A peculiar find (for me!) and... ball park value?

louthepou

louthepou

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Hi everyone,

Well here's something new for me. I was looking for my usual Lee Enfields, and here's what followed me home.

A heavy-barreled, 7.62mm-chambered Enfield Model 1917 (Eddystone).

It has a Parker Hale rear sight (model T.Z. 3/53), and a target shooting trigger (don't know which manufacture, I didn't take it apart yet). There are a few minor spots of surface rust. The bore is great.

Since I know nothing about this type of rifle, I hope you don't mind me asking about typical market value - with, and without, the Parker-Hale sight?

Thanks for any input!

Lou

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Likely made up for PRA/DCRA shooting in the 70s. Probably an excellent shooter, but pretty much obsolete for competition. I suspect that $790 for a similar rifle is a bit optimistic.
 
I'm no gun smith but AFAIK those Eddystones usually go for anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to about 5-600. That's full military wood though. Don't know about the sight and the target stock. I probably wouldn't want to spend more than 3-400 if I was looking to buy one personally.

Those actions are great though!

7.62 what? Is it still in .30-06 or has it been rechambered?

Nice lookin rifle.
 
Stamped on the barrel is "7.62 M/M" which is 7.62 nato?

I know the rifle belonged to a retired instructor from Valcartier (22e) who did take part in DCRA competitions.
 
7.62x51. It is a rifle made up for fullbore target shooting.
What is the make of the barrel? A Schultz & Larsen?
 
To me it's a $400-500 rifle tops.

I love those old school target rifles. I bought a Mauser in 308 with a AJP sight similar to yours for $350, sold the sight for $200 and installed a scope. ;) Nice stock, good bedding and a great trigger. I use it in competitions and it shoots very well. You have a good starter bench rest rifle there.
 
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Thanks folks, much appreciated.

Tiriaq, nothing I can see on the barrel to ID the maker. Weird looking; as if some sort of oversize sleeve was installed on the barrel?

Andy, thanks. And as much as I'd like to expand my shooting experience, the rifle may have to end up in the EE section, "sans" PH sight; too many guns, too many calibers, not enough time... *sigh*...

Lou
 
A friend of mine has a very similar '17 fullbore target rifle. I'll ask him what he paid, but if memory serves, I think it was just North of $500.
 
I have one, acquired at auction about 8 or 10 yrs. ago.
Its a Winchester mfg.1917, looks very similar to yours and was advertised as
"having seen use at Bisley", Central peep sights, PH hooded front.
On top of the barrel in tiny print are the words " 7.62 Regulated by Fulton."
Halfway down the barrel it says " Josef Just - Ferlach".
The stock is not as nice as yours but it is glass-bedded and the barrel is floated. A rail is inletted in the forearm with a hand-stop.
In spite of having iron sights the rifle will cut cloverleafs with nearly any bullet weight, except 155 match and those will go into one ragged hole at 100 yds. It feels heavy and sort of clumsy but is an awesome shooter. :)
 
Kevan said:
I have one, acquired at auction about 8 or 10 yrs. ago.
Its a Winchester mfg.1917, looks very similar to yours and was advertised as
"having seen use at Bisley", Central peep sights, PH hooded front.
On top of the barrel in tiny print are the words " 7.62 Regulated by Fulton."
Halfway down the barrel it says " Josef Just - Ferlach".
The stock is not as nice as yours but it is glass-bedded and the barrel is floated. A rail is inletted in the forearm with a hand-stop.
In spite of having iron sights the rifle will cut cloverleafs with nearly any bullet weight, except 155 match and those will go into one ragged hole at 100 yds. It feels heavy and sort of clumsy but is an awesome shooter. :)
Click to expand...

Of all the desireable bits and pieces, yours has them. Odd that it won't shoot 155s well. The only ammunition around when these were out was 147gr issue ball (and crappy IVI at that).

There is no point in considering returning this rifle to milsurp condition. You will spend far more time and effort than it is worth, compared to unaltered surplus rifles that are available.

As Tiriaq and the others have stated, these were competitive rifles thirty/forty years ago. Now they are clunkers on the line. I have a couple and was strongly counselled to put them away and buy a good modern gun. Mortgage and other expenses have interferred.
 
Andy said:
To me it's a $400-500 rifle tops.

I love those old school target rifles. I bought a Mauser in 308 with a PH sight similar to yours for $350, sold the sight for $200 and installed a scope. ;) Nice stock, good bedding and a great trigger. I use it in competitions and it shoots very well. You have a good starter bench rest rifle there.
Click to expand...

Agreed. A friend has just sold a 7.62 FN Mauser based target rifle of the same vintage, that shoots very well, for $300 without the sights. With sights it would have been $450 - $500. The guy buying it is going to scope it.
 
I don't think the barrel would be sleeved. The reduced diameter muzzle is for a banded front sight base. S&L, Enfield and a number of other manufacturers made barrels for this sort of rifle. Might be tight bored to better shoot 7.62 ball ammunition. Personally, I think it would be a shame to sell off the sight separately. It would likely be a dandy shooter as is.
 
I had one just like that when I started target shooting. Very popular in the 70's as were converted #4's. You don't see too many on the range anymore. The sights are old school although workable if they are not to sloppy. A big elastic band can be use to take to wobble out of them.
One in good shape with sights and handstop might fetch $250-$400.
 
Thanks again. Never ceases to amaze me, all there is to learn in this shooting world!

As a knowledgeable fellow pointed out, the sights are "AJ Parker", not Parker Hale. If I knew how to rear it would help! (it's well written right there clearly on the sights...)

Here's a picture that may or may not be useful - I tried to see if I could capture the surface "texture" of the barrel and the knox.

Picture057.jpg
 
Ferlach barrels are hammer forged. Start with a donut-sized bisquit of steel and a mandrel that is the outside shape of the inside of a rifle bore. Then pound the steel with extremely strong hammers until the molecules start flowing. The final texture is very pleasing. It might be called snake-skin.
 
Yes, a hammer forged barrel. No internal stress and hard finish. They wear well. It could be Ferlach or an Enfield. both are hammer forged. To me, it looks more like an Enfield.

The inside dimensions are tight. bore is probably .306 to .3065. Just start with a Start load and work up.

Without the sight, I think you would be lucky to get much more than $300 for it.
 
Lou....you have a hammer forge barrel. Those particular barrels were made by Lithgow in Austrailia for full bore shooters. Yours was in England at one time as it's got the British proof marks....maybe was rebarrelled there. Show me the bolt release...dollars to donuts its a P14 action. It should be 4 groove barrel 1 in 14 twist for the 7.62mm Nato. Won't shoot modern ammo very well unless you hand load to this specific cartridge/bullet weight. I've got one of these as well. On a good day it's worth $400.00. If you need more info PM me. Ron
 
It is a P14 action indeed Ron! "Dollars to Donuts"... I owe you a treat at Tim Horton's? :D

Ok now I have to read about hammer forged barrels. Geez the fun never stops ;)

I'll need to take pictures of the other rifle I got with this one. Different barrel, smooth outer surface, on a No4 Longbranch action...
 
Lou..Gift Certificate works....Tim's is a favorite haunt of mine. There's some interest in P14 target rifles however not much....a friend of mind finally sold his....got $250.00 for it including a Parker Hale a 5E sight. Those hammer forge barrels were put on everything from 96 and 98 Mausers to No4 Enfields Love to see a picture of the No4...I've got a few of these as well. Hope you're not paying too much for this stuff???? Ron
 
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