Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

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Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Heckler303 » 22 Jan 2016, 4:26 pm

After 4 months of bumming around, it finally made it's way from the junkyard- *cough* I mean dealer to my safe. Wrapped up in high quality, chunky packing foam and cardboard that would instantly decompose if I looked at it the wrong way.

But hey, its here! :clap:


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Heavy Barreled (so new I can see my face in it when I examine the boar), custom timney trigger, custom stock, No.4 Central Sights set up for 600yards, and a fixed magazine for it to be 'legal' in competition use and a good sling. Though, the sling is a bit short, I can manage it ok. I'll get a proper one at some point.

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Proper view of the sights.

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For those of you who aren't aware of Eddystone, they were a a plant which were directly tied to Remington, as both companies were making these rifles alongside Winchester in the first world war when the 1903 Springfield failed to meet production quantities. It's basically the design of the Pattern 14 Enfield chambered for a 30 caliber cartridge, and this particular one has been re chambered for .308 Winchester. I'll post a thread about the P14 which the old man sometime in the future.

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Now one thing I'd just like to point out is where the hinged floor plate originally sat:

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It's been covered over. I would have thought they would have kept that part open and keep the original plate on it but nope, it's got a custom stock that just covers that up right over.

The heavy barrel I might also add, alongside the particularly strong action, does add a fair bit of weight. The rifle itself weighs around 6.5KG. It balances that out well but gee wiz, shooting that thing offhand is a matter of muscle more than aim :wtf:.

Speaking of shooting the thing, I took it out to a SSAA range with the old man and we shot both that and the P14 off from both sandbags and standing up. He was using some of the kiwi nickle-plated .303 stuff while I was trying out my first hand-loads I've used in it. It shot high at first, and undestandingly why, I forget it was calibrated for 600 yards. Unfortunately that range isn't all that long, so I had to make do with closer distances. When I zeroed it in, it became a real tack driver. After blowing up a bottle of water and some stationary clays, I'm coming to terms where to hold it, where to rest my cheek, check the sights e.t.c and I'm really loving it so far.

I'm going to try it out at long distance tomorrow if the smoke from the local bushfires clears off enough, along with a second batch of handloads. (load data is 44.5grns of AR2208 in neck sized .308 cases propelling a 155.5grn HP projectile).

p.s thanks for getting this far down the page without falling asleep :thumbsup:
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Wm.Traynor » 22 Jan 2016, 7:03 pm

Hmmm. Where will I start?
Best of luck with your shooting career; mine is over but there are memories :)
Go to an NRA range where you live with that rifle mate. You can get lots of advice from them unless Dad is an old hand.
What is inside that rubber eye cup :)

Not giving you advice but that load can go higher according to ADI's website.
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Heckler303 » 22 Jan 2016, 8:18 pm

Wm.Traynor wrote:Hmmm. Where will I start?
Best of luck with your shooting career; mine is over but there are memories :)
Go to an NRA range where you live with that rifle mate. You can get lots of advice from them unless Dad is an old hand.
What is inside that rubber eye cup :)

Not giving you advice but that load can go higher according to ADI's website.



Dad is already one of the oldest (and baldest) hands I have to help me out, but I know a couple of rifle club members willing to help me out with those sights.


And by the way, here's whats inside the rubber cup:

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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Wm.Traynor » 23 Jan 2016, 10:13 am

Just wondered if the P O had left a lens or filter in it to spoil your keen, youthful eyesight.

Those sights, including the front, are what I used 40 years ago. Two years ago it was a shooting lens on the back, a half dioptre eagle eye at the front and fore sights with a 3mm annulus. I was using every legal advantage available.

Good Luck :)
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Heckler303 » 23 Jan 2016, 6:41 pm

Took it out to the range for the first time today, and scored 29/50 at 600yards for the first go resting on sandbags. Man those sights are good, but they take a lot of time to get used to.


I had six shots left so I tried throwing off my sandbags and shooting offhand with gloves and a spotting scope, and scored pretty well for offhand.

I'm pretty happy with this rifle so far, it seems to be very accurate, holds well, balances like a spinning top and for the price, I'm bloody impressed I can even hit the paper at all.


The action is also freeing up I've noticed, it's gotten super smooth to operate and control.
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Varmtr » 23 Jan 2016, 7:26 pm

Nice M17 Heckler did they install a speed lock kit in it ? Looks like who ever did the action did a good job of contouring it where the original battle sights were.
I'm currently in the middle of a Winchester P14 build in 6.5 Epps. Mine will have a HV #9 Bartlien SS barrel, timney trigger and a Richards Microfits thumbhole stock. So far installed a Dayton Triaster speed lock and it makes a lot of difference in lock time, the action has already be contoured so saved heaps of time. Thus will machine up a pic rail for it and just waiting for the reamer from the states to arrive.
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Heckler303 » 24 Jan 2016, 8:19 am

Varmtr wrote:Nice M17 Heckler did they install a speed lock kit in it ? Looks like who ever did the action did a good job of contouring it where the original battle sights were.
I'm currently in the middle of a Winchester P14 build in 6.5 Epps. Mine will have a HV #9 Bartlien SS barrel, timney trigger and a Richards Microfits thumbhole stock. So far installed a Dayton Triaster speed lock and it makes a lot of difference in lock time, the action has already be contoured so saved heaps of time. Thus will machine up a pic rail for it and just waiting for the reamer from the states to arrive.



That sounds like a real nice piece you're getting at there, 6.5 Epps would be an excellent cartridge conversion too. From what I can gather, it's a pretty fast cartridge that one day I'd like to see maybe in a project rifle.


Also yes, it has been fitted with a speed-lock firing pin, I can lift the bolt handle up and the bolt slings back on it's own. Probably explains why it runs smoother than the P14.

The battle sights were a good job from what I can gather, just removing the entire rear sight w/ ears and mounting the no.4 aperatures about as perfect as they can be mounted on that rifle's action. I can imagine the work gone into getting that thing set up as clean and as stable as it was there, I'd never be able to get it line up just going off by hand.

If you've got any pictures of your project P14, mind if you drop me a PM with some photos?
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Varmtr » 24 Jan 2016, 7:58 pm

From what info I can find out the the 6.5 Epps wildcat was before it's time and with todays powders should get up and honk along. I do know of one other Epps chambered rifle here buts its in 25 cal, and from all reports it does about 100fps slower than the 257 Weatherby.
The 6.5 Epps specs I have got and reamer made to body taper only 0.004", shoulder angle 35 degrees, shoulder moved forward 0.080" and thus the neck length is around 6mm. So case capacity is improved quite a bit most likely will be running AR2213SC or AR2209. My barrel is a 1:8 so I can run Berger VLD's if needed.
I'll get some pics and PM to you. Also you can lighten the firing pin a fair bit as well which I have done to improve the lock time.

Cheers
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by GLS_1956 » 25 Jan 2016, 4:18 am

I've inherited a 1917, also an Eddystone, I hope to get it out to the range someday soon.
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Heckler303 » 27 Jan 2016, 9:41 am

GLS_1956 wrote:I've inherited a 1917, also an Eddystone, I hope to get it out to the range someday soon.




You'll like them, they are excellent shooters. The cock on close action is something on a rarity these days.
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Korkt » 11 Feb 2016, 8:27 am

Looks like a beauty
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Re: Eddystone U.S M17 Converted to Target rifle

Post by Kevin » 15 Jul 2019, 1:04 am

Eddystone m1917 , I'm in NB Canada, and I have one of these, it's a great shooter. I also have a Sportco 308, from Australia, set up much the same way. The last one of this type I picked up a month ago, 1973 Remington 40X 308, benchrest. They really went all out on that one, but the Eddystone is one of my favorites, very accurate rifle. I like a tripod with a little vice...they are a heavy bunch..
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