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"More of those were used by the US forces in WWI than the Springfield."

Posted by Timbo in Oz (A) on September 28, 2016 at 15:08:28

In Reply to: RE: Hi there! M1917 Enfield action in a sporter stock. posted by Bold Eagle on September 28, 2016 at 09:21:33:

Hi Jerry,

Mine was 'just heavy enough for you' as the stock maker said.

Mind you this was in my twenties when I was a small-arms instructor, marksman and marksmanship coach, and could throw an L1A1 SLR (FAL?) around like it was a long toy.
The Sporter M1917 was most versatile rifle I ever owned. You can even load 110-gr bullets, though the smallest I used were 130 hollow-points.

The main thing for me about the Mauser Enfield is the action's smoothness and ease, unlike all other front locking Mausers, which cock on opening and can get quite notchy and stiff when hot. Makes a much better sniper rifle as a P14 or M1917, as a result.

One other advantage is that it can be re-barrelled and chambered for longer and belted magnums as the bolt's throw is long and the whole thing over-built. The original British Army cartridge was a HV 7mm magnum.

IMO the influence of target shooters and wrong lessons learned from 7MM Mausers in the 2nd Boer War was an 'interesting rat-hole' for the British Army, fortuitously fixed by July-August 1914's events.

As we did quite a bit of pig shooting on mobs in scrub and timbered country, emptying and refilling the mag was common. I used 150 or 170 gr soft nose / HN bullets for pigs. Ball (FMJ) was pretty damned good though, and free.

I found that a 5-round clip / not putting a sixth in was best, and a lot quicker when reloading!! I'd picked up a few clips in my service, the Army wanted the brass but couldn't care about the clips. ? The case and rim diam. of .30-06 and 7.62/.308Win are the same.

My favourite military bolt-action rifle remains the SMLE III* and III*T (heavy barrel and WWI era/design scope) made here at Lithgow NSW from before WWI until ~ 1950. Very fast, lowish recoil and more than accurate enough, even in standard form. So long as you load the rimmed .303 cases into the clips carefully they load and feed smoothly.

I do not regard the LE Rifle No4, with its pig-sticker spike-bayonet as an improvement as a weapon. Ease of mfr? who cares? Australia kept the III until the late 50s. it's snipe version was no better than the Aussie sniper III*T.

We were still using the III*T to train snipers when I did the marksmanship and coaching course in 1976!

I'd never really liked the SLR/L1A1 until that course. When I was given the right length stock / butt, there were three lengths!!!! Bruised my cheek at all range-days until then. Took one back with me! Had to PAY for it, but.

I am edging closer to getting Phase 1 of the 'QUAD 63 plus swarm subs' system running. Wiring runs and polarity switching at spkr level, need to be finalised. ? Tidy / short runs help with vacuuming!

Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

Edits: 09/28/16

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