1917 Enfield action

[jpr9954]

Nice rifles and builds. I wish I discovered these a long time ago. I'm on the hunt for some actions.

There is one on the auction site Proxibid right now. They also have a couple of sporterized ones which might work as well.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Is anyone able to measure the distance between the rear sight protectors on an unmodified action? I'm wondering if a small reflex type red dot would fit.

@Hunter4752001
Without even measuring the answer is no. It's not wide enough to attach the base needed to mount a red dot
Bob

 

[xausa]

Back in the 60's, when P14 Enfield actions were available and quite reasonable in price, I had rifles built in .375, .416, .500 .505 and .577 caliber, all but the last based on a .460 Weatherby case shortened to 2.500". They were all built on P14 Enfield actions.

They achieved respectively .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .500 Jeffrey. .505 Gibbs and .577 Nitro Express levels of performance. I took the .505 to Africa on three trips and took rhino, elephant, and Cape buffalo with it. It never failed me.

The actions were modified by removing the rear sight "ears", straightening the trigger guard and shortening the magazine and converting to cock on opening with a Dayton Traister kit. They alll functioned perfectly and continue to do so today.

This is my .505, with three of my wildcat catridges standing in front of it: the .450 C&W, which is a rimmed .450 Watts intended for a double rifle, which I had built, the .505 SRE (Short Range Express) and the .577 VSRE (Very Short Range Express). The other photo is of my record book black rhino, which I took with the .505 SRE in 1971 in Kenya.

 

[TTundra]

Back in the 60's, when P14 Enfield actions were available and quite reasonable in price, I had rifles built in .375, .416, .500 .505 and .577 caliber, all but the last based on a .460 Weatherby case shortened to 2.500". They were all built on P14 Enfield actions.

They achieved respectively .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .500 Jeffrey. .505 Gibbs and .577 Nitro Express levels of performance. I took the .505 to Africa on three trips and took rhino, elephant, and Cape buffalo with it. It never failed me.

The actions were modified by removing the rear sight "ears", straightening the trigger guard and shortening the magazine and converting to cock on opening with a Dayton Traister kit. They alll functioned perfectly and continue to do so today.

This is my .505, with three of my wildcat catridges standing in front of it: the .450 C&W, which is a rimmed .450 Watts intended for a double rifle, which I had built, the .505 SRE (Short Range Express) and the .577 VSRE (Very Short Range Express). The other photo is of my record book black rhino, which I took with the .505 SRE in 1971 in Kenya.

View attachment 393865View attachment 393866

Wow! Please do tell us more of your cartridges and builds.

 

[bruce moulds]

that is among the nicest rifles i have seen.
sensible and to the point and no gold on it.
and nice, both aesthetically and practically, stock design.
far better than some of the pimped up rubbish you see with out of date stocks.
and all that pimping is what they pay for????????
bruce.

 

[xausa]

that is among the nicest rifles i have seen.
sensible and to the point and no gold on it.
and nice, both aesthetically and practically, stock design.
far better than some of the pimped up rubbish you see with out of date stocks.
and all that pimping is what they pay for????????
bruce.

That stockis a product of the Reinhart Fajen custom shop, built to my specifications and designed to control recoil, which it did to the point that once I fired four shots into a running buffalo, while standing precariously on a ledge above him. Three of the four shots could have been covered with a playing card, all in the shoulder. The buffalo stopped so suddenly that his nose plowed up the ground.

Given the increasing popularity of the .416 Rigby and advent of the .416 Remington, the .416 MRE seemed not to have much appeal. The same was the case with the arrival of a host of .375 caliber cartridges. I found that I could shoot unmodified .510" bullets in my .505 with no signs of excess pressure, so the .500 SRE no longer made much sense. The .577 VSRE was pleasant to shoot with an overall weight of 12 pounds, compared to 8.75 pounds for the .505 SRE. However, the recoil, although not abrupt or painful, forced me to take two steps backward every time I fired it. I concluded that my experience in shooting from odd places, like the top of a termite mound, would not always allow me to take two steps to the rear, so I regrettfully retired it as well. All in all, an interesting exercise, however.

This is the buffalo in question, Kenya, 1974.

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[John J]

Wow! Please do tell us more of your cartridges and builds.

+1, I now have 2 P14 actions and a sporterized 303 to use for future projects. I'm especially interested in the 577.

 

[Sarg]

Great stuff @xausa, good to see you here, smart move for a smart man !

 

[xausa]

+1, I now have 2 P14 actions and a sporterized 303 to use for future projects. I'm especially interested in the 577.

I built two .577's. The first one, on a P14 action, was a single shot, since I couldn't think of a way to make the magazine work. The second one, a post-64 Model 70 Winchester, used a Weatherby magazine box meant for the .460 Weatherby cartridge, which was single stack and limited in capacity. A while back, I sold all but one of the rifles I mentioned to a member who posts here as Buckstix, who approaches me from time to time about the one I kept, my .505 SRE. He also has the cases and dies for each of those cartridges. At age 82 and physically impaired, I will not be making any more trips to Africa, sad to say. Helmut, as I know him, is a fine fellow and will no doubt be happy to give you all the information you want. I think I probably still have the chamber reamer for the .577, however.

I implied, but never explicitly stated, that each of the cartridges met or exceeded the performance of its predecessor. The .577 had no difficulty reaching 2050 fps. with a 750 grain bullet. The cartridge cases were formed from shortened .577 NE cases, which had had the rims turned off and an extractor groove cut in the case head. It has just enough shoulder to headspace on.

 

[jpr9954]

Seeing all these comments encouraged me to bid on a Eddystone 1917 custom in .358 Norma Magnum today. It was in a nice walnut stock with a rollover cheek piece. I won it for less than $400.

What gets me - or should I say mystifies me - is that I saw a Saiga .410 shotgun go for well over $800 and even a Mossberg 500 went for over $400. Either no one realized what it was or the cost of ammo dissuaded them.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Back in the 60's, when P14 Enfield actions were available and quite reasonable in price, I had rifles built in .375, .416, .500 .505 and .577 caliber, all but the last based on a .460 Weatherby case shortened to 2.500". They were all built on P14 Enfield actions.

They achieved respectively .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, .500 Jeffrey. .505 Gibbs and .577 Nitro Express levels of performance. I took the .505 to Africa on three trips and took rhino, elephant, and Cape buffalo with it. It never failed me.

The actions were modified by removing the rear sight "ears", straightening the trigger guard and shortening the magazine and converting to cock on opening with a Dayton Traister kit. They alll functioned perfectly and continue to do so today.

This is my .505, with three of my wildcat catridges standing in front of it: the .450 C&W, which is a rimmed .450 Watts intended for a double rifle, which I had built, the .505 SRE (Short Range Express) and the .577 VSRE (Very Short Range Express). The other photo is of my record book black rhino, which I took with the .505 SRE in 1971 in Kenya.

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@xausa
The P14 and M17's make into beautiful magnums for the big cartridges.
Problem is IF they were made today we couldn't afford that level of quality workmanship.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Seeing all these comments encouraged me to bid on a Eddystone 1917 custom in .358 Norma Magnum today. It was in a nice walnut stock with a rollover cheek piece. I won it for less than $400.

What gets me - or should I say mystifies me - is that I saw a Saiga .410 shotgun go for well over $800 and even a Mossberg 500 went for over $400. Either no one realized what it was or the cost of ammo dissuaded them.

View attachment 393916

@jpr9954
Congratulations on a good purchase in what I regard as one of the best 30 mags. You won't be disappointed with the choice you have made
Bob

My 2 Enfields

 

[xausa]

Seeing all these comments encouraged me to bid on a Eddystone 1917 custom in .358 Norma Magnum today. It was in a nice walnut stock with a rollover cheek piece. I won it for less than $400.

What gets me - or should I say mystifies me - is that I saw a Saiga .410 shotgun go for well over $800 and even a Mossberg 500 went for over $400. Either no one realized what it was or the cost of ammo dissuaded them.

View attachment 393916

A few years ago when I was losing the sight in my right eye and I needed to change over to shooting off the left shoulder, I bought a LH Ruger 77 in 7mm Remington Magnum. I promptly had the rifle rebored to .358 Norma Magnum and as soon as I got it back started practicing rapid fire. My ammunition is all hand loaded and, as I discovered, it is a simple matter to convert 7mm Remington Magnum cases to .358 Norma Magnum. Cast lead pistol bullets completed the low cost hand loads and I was in business.

Did the scope come with it? It looks pretty powerful for a .358 NM.

 

[jpr9954]

Comes with a Simmons scope which is coming off it. Any suggestions for a replacement? You really can’t see it but the rear mount has a peep sight built into it for back up use.

 

[xausa]

Comes with a Simmons scope which is coming off it. Any suggestions for a replacement? You really can’t see it but the rear mount has a peep sight built into it for back up use.

My choice would be something in the nature of a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5X, but if you want something less pricey, then a Lyman 3X or 4X All American, preferably with a post and crosshair reticle.

 

[Nevada Mike]

My dad had a P17 sporter with the cock on opening kit from Dayton Traiser. It was reliable, smooth as glass, heavy, hell for stout, and butt ugly. I don't know what ever happened to it...

 

[Lee in Texas]

Seeing all these comments encouraged me to bid on a Eddystone 1917 custom in .358 Norma Magnum today. It was in a nice walnut stock with a rollover cheek piece. I won it for less than $400.

What gets me - or should I say mystifies me - is that I saw a Saiga .410 shotgun go for well over $800 and even a Mossberg 500 went for over $400. Either no one realized what it was or the cost of ammo dissuaded them.

View attachment 393916

Nice! I have its brother; a Remington Model 30 Express in 358 Norma Magnum. It was someone else’s custom rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Nice! I have its brother; a Remington Model 30 Express in 358 Norma Magnum. It was someone else’s custom rifle.

@Lee in Texas
Osgood to see the original dog leg bolt was kept. You ance a great rifle in a great caliber.
Bob

 

[Red Leg]

I think most would agree that the P 14/17 in its military form is not the most elegant action around which to build a refined rifle. Yet, trust the British to accomplish just that.

This is my Cogswell & Harrison 318 WR NE built shortly after WWI when P 14 actions became readily available to the trade. Those masters knew a thing or two about proportion.

 

[John P.]

I was sorting take off barrels for the scrapper last week and found a Enfield barrel chambered for 30 Belted Newton!!!

Meanwhile back at the farm if I live long enough I have all the stuff for building a 450 Ackley on an Enfield. Barrel, reamers, dies, cases, bullets, McMillian stock, sights. Fishing season now so gun work is on the way back burner.

Those are nice rifles in the above photos.