AzRednek Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Long story short I have recently acquired two sportorized 1917 Enfields. After my last completed project and spending way to much I planned on doing the rest on the economy plan. With what I currently have in my vault I can certainly hunt anything in Arizona and pretty well anywhere in North America and not be under gunned with the exception of maybe dangerous game. Like many of you, you build them even though you don’t need it but simply said you just want it. I’ve decided to be generous building one of the Enfields, nice stock, leaf rear sights, high polish blue, jeweled bolt etc and the other will be a cheapie.. The cheapie will be more of a utility grade. I’ll spend enough to make it reliable and reasonably accurate for hunting purposes. I don’t want to have to worry about a stock ding or a scratch but would want to be able to get one in the kill zone without much difficulty out to about 250 yds. Not really having the need for a cannon but a desire to have bragging/showing off rights on something unique I can’t decide what calibers. Being an Enfield I would like something that will utilize the long action, something I can’t stuff in a standard length Mauser. First caliber that comes to mind is 375 H&H a good all-around choice where I wouldn’t be ridiculously over gunned deer sized and up. If I’m going to spend the bucks though to make one unique, desirable and taking advantage of the long action. I’m considering anything based on the 460 Weatherby 30/378 or the granddaddy itself, if possible maybe a Lazoroni caliber of some sort or one of the new RUM’s. Having something like a 416 Rigby would be kind of cool although the chances of my ever hunting dangerous game or even stepping foot on the African continent are somewhere between slim and none. On the other hand I have a yearning to build a 1950's type classic and if I follow that theme a 300 H&H would be in order... but ..... so would the Rigby. I’ve pretty well decided one will be in 375 H&H but can’t decide if I will chamber it in the cheapie or the showing off project. I have plenty of time to decide, I currently have two Mauser projects in the works I’m determined to finish before I start another. I’ve recovered fairly well from my surgery and am back to fitting a stock on one of the projects without feeling any pain. So what do you guys think, which calibers would you choose and if you don’t mind taking a few minutes at the keyboard, why?? Any other creative or classic suggestions on what to do with the P-17's will be sincerely appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roscoedoh Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 First caliber that comes to mind is 375 H&H a good all-around choice where I wouldn’t be ridiculously over gunned deer sized and up. If I’m going to spend the bucks though to make one unique, desirable and taking advantage of the long action. I’m considering anything based on the 460 Weatherby 30/378 or the granddaddy itself, if possible maybe a Lazoroni caliber of some sort or one of the new RUM’s. Having something like a 416 Rigby would be kind of cool although the chances of my ever hunting dangerous game or even stepping foot on the African continent are somewhere between slim and none. On the other hand I have a yearning to build a 1950's type classic and if I follow that theme a 300 H&H would be in order... but ..... so would the Rigby. I’ve pretty well decided one will be in 375 H&H but can’t decide if I will chamber it in the cheapie or the showing off project. Take the shortest distance between to points...build a 458 Lott. They seem to be hot thing going right now and are said to have the ability to kill darn near anything dangerous on the planet. (500 grains @ 2300 FPS!!) Furthermore, Numrich I believe may have some type of magazine conversion kit for you to enable you to use H&H based cartridges. If you want a complete "African" battery, build a 300 H&H or 375 H&H and a 458 Lott. You'll also want to study up on recoil absorbing stock design and invest in thick recoil pads and possible mercury recoil reducers. Neither the 375 nor the 458 are anything to laugh at in the recoil department. They'll probably be the easiest to get to feed too. Good luck with this. I wish I were you and was sitting on a couple nice Enfields and I'd surely do what I mentioned above! You're a lucky guy. Apparently you and Z have had nice a week! Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimro Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Well, since you already have enough for hunting North America, then a safari cannon or long range rig are the next two choices. Long range options includ 8mm Rem Mag, 338 RUM and 338 Lapua mag. All the various 30 cal magnums as well. However the action isn't exactly benchrest quality, so this is a "wild hair" project. A safari cannon has lots of option, the 416 Rigby, 404 Jeffrey, 500 Jeffrey, 505 Gibbs, 458 Lott, 460 Wby, as well as a host of wildcats. The 458 Lott is a good choice because it can also fire 458 Win mag cartriges in a pinch. If I were you I'd make the knockaround 375 H&H, and a presentation grade 458 Lott or 416 Rigby. Except I think it would bloody cool to have a tactical 8mm Rem Mag pushing 200 grain SMK's out past 1k, I have a "wild hair" so to speak. Jimro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Darn, Where did my very log reply go???? The p17 is fine for cartidges up tp the .375 H&H size or at least based off that case. The p14 is more desireable for the larger cases due to its bolt. It supports more of the case with its face than the p17 will due to its being of standard breech design not coned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrScott Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Here is a picture of the one I am working on. I finally got the 416 Rem Mag barrel on and used the old stock to test fire it. Still a lot of work to do. I plan to add some open sights and get a new stock and rust blue. It feeds better than any other gun I have (factory or homemade) but it took a lot of work to get it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Here's another 416 rem. One of my favorite non mauser rifles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clark Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 The Macfarland gunsmithing book page 110 through 137 is step by step sporterizing the 1917 and pattern 14 Enfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted August 17, 2005 Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 I've never had or shot one but I either the 300 H&H or 375 H&H. I guess mostly because that's what a lot of the hunters used when I read about hunting in Africa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrScott Posted August 17, 2005 Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 Shot another 15 rounds of 416 Rem Mag today after I straightened the scope out (I can't believe no one mentioned that in the above picture the scope is twisted 90 degrees to the left). The cheap old weaver rings are broken and the stock is cracked now where the front action screw goes through. No more shooting until the new stock is ready (2 crossbolts, extra recoil lug on the barrel, epoxy bedding) and much stronger scope rings are purchased. The target is the last 6 rounds right before everything broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted August 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 Dr Scott, where can you order a stock with cross bolts? Thx in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrScott Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 Dr Scott, where can you order a stock with cross bolts? Thx in advance. 2512[/snapback] I am going to put them in myself - it is not that hard with the jig from Brownells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted August 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 I am going to put them in myself - it is not that hard with the jig from Brownells. 2523[/snapback] THX, I looked at Brownells site, the tool will cost me about 70 bux A gunsmith over the phone quoted me about $50 to install one, maybe more or less when he sees it. I'll try it on a cheapie stock this time. The last one I half-assed by eye-balling it without a jig was on a nice piece of finished and checkered wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted August 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 The Macfarland gunsmithing book page 110 through 137 is step by step sporterizing the 1917 and pattern 14 Enfield. 2191[/snapback] ATT CLARK, do you know which Macfarland book it is?? If I remember right he had about 4 or 5 editions. Thx in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Menuar Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 I am a bit late to this thread. I have a very late production M1917 sporter. It is still in '06. It has the two groove barrel. Bubba did some really nice (NOT!) handy work to it. I am currently doing a full blown restoration to correct Bubba's handy work. He put on the wrong size one piece scope mount as well leaving some nice hacksaw marks on the barrel. The saw marks have been corrected. I installed a Timney trigger. The stock is now completely stripped. The pigment is uneven. I'll need to bleach out the stock and start over. Bubba put on one of the fugliest plastic finishes I have ever seen on a gun, bar none. I'll be refinishing the stock with the spit coat/tung oil finish that I put on my milsurps. I will convert the scope mounts to Weaver bases. Before I tore the gun down, I ran some 165gr BT handloads through it. It shot patterns. When I switched to 180gr flat based bullets, things got accurate in a big hurry. Methinks the throat is a bit long. My next gun will be a M70 375 H&H so there is no point in going to another boomer. If I can't get the gun to shoot the lighter bullets in 30-06, I'll be going old school. Probably go to a 26" barrel in 300 H&H or possibly 8mm Remington Magnum just to be different. ZM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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