P14/17 point of Sporterization?

[dan belisle]

The Remington Model 30 is a commercial model P14/M17. The American plants were producing so many spare parts in WW1 that there were enough spares to keep Remington's parts bins supplied for two decades. I don't have my reference at hand, but the industrial strategy was progressive enough to use women in semi-skilled jobs for reasonably good wages. By throwing just a little extra money at an urgent problem, the plants' output was phenomenal. But, specialization led to gross over production, and the plants soon met every contract signed.

Yup. And it culminated in the 720, probably the best rifle of the series. I've owned a lot of P14/M17/30's over the years, the 720 was the nicest version. Although if you ever got your hands on one of the ones built by Tom Burgess, you'd see why people really like them. - dan

 

[dthunter]

I was given a P14 about 10-12 years ago.

I took the rifle out and did some serious load development as well.
The rifle shot so well, it made me wonder how it would do with a scope mounted on it.

I had a close look at the bore, and the original rifling looked prestine!

So I took, some time and a friend of mine, and we put our heads together to figure out what we could do with this project rifle.

It took me 2 years to get all the work finished, and the rifle done as I had envisioned it.

I am super happy with how-it turned out! It shoots incredibly well as well!

Hope you like the photos.

The photo with the original wood is just a sample photo. All the others are photos throughout my project.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/EBAp7wxMSwoC5JoE6

 

[a j cave]

A very strong action. No need anymore, but that also applies to all wildcat cartridges. Does not seem to stop us.

 

[MD]

The BSA conversions came in various grades from very basic with cut-down stocks to deluxe models with new stocks.

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&...IHY9TBGIQ4dUDCAY&uact=5#imgrc=5iVQ5P_Quuny-M:

 

[dthunter]

Buckmaster: Very nice wood indeed! So many people wonder why we put money into old rifles like this, until they see the results like we got! what caliber is yours again?

 

[Buckmastr]

Buckmaster: Very nice wood indeed! So many people wonder why we put money into old rifles like this, until they see the results like we got! what caliber is yours again?

I bought this rifle off the ee a while back. It came out of an estate on the east coast. It still wears the original 30cal barrel and is chambered in 30-06. I too like nice old sporters like 1903’s and these Enfields. Thanks for the complements.

 

[badbrass]

Yes may have to go that way! Thanks.

Boyds has sporter stocks for P14/M17 rifles. - dan

 

[Dogfish858]

It's the difference between an old Toyota pickup and a new Hyundai two door.

 

[antiqueguy]

ive been looking for a sporter p14 for a varmint rifle build in 6mm Musgrave may have to settle for a no1 mk3 or no4 mk1 sporter even thought of using a martini action. I personally wouldn't sportize a full military rifle of any kind or even one that could be brought back but If its too far gone might aswell use it for something

 

[Scrumbag]

I wouldn't start with a military rifle and sporterise it today, however, if I found an already sporterised P14 / 17 I'd happily "modernise" it to my tastes.

Keeping thinking a .338WM on a P14 with the laminate stock might be a cool thing to have...

 

[Leeper]

You know, I never have understood why people think the P14 is great for magnum cartridges while the 17 is less so. As near as I can figure, the allure of the P14 as the basis for a magnum build is that the bolt face doesn't have to be opened up. This is a 20 minute job. With this 20 minutes which has been saved, one has more time to spend opening up the rails, lengthening the magazine cutout, and building a new mag box. With the Model 17, one spends the 20 minutes opening the bolt face then may or may not have to open the rails a bit. That's it.
I've built rifles on 14's and 17's and my preference is to use the 14's for rimmed cartridges and 17's for anything else. Either way, they are a lot of work and it is difficult to achieve a real nice result. I have seen some really beautiful rifles built on Enfields but given the amount of work required, one does have to ask, why?
Both models have on glaring weakness and that is the ejector spring. There are two types; those which have broken and those which have not broken yet. The second group is probably less common. I don't know if they were trying to get around a Mauser patent or what but the designers managed to take the Mauser bolt stop/ejector, and screw it right up.

 

[Potashminer]

Leeper is "spot on" regarding the glaring weakness!! I have worked with 8 x M1917 and 5 x P14 over past couple years - 3 of them had broken ejector springs - $US 19.99 each to replace from Numrich. Roy Dunlap and others used to make a modification with a small coil spring, to eliminate the leaf spring that wants to break off. Seems to be a "best" work-around to a poor initial design - Numrich used to stock the ones with coil spring, but not lately. A really inferior thing, when they had the Mauser 98 pattern in hand!