Restoration, three tales of undone bubbas,

[Greasemonkey]

These are my tales of undoing bubbas work. It's a wicked path deciding to do one, some replacement parts can be like finding hens teeth, and can actually cost more than its actually worth to. And the time and effort, because parts and pieces just don't drop in your lap, it's an extreme hide-n-go seek game.

First case, A lowly half destroyed Winchester M1917 Enfield.

This was a yardsale find, luckly the metal was intact, no drilling or grinding. That poor, poor Mauser, I had to leaver her, she was severely "tainted".



The same Winchester after over two years of digging/looking/scratching for parts, this is one case where the stock cost more than I paid for the rifle.


And my pair of Winchester M1917s.


Second case, a 1947 Spanish FR 8 Mauser, I love these little carbines

As bought of a local board, bubba was not at all kind to the stock, heavily sanded, cracked handguard, missing rear sling bar and bottom sling hanger. Metal however was intact.


Sometime later, I found a replacement stock, it had to have some fitting done to fit correctly. The one stock was screwed, so I played with it for giggles.


The final and most time consuming thing was tracking down and finding a handguard, there is none. They are about as rare as the M1917 stock.


The final is a Japaneses Type 38 Arisaka, this one really upped the ante.

As I found her, for a whopping 125 bucks, front sight chopped on, but the barrel is untouched.



Why I chose it, an unground MUM. The real deal in Japanese weapons.


I ran across a ground mum, missing the bolt and box mag Type 38, I salvaged all the usable hardware, swapping the front sight was a bear, requiring heating. The pins holding it on only come out and install one way. I also found the correct bayonet and scabbard  for it.

[Adam7]

I would love to find a cheap 1917 in need of some work.  I recently found a mint, unfinished 1917 Eddystone stock at a local thrift store for $10.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Outstanding....  THATS what this forum is all about!!

[Greasemonkey]

I would love to find a cheap 1917 in need of some work.  I recently found a mint, unfinished 1917 Eddystone stock at a local thrift store for $10.

Dude, if that stock is legit, they will run 150-175 or so for a so-so stock, one you can see some markings. but most are faded, rubbed off, kind of a lower grade, but still not sanded or cut. But one that has the E,W or R stamp on the nose, has nice crisp cartouches, think high end pristine stock, your looking at 250-300 or more, for the stock.  And, beware, a Pattern 14 Enfield and M1917 Enfield are often confused. The stocks aren't really interchangeable, I was told there are differences in the length of the trigger guard to accomodate the longer 30-06 round.

[Adam7]

I would love to find a cheap 1917 in need of some work.  I recently found a mint, unfinished 1917 Eddystone stock at a local thrift store for $10.

Dude, if that stock is legit, they will run 150-175 or so for a so-so stock, one you can see some markings. but most are faded, rubbed off, kind of a lower grade, but still not sanded or cut. But one that has the E,W or R stamp on the nose, has nice crisp cartouches, think high end pristine stock, your looking at 250-300 or more, for the stock.  And, beware, a Pattern 14 Enfield and M1917 Enfield are often confused. The stocks aren't really interchangeable, I was told there are differences in the length of the trigger guard to accomodate the longer 30-06 round.

You will have to forgive me, I'm at work and don't have time to transfer this to this forum, so I will link you the thread where I asked about this stock here:  http://www.the 'other' boards/smf/index.php?topic=128345.0

Let me know if it is the real deal!

[Greasemonkey]

I don't have a Pattern 14, but measure the area where the box magazine goes length wise, I'm thinking the P-14 and M1917 took different sized box mags/trigger guards, the 30-06 is roughly a 1/4 inch longer than the .303 Brit.  I might have to dig one of mine out and measure.

[Dannyboy53]

It's great to see someone restore a hacked up piece of history to it's near original configuration. Great looking rifles GM, good job with them.

Not long ago I read a piece about the 1917's. In the movie, SGT YORK, he is portrayed as using a 1903 Springfield during his famous foray into the German lines. There are some historians that believe he actually used the 1917, as far as I know the controversy continues.