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1917 Eddystone, nose cap assembly

robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
edited January 2002 in Ask the Experts
I havent got my Eddystone yet, its going to be here today. I will be putting the gun back to original condition, as close as possible anyway. I just want to confirm what I think to be true. In order put the nose cap assy back on I have to remove the front sight assy, is that correct? Is this going to be soemthing I need to have a gunsmith do, or do you think I can get away doing it myself, since I am competent at gunsmithing, I've just never removed one of these front sights before??? Let me know what you think.
SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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Comments

  • Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Your answers are yes. The front sight is secured to the barrel by a cross pin that you must drive out. Then use a nylon hammer to tap the sight assembly toward the muzzle off the barrel. You will now see a "key" which rests in a slot in the barrel oriented muzzle-butt. Note that the key has a half circle notch in the approx. center of it's top which is what the cross pin passes through when in place, and is what keeps the sight assembly secured in place from forward-rearward movement; whereas the key retains the sight assembly in it's vertical position. If you remove the key from it's slot be sure to reinstall it the same way, as often the notch isn't truly in the center and you'll have a difficult time getting the pin through on reassembly. All in all, easily done. Once you get it all off put a little preservative (gun oil?) on everything internal before reassembling. Glad to see someone else is interested in these old rifles beside myself; perhaps I can be of help in the future. By the way, are you active USMC? If so, Thank You for your service to our Country.
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes, active duty. Thanks for the info. I believe I will try to do this myself, doesnt sound hard at all. I may be needing another barrel, this one is badly pitted, any idea of where to get one? I'm checking the auctions now, but only found a couple, one is on an action for sale, and I'd hate to waste the action, shoot its in better shape than mine. The other is good, but the user has had his use of the site suspended, so...??
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    These parts were made in such vast quantity that even now they're usually not too hard to come by. Try the Numrich Gun Parts Corp. They may have an original take-off, but they showed newly mfg. chrome-moly barrels as item#413490 at $103.95 in Catalog #22.
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I looked at Gun Parts, I dont really want a new one unless I HAVE to go that route. I really appreciate you instructing me as to how the front sight comes off, I have taken it off, without too much difficulty, and I really want to thank you, thank you very much.
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Por nada. So--share the details of your 1917 with us. I've got 3 1914's that I acquired years ago from Big 5. Even though I was an FFL then (and now) I felt it enough of an advantage to be able to inspect before buying that I paid a little more for them, and selected them for bore condition. One has a W in front of the serial no., so I speculate that it was made by Winchester. It is a tack driver. The other two have an E prefix. Got them refinished (wood only) and the handguards required a little epoxy repair which I did from the inside so that the outside looks unblemished. I believe, but don't know, that their last stop before arriving back in the U.S. was India. Also have 3 Eddystone 1917s, two W.W.I vintage, blue; and one W.W.II re-work, parkerized, like new, a real mix-up of parts. Also have a Win. that was already sporterized when I bought it (so the desecration is not on my conscience), and have thought about restoring it--but finding a nice original Winchester barrel would be a difficult quest. It's presently one of those pieces that drips history, though; no rust at all, but worn silver in many places. Excellent bore. A minimal sporter job--someone just cut off and rounded the forward part of the stock and got rid of everything up front. Someone cared for it a lot. I replaced the rear sights of one each of the 1914s and 1917s with S&K no-gunsmithing scope mounts years ago and mounted compact scopes. Very nice. Saved the original sights, of course! Best wishes on your project. Originals become scarcer every year, and no more will be made.
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, my Eddystone is a mixture of parts, not sure if its an arsenal rebuild or what. I just bought it on line. Its worst characteristic is there is a lot of pitting in the barrel, but its uniform from end to end with no really serious worrysome pitting. The rifling is strong. Headspace passes only with the field guage, but thats not really bothersome to me, as a lot of my guns are that way and they all shoot fine. I am planning on shooting it tomorrow to see how the accuracy is, if its good enough the barrel will stay, if not it gets replaced. The stock handguards and bayonet I bought from one source and the stock is an orginal, and its quite nice, makes the gun. The bayonet is very good condition, original also. If it shoots ok I just have to make my mind up as to whether or not I should get it parkerized to get all the parts uniformly colored. I will repost tomorrow with the results on the groups it shoots, or lack of groups. See 'ya.
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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