I modified was the "crank bolt handle" and sportized the stock, over the next 50 years I have hunted deer (white tail, mule,) elk ,big horn sheep and coyote and it has never failed me, it was superbly accurate! Oh and wild boar on the big of Hawaii at a place called Pahakaloa, Iam far to old to go traipsing around the hills anymore (83)
Really feel like the historical footage really adds to the video , you can only get so much from looking at Othais huge fingers for so long Also RIP thumb
I had both a pattern '14 and pattern '17 which I converted into sporting rifles. Both were Winchesters. Since I had a lot of Canadian WD .303 casings which I reloaded I tended to use the pattern 14 more and would loan out the pattern '17. Both claimed many deer.
hatcher sights the Model 1917 as costing $26 (1918 dollars), and being, in his opinion, the best rifle of the war. Do you guys agree with his sentiment?
![U.S. Rifle M1917 [Sgt. York's WW1 Medal of Honor Story ] to 500yds: Practical Accuracy](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OYunBYZyCY8/mqdefault.jpg)
During WWII, the Alaska Territorial Guard was supplied with M1917s. The ATG was a militia comprised largely of Alaska Natives. They were so impressed with the rifle's ability to work in the cold and ice that at the end of the war many of them ended up in Native villages where they are still taking moose and caribou to this day. The fact that the Alaskans and the Greenlanders preferred them over any other rifles doubtless says something about their utility in harsh, cold environments.
They are still in use in Greenland. After Denmark was overrun by the Nazis, the US supplied them to the unit that became the Sirius Sled Patrol. Still in service to this day, with no plans to change. This Danish Greenland unit captured the German forces (very small units) that had been sent there for weather observation These M1917s have been rebuilt several times and there are no plans to replace them, since the Sirius Sled Patrol has refused anything else. I just thought that was an interesting tidbit of information...Also, you might mention in the future that Alvin York earned his Medal of Honor with one of these fine rifles - not a 1903 as depicted in the movie Sergeant York. Thanks for all the great work. I am a proud Patreon supporter here and have encouraged others to do the same.
Man that is neat. Thanks for the support!
That is a great tidbit of info there.
Rugged, reliable in the cold and strong enough for polar bears.
Interestingly enough, I read that York greatly disliked the rifle due to its size, weight, and newfangled sights, though he used it well.
Jesse Urban...I wonder if we’ll ever know, definitively, what Sgt. York used when he won the MOH? I have read, on multiple occasions, that there were often a mix of M1917 and M1903 rifles in any given company. And that York, having had a reputation as a marksman within his company, was given a choice of rifles and selected the “03”. Either way he was well armed!
American industrial knowhow, British experience, and based on German engineering. No wonder it's a good rifle. Thanks for another great episode guys.
Aaw, I'm all a-flutter.
I'd love to handle one of these; the p-14 is a strange one, and I really wish we'd have put more work into it. Or since we were looking to move from .303 to 2.76; at least got rid of the rim to get at least extra capacity into the rifle.
Although further development of this over the SMLE may have led to us never developing the No.4 Enfield, which is my raifu~
Glad you're enjoying it!
Well said!!
@@DaddyPims I keep thinking about the number of .303 rimmed weapons around the Empire.
Rifles are only one group. In the end they would probably have been trashed because of the amount of work each one would need to be changed and checked.
Then there are the machine guns. Lewis seems to have been slightly tricky as it was, even though it was built for the cartridge it had. The firing tables for the Vickers would be reprinted.
Don't forget the ammunition supply. A changeover during peace would be bad enough.
I have one in my collection from June 1918
easily one of my favorite rifles
This rifle is one of the greatest rifles ever produced, I have several military surplus rifles from WW1 and this is simply the best of them
I've found it easier to strip the bolt using a coin. Pull the bolt to the rear and flip the safety on, then close the bolt. There should be a space between the cocking piece and the shroud to place a coin perpendicular to the bolt. Flipping the safety off will bring the cocking piece forward lodging the coin in the space. This allows for the cocking piece and shroud to be spun out of the bolt body much easier.
18:25 - plus, besides the extra round in the magazine, you can put one in the chamber and then close the bolt over the rounds in the magazine, for a total of seven rounds up.
Surprised you didn't mention that Sgt Alvin York was equipped with a 1911 .45 and a P-17 during his Medal of Honor exploits.
I have both the P-14 .303 and the P-17 30-06. They are both excellent firearms. I like how Mae still has a smile on her face even with the stout recoil! Whenever I take them to the range other people want to shoot them!! Many years back I had the P-17 at the range and experienced several misfires. An elderly gentleman approached me and asked if he could help. He deftly removed the bolt and adjusted the firing pin. The rifle worked fine after that. I thanked him and later found out from the range master that he was a WW1 veteran!!! Thanks for your video…
I use an M-1917 for reenacting and target shooting. I would never trade it for a Springfield or any other firearm. Hard hitting, reliable, and easy to take care of.
Who built yours? Mine is an Eddystone.
Amen to that! My 1917 is my favorite bolt gun! I cannot wrap my mind around how accurate it is.
It's way too hard to not love these guys and what they do.
which guys?
@@Candrsenal YOU!
I was recently gifted with an Eddystone and was extremely excited to watch this episode in particular! Great work on the channel! Keep it up! I love the animations, light box and all of the history you dig up on these old warhorses. One of the things I look forward to most in every episode is the huge smile on May's face when at the range! You can't fake a genuine "I'm having a blast!" smile like that! Keep up the exquisite work guys!
Thanks!
Probably my favorite bolt action military rifle. Have taken many deer with it. Interestingly the Danish Sirius Sled Dog Patrol responsible for Greenland still use this rifle.
I love it to next to G98, and the lee enfield
Okay, after taking the bolt apart as described in the video, I found it was pretty difficult to get it back together. The cocking piece must be seated in pretty far before rotating, and that’s only before putting it back into the bolt body.
To the laymen: bolt springy hard to put back together
The field manual from 1942 says to use a string to pull the cocking piece. I've found that parachute cord works pretty well.
You can add a 6th round?!?!?! That's 20% more rounds, that's high capacity.
Ban it.
LOL
lol
kekekekekek
seriously though they had full autos back then on the commercial market and shit and Noone gave a darn. People used to be much more acute to their freedoms
Thomas Jefferson Yep and why can't we be like that these days?
I had 3. A Remington, Winchester, & Eddystone. I liked the Eddystone the best because of fit & finish plus ease of operation. The Eddystone worked flawlessly and was more accurate than the other two. All 3 were very very good.
Dont know who made the statement, but it was said that, "the Germans brought a hunting rifle to the war, the US brought a target rifle, and the Brits brought a battle rifle". M1917 most issued US rifle in WW1, by a ratio of about 3 to 1, and none other than Alvin York used one during his heroic deed. He actually says, in his autobiography, that he had a "Remington"
Re: Dont know who made the statement, but it was said that, "the Germans brought a hunting rifle to the war, the US brought a target rifle, and the Brits brought a battle rifle". It's pretty much a bullshit statement, whoever made it, probably a Lee-Enfield fan-boy. The most-versatile and capable rifle and cartridge combination to emerge from the Great War (WWI) was the Springfield M1903 and its 30-06 cartridge, which many firearm historians consider the most-important cartridge of the 20th century.
While it is true that the .303 Lee-Enfield Mk SMLE was very fast in action, it paid for that speed by being limited as to its power ~ 90% of the later .308 Winchester. Why? Because the L-E action was not as strong in its lockup as the Mauser-type design (which includes the M1903). That's the reason almost no one makes modern hunting rifles using the Lee-Enfield as the basis for the receiver & action, but rather employs the time-tested Mauser action instead. The Lee-Enfield action simple isn't as suited to high-pressure modern hunting cartridges, let alone magnum chamberings.
Even the British had second thoughts about their SMLEs, apparently, since they got as far as making some prototype M1917 rifles, which were based on the Mauser action, though they did not end up adopting it as a replacement for the SMLE or the later no. 1 Mk. IV. The M1917s are excellent rifles, and many later made their way back to Britain during WWII as Lend-Lease. The Home Guard made extensive use of them, amongst others.
There's no real difference with hunting vs target rifle other than the caliber and iron sights.
@@GeorgiaBoy1961 you know by saying that nobody uses Lee Enfields as a basis for hunting rifles supports the quote saying the Germans brought a hunting rifle, also being 90% of the .308 Winchester sounds like battle rifle range to me
@@alecratterree9576- Oh, good grief, not that tired trope again. You Lee-Enfield fan-boys never give up, do you?
If you like your Lee-Enfield, congratulations! Get another one, or two, or three.... either way, I don't care. Is that clear-enough for you? For that matter, why are you wasting time worrying about what I think? It has not bearing on what you do, so why bother?
@@GeorgiaBoy1961 damn bro you’re taking this way to seriously i was just pointing out a flaw in your criticism of OP’s anecdote
Watching the historical footage integrated always brings the thought "what if the rifle Othais is holding is in there?"
In all this time I'd never really considered this, but now I'll be doing that constantly too...
In UK it was Conscription not The Draft. In WW2 these rifles ended up in Home Gaurd use, with a 2 inch Red Band painted on the stock to signify that they were .30.06
I have seen some canadian rcaf ones too in 06 with the red mark
The music as Mae was shooting is a nice touch.Great show Othais...Your enthusiasm is great.Have a great day!
Glad it was OK
Thank you both for your passion to study history. We must not forget the struggles of our past. My grandfather fought through WW2 from the beginning to the end. My other grandfather fought through the Korean War. Thankfully they both made it home to survive the horrors of war. I more than appreciate your studies into world history. Your videos inspire people around the globe. Thank you for teaching history of engineering and the tools used in these complex conflicts.
I have been gifted as 19017 Enfield rifle I, after owning it for a couple months had my adult son point out the barrel wasn't 24" long. It is a Winchester carbine manufactured in January 1919. Finding information about it is painful. If you have info on the carbine I am dying for it. I really enjoyed your video. I've been a 1903 Springfield lover for 65 years suddenly I have a new love.
There was not a factory carbine variant. It is most likely your rifle was modified by a civilian some time after its time in service. Not an uncommon fate, unfortunately. There were a small number of rifles later cut into carbines during their service lives, but they are very rare today.
The 1917's WWII service in addition to guard duty and rear-echelon service also included it's widespread use by artillerymen and mortarmen. It was especially known for being used by Chemical Mortarmen units during the war as well. But it's biggest testament is that it is still standard issue for the Danish Sirius Patrol in Greenland due to the harsh and bitter cold. An old school compliment to their more modern sidearm choice of the Glock 20 10mm Auto. I'm surprised you managed to get ahold of an unmodified WWI rifle. Most I've seen (Including mine) are WWII refurbishments.
Enfield M1917 plus 30-06 black tip AP.... adds up to potent polar bear medicine!
I have the Win in P14 and two '17's my Dad bought in 1937. Thoroughly enjoyed your review and the young lady's shooting and her input. I have some good rifles, my 6.5 Creedmoor in Ruger, a .416 Rigby in a Ruger Mag bolt and 2 Win Suoer Grade Classics immediately come to mind. But my 1917's would be all I'd keep if I was forced to give all of them up but two. Thank you for spreading some much needed light on these old girls. I came in from deer hunting tonight on our farm and put Nov. 18 back in the safe. They still get a little action at 102 years of age. Again,Thanks
The M1917 Enfield is definitely one of my favourite rifles of this era.
Remember, Sgt York carried a M1917, not a M1903.
I've never really had a fascination with rifles and guns in general (I'm from Australia where guns are pretty rare) but I'm hooked on these videos! Great production and editing. Keep it up! :)
Glad you are enjoying it!
I finally ordered one from Empire Arms last night. My maternal great grandfather was training in a replacement battalion the summer of 1918, got the Flu and was discharged in December. We have some of his paperwork and pictures of him, including a great panorama of his unit that we had professionally conserved. I wanted to buy the rifle he was holding and didn't know which one it was. I googled WWI US rifle and the results hit with the '03 Springfield. I found a great interwar USMC version that I instantly fell in love with and decided to "make sure" it was the same rifle. It turned out that the one He was holding in the panorama was the Enfield, so I am awaiting on a Remington to ship out Monday. And tell Mae: Merica is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cancellariidae, the nutmeg snails.
Awesome rifle, and nice hair-do, Mae.
I agree and thanks! Figured I should try out the pixie style at least once.
Loved the 'Hunting the Hun' musical accompaniment, nice touch.
We're trying something new.
I've watched this episode several times. I want to thank you all for your in depth analysis of these great rifles. Keep up the great work.
A few 1917 notes. Their weak link is the ejector. For military use it sometimes couldn't stand up to sheer number of rounds expended during battle. The eddystone version had heat treatment problems.
The receiver would develop cracks at times. Those 1917s sold to NRA members that did crack could be exchanged for another receiver, usually a remington version.
Music during Mae's shooting made me instantly think of the game Verdun.
candrsenal.com/how-to-play-vidya-games-with-us/
I tought the same haha
Seriously? I dont think any of us have still recovered from Maeversation’s air guitar ... Rock On! Merica!
Always liked these rifles. A Enfield style 10 round magazine would have helped.
Lee style magazine ;)
I think the magazine wasn't added because of durability issues.
Roland Deschain, you are correct. I have an '03 Springfield parts gun assembled from a barreled action with a Lyman #43 rear aperature mounted on the receiver bridge ( in addition to the ladder sight mid barrel) and a mixture of milled and stamped small parts all cobbled on a "C" stock, with a 10 shot extended magazine having a small chain on the side. Have also seen a similiar magazine mounted on a Mauser 98 with straight bolt handle in a gun store last year. While fun to shoot I have been leary of the fragility of the extension body magazine on my rifle and "just in case" acquired the standard 5 round capacity magazine floorplate, spring, and follower to keep as spare parts. The serial # dates from 1919 and stamped parts from the 1940s so who knows who created this rifle .....
claus2427 Lee is the action not the mag. Just saying.
Stagger Lee, Lee-Enfield magazines are durable enough for the detachable role that they were intended for. The problem is that they were never used as such.
I got one yesterday. This video is so helpful, especially with disassembly.
This has to be the best one so far I love how excited he sounded.
Who?
Nothing beats the Ross episode
Love the song while shooting. Got to get those huns! Gonna have to find more of those to play in the background.
We had a great Facebook thread full of recommendations.
My uncle has one that he claims he couldn’t hit anything with.
It is now a lamp.
A *lamp?* - The rifle or your Uncle?
@@JAFO. I can hit a 2 inch target consistantly at 100 yards. Your uncle IMHO can't shoot.
@@Riqrob Could be that the bore was rotted out. Those old primers had no leeway when it came to cleaning.
I run mine to 500 yds no problem when she gets range time. I've seen guys run out to 800 yds consistently.
i have this rifle and its so goddamn beautiful, i cant stop staring at it
MY father hunted a dear from 500 yard some forty years ago by BSA sports 3006 rifle with Czech cartridge.
Just got one, paid more than I wanted but the condition is very good, still has the 1918 barrel, still has a very nice bore. Look forward to shooting it.
My sporterised M1917 Winchester captured my heart the moment I laid eyes on it. Yes, she’s not light, it’s definitely a man’s gun, but what a beautiful beast.
Thanks for this and the Pattern 14 videos. It's interesting to consider what might have been. These rifles had a lot of good features. Things could have been interesting if the US and UK had pursued "product improved" versions after WWI. The later models of the Springfield and the No. 4 Enfield might not have existed, replaced by shorter, lighter offspring of the Pattern 14 /M1917. Something I read just recently, by August 1940 the British had received about 600,000 M1917's, and ultimately around a million. These were all used to equip the Home Guard, which freed up .303 rifles for the regular forces.
The U.S. 1917 is my Favorite 30-06.
The P17 action was one of the strongest ever built. Many of them were used to build custom big-caliber sporting guns.
An extremely valuable feature in an infantry rifle. "If you make it idiot proof then someone will invent a better idiot."
OMG that trench carbine is so damn cute
Kawai!
I wonder what the recoil is like. With such a short barrel and less weight than the standard M1917 I bet it kicks like a mule.
The question is will it be in Battlefield 1?
Sorry to piss on your fireplace but I couldn't care less, it's a typical Battlefield fantasy game with some WW1 skins thrown on for good measure. The weapons I've seen so far are atrocious - you have Brit soldiers running around with Winchester M1907s and Beretta OVP M1918s and Germans wielding Mondragon and Mauser self-loaders, not to mention MP 18s used by the Entente. Add to that a variety of stupid looking scopes on everything. hip-fired LMGs like the M1909 Hotchkiss, A7Vs with RAF markings and British Zeppelins and you have a recipe for disaster. The game does look beautiful though, but that's to be expected with EAs budget.
Oh, and from what I've heard the French won't have a presence in the game, because obviously their input in WW1 wasn't considered important enough. Paid DLCs anyone? Hooray for EA!
I bought a late production Eddystone P17 and had it re-chambered in .308 Norma Magnum. O M G! It took down many elk and still sits in my gunsafe. A remarkable firearm that is completely under-rated.
Got a Winchester one, inclueding ww1 bajonett, reworked for ww2 showing the rednstripe for the British
Probably not the doctrine way of disassembling the bolt but if you open the action, put it on safe and then close the action there will be a gap between the shroud and rear of the firing pin, then place a coin or paper clip between them as you reopen the action and then remove the bolt from the rifle. From here, make sure the coin or paper clip doesn't pop out and you can easily spin the firing pin and separate it from the bolt housing then finish disassembling as Othais does.
This is one of my favorite milsurp rifles. I definitely would rather have an M1917 in my hands over the 1903. Great video.
woop
The Model of 1903 Rifle is an outstanding rifle and the rear sight I will agree the rear sight takes more time to learn.
Having said that I love the U.S.1917 Enfield. And it's rear sight.
But I Love the M1903 Bolt , it's like glass in operation and to remove the bolt from the Model of 1903 action is the best in the world.
heretic! the Krag Jorgenson is best rifle.
My 1917 has become my favorite bolt gun. I am amazed by its accuracy. This was a fantastic episode!
an M1917 Winchester was my first rifle
My grandfather was in the Engineers in the 79th Division. The division did rather poorly in its first battle., worse than units around it. They did a study after the war and found that there was a serious flaw in the training. Rather than having a separate basic training, apparently the new divisions were trained as units. A draftee came in and on a set date they did rifle training. Then, as the division filled out some of the original soldiers were transferred to new companies as junior NCOs. Their replacements had not gone through rifle training, BUT the company had. At some point, it appears there was a second round of rifle training nut that was it. There was continual personnel turmoil even after the Division reached France, with some trained men being transferred out of the division entirely. Remember that on the paper work, the company was trained, hut the companies that were in fact best trained were most at risk for losing those trained personnel to plus up new units. There may have been some ad hoc training in France, but it sounds like there were some men who had not trained at all on the rifle, and many of the others had not fired it for months. As a result broad sides of barns were in little danger In reading the report, I can see the seeds of the modern training program.
BTW The divisional history notes that while they were training at Ft Meade, there was nationwide shortage of toilet paper. The men were issued four sheets a day. "One to scrape, two to wipe, and one to polish" As a farmer from PA Dutch country, my grandfather may have need training here.. My mother , born after the war, was raised using corn cobs, which she reported were effective and "surprisingly soft."
Makes me think I should pull put that old P-17 I bought 20 years ago and head to the range.
Took mine to the range. Turned out to be a tack driver. I was impressed.
You have a jewell there.
i see this show has always been great. You guys are making me more interested in the history of firearms, thank you so much
Love all the camera angles during the firing. Brilliant to have all the industry background research too. The show just gets better and better.
I don't understand why it is almost never mentioned that it is impossible to use peep sight in dark conditions and that even if you can't see open sights in the night you still can align the barrel over it. Yeah, and try to clean that aperture if it gets dirt!
Great video - and impressed on the Honduran 1934! I've been collecting for a long time and never seen one - most of my books don't even list it.
We borrowed it
They should have had James Paris Lee develop a .30-06 version of the Lee Navy M1895, that would likely have been better than either the M1903 or M1917
The improved Lee-Parkhurst was in the works, but unfortunately that rifle design kind of fizzled when the US Navy agreed to standardize on the Krag. With no active military contracts and Lee’s death in 1904, there was no real chance for that to happen :(
I agree with May ,,this is a great and very under estimated rifle ,, I love it and enjoy owning and shooting this fabulous rifle ,,, another great episode my friends, hope you continue to do well ! 😊😊
Love the 1917! Ultra accurate, and built like a tank.
Fantastic Channel ! C&R is the first project I've supported through Patreon
Thanks for the help!
Too bad they didn't make these in a carbine version. I think that would definitely be much better than the 03A3. The sights on these guns still rustle my jimmies. I love them!
I love the sight picture also. Awesome rifle!
Great Chapter Two. Ties in seamlessly, AND there is air rifling and Lewis gunning.... It really is a win/win kinda video...
Thanks brother!
Hi from England! Love your videos as over here we don't own or consequently learn about weapons... especially military bolt actions (my favourite). Thanks for uploading look forward to the next!
Except that there are plenty in the UK do have firearms and shoot them a lot. Join a club and get involved.
About 17 years ago, youngish me bought a bubba'd 1917 Eddystone that still had the sights but the stock was chopped. I went up to the pine beetle clearing and put up a sticky target on a holly tree. I then drove back to the road about 200 yards. I sighted on the tiny dot of the target(sans glasses because I have been known to go a year or two without reupping when I break them) with the issue sights and squeezed off a full mag. Imagine my surprise when I drove up to the target and took it from the tree. A three inch group under field conditions with a nearly 100 year old chopped stock rifle. The 1917 is far more than serviceable. It is supreme.
I have been trying to get a non-sporterized M1917 for over a year now... either people want $1,100 (USD) for an Eddystone or it's a poor conditioned Winchester for $600.
FYI as of this post, NO M1917 is worth $1,100 (USD) unless you have irrefutable proof that Alvin York used that rifle to obtain his medal of honor.
You can find them for $800ish online.
got mine at a gun show for 650$ all orginal 1918 eddy
Is this still the case? I had a beautiful one offered to me as a trade. Original barrel and stock. Bluing is 95% wood is "collector grade"
paid 25 bucks for mine, it was disassembled in a 5 gallon bucket. the stock was broken and several parts had been lost by the previous idiot., who also had used a steel brush or something to scrub the barrel and removed all the blue, so there was some light surface rust. I rebuilt it and had to use an aftermarket stock but for a 100+ year old rifle she's incredibly accurate and very fun to shoot. total the gun cost me about 150 bucks to restore to a functioning battle rifle.
Case in point for my glaringly obvious and not at all original observation that gun people are bigger dorks than Trekkies.
Not a judgement. Just an observation.
Shine on you nerdy diamonds.
beautiful, malformed, judgmental, pedantic, diamonds
I have a Mod 1917 that was converted into a hunting rifle. Barrel is stamped 4/18. Sweet shooter but it's got a kick. I love this rifle
I hunt deer with this rife in Northern Pennsylvania. It is a tack driver. Last deer I shot was a 110 yards. My gun was manufactured in March 1918 at Eddystone Pa on what was then the site of Baldwin Locomotive Works and is now part of the Boeing Veritol factory which makes Chinook Helicopters. It was bought for $30 in the 1960s. Unfortunately, the sights were milled off to mount a scope but the rest of the rifle is intact (still using original barrel with ordinance mark on it) and hopefully it will be used to harvesting deer by my great- grandchildren long after I am gone
That's awesome to hear! I have a eddystone with a 1917 reciever and a 1918 barrel. It is wicked accurate and a good shooter. $30. for your rifle? That's awesome. I paid $800. A few months ago. It came with an original sling and bayonet.
that advancing fire with the lewis gun at the end was great. I did the same with the m60 during my time in the U.S Army.
Close your eyes. It's Kermit the Frog's Firearm History. :)
Seriously though I love you guys - keep up the good work. :)
Was just thinking the same.
My wife says the same thing.
I didn't even notice until you mentioned it, now I can't get it out of my head 🤣.
You guys rock I have a eddy stone P 1917 and it is a dead nuts shooter. One of the best guns I use it for hunting in Florida. Thanks for your show I learn a lot and your collection of firearms makes me green with envy.
Well, we borrow a lot.
I think I prefer the Mauser 98's bolt disassembly more... lol
In addition to the post WW 1 uses you mentioned, these were issued for basic training at Fort Benning when my Dad was there in late 1943 prior to their receiving M1's.
They'd been packed in cosmoline since the end of WW 1 and the trainees had the delightful task of unpacking and cleaning them--a royal pain in the ass according to Pops.😅
Fantastic insight into this/these fine rifles. Thank you as always! :~)
Thanks!
Mine is an Eddystone. It has 2 groove rifling which apparently means that the barrel was probably replaced in the Second World War. My grandfather used one in WW1. He would remove the bolt, stick the muzzle in a bucket of soap water and use a long wooden cleaning rod which he pumped up and down to clean the bore because of corrosive primers.
Mae's random dorkiness makes the show that much more enjoyable
I love my Winchester 1917. So glad I have one with all Winchester parts. Mine found it's way to the Canadian Arsenal in 1945 and then some how made it back to the states before the 80's.
neat
My grand father just gave me this exact rifle with a MAS Mle 49/56 rechambered .308.
Nice gifts
by the way, another major WW2 recipient of the M1917 was the Free French Army. We had piles of M1917s around and the French Army was being rebuilt in North Africa (after the Tunisian campaign). Early French units had aligned with the British and had used British equipment, but the bulk of the French Army was re-equipped by the US. The M1 Rifle was still in short supply in 1943-44 and most French units received M1903 and M1917 rifles along with M1 carbines and M1A1 Thompson SMGs.
Merica indeed, Mae, Merica indeed.
FUCK YEA
Ber ner ner ner ner ner!
+Mae Guns Tom Petty would be proud you American Girl!
Hey Othais, I just recently picked up a 1917 Enfield Eddystone at a local gun show. However, there's a quirk to it. It appears to be outfitted with a P14 stock because I see the slot where the brass disk would be and that mounting position on the left side where the volley sights would have been. Are there any records of perhaps US 1917 Enfields using leftover P14 stocks when they were cranking them out?
I just grab the cocking piece with a rag and pull the cocking piece back by hand no tools needed.
Not certain if someone else has covered it already but you can actually administratively load a +1 into the chamber via the same method you would use on a mauser
I stopped and decided to pick up my extremely slick vz 24 the other day and I was shocked. It was the slickest thing I owned but after getting a 1917 at a local gunshow I don't think my vz is my favorite anymore. hands down the 1917 is worth it's weight (literally). Not bad for only 225 $ either 😄
NIce
I have a 1917 eddystone Enfield, all numbers match. Wonderful weapon to shoot. Was this the same type of rifle that Sgt York used?
A lighter version in 7mm Mauser would be perfect.
My first hunting rifle was a sporterized Eddystone 1917, it was originally my father's rifle and I'd seen him make some pretty amazing shots with it. Still love that rifle, super accurate if a bit heavy to tote around hunting!
And before the hate starts over the sporterizing, it was done in the late 60s or early 70s when surplus military bolt action rifles were stacked like cordwood at gun shops and it was much cheaper to have one converted for hunting rather than buying a new commercial gun. Most people weren't looking at them as collectibles they have come to be. I acquired an unmolested example over the years and love shooting that one also.
Looks like the rifle kicked like a mule and Mae is still the happiest looking person in the world
Doin what I love.
30-06 is a "full 30", so you shoot em long enough without experience and your shoulder will tell you. That said, a good shooting 30-06 is undeniably nice and by now we know that Mae knows what she's doing.
She could take a kick real good :-)
I bought one of these rifles in 1958 (I was 17 )for the some around $ 22.00 at a outlet store in Minneapolis called Banks! It was my first high - powered hunting rifle (over 2,000 fps) , the first thing I modified was the "crank bolt handle" and sportized the stock, over the next 50 years I have hunted deer (white tail, mule,) elk ,big horn sheep and coyote and it has never failed me, it was superbly accurate! Oh and wild boar on the big of Hawaii at a place called Pahakaloa, Iam far to old to go traipsing around the hills anymore (83)
If this pattern keeps up at the current rate, Mae's hair is going to start going inwards within 3 episodes.
I should throw everyone off and dye it purple.
+Mae Guns do it! lol
"Blued Steel"
I happen to dig her short hairdo in this vid
VOLHans aw thanks! It's gotten a little bit longer now, probs will keep it this way for a bit.
What other gun channel does it's own sound effects? That attention to detail is what keeps me coming back.
Many hours of training
Really feel like the historical footage really adds to the video , you can only get so much from looking at Othais huge fingers for so long
Also RIP thumb
Huge?
I had both a pattern '14 and pattern '17 which I converted into sporting rifles. Both were Winchesters. Since I had a lot of Canadian WD .303 casings which I reloaded I tended to use the pattern 14 more and would loan out the pattern '17. Both claimed many deer.
A nice one in 30-06 just turned up at my local gun shop. Wish I had an extra thousand bucks 🇨🇦
As I mentioned on my post for the P-14, I prefer the .303, but then I am Canadian of British decent.
Love May's Tick shirt during the Updates
I'm going to call you Speak cause that's what you do!
My dad served in the USN from 1950-1953. He did his small arms traing/qualification with a US Enfield rifle.
hatcher sights the Model 1917 as costing $26 (1918 dollars), and being, in his opinion, the best rifle of the war. Do you guys agree with his sentiment?
The price seems right, but I still have a real favorite lurking.
Mae is such a fox in this episode!
I remember this as a new video but have still watched it numerous times through the years.
Did anyone else realize how cheerfully sadistic the song in the background of the test firing was?
the "Hun's" had their own song's, doing the same thing.
Seems like a legit strategy to me.