P17

[Lee D.]

I picked up a rifle at an auction.  Got it by mistake, long story.  I don't know too much about service rifles but I figured it was a p17 30-06.  So I cleaned it good, loaded up some shells, took it to my range and tied it to a bench and string pulled the trigger.  It went off and stayed in one piece, the empties looked good.  So I tried it  off the bench at 50 yards.   I fired three shots and my spotter said "wow you need to look at this".  Three shots could have been covered with a dime and left room for change.  It is amazing how accurately you can shoot with those peep sights.  Next week I will have to give it a 100 yard try.

[savageT]

Lee D,
That's Great!  How 'bout giving us some identifying information on this rifle so we can nail down the ID??  Does it have the 2-groove left-hand rifling?

Jim

[Robert]

Just sent one to have rebarreled to 35 Whelen.  These actions can easily handle rebarreling to 375 H&H.  You made a real good find.   Was my first big game rifle and got my first Elk with one, many deer, and bear.  Excellent meat gun.  You should try some 200-220 gr bullets for long-range shooting.  You will be pleasantly surprised.

[Lee D.]

The reason I said "I thought it was a P17" is that someone ground off all of the marks on top of the receiver.  Then took one of those vibrating engravers and put a # on the left side of the receiver.  I got it at an auction and it was "4473"ed by a dealer so if it was stolen or something I am covered.  
When I was at the range a young fellow who works for NUMRICH Arms looked it over and found info I had missed.  On the barrel just below the front sight he found 30-06, a flaming bomb, and a winchester proof mark.  Also another fellow who I know is very knowledgeable about military stuff confirmed that it was a P17.
I don't really have any use for it.  The barrel looked like a very neglected coal mine until I cleaned it.  The ouside is pretty poor even after my patented :wink:  kerosene and steel wool treatment (before that the outside also looked like an abandoned coal mine).  The stock isn't bad, but just your basic 100 year old piece of military walnut.
I will load a box of shells for it, sight it in and probably put on my forsale bench at the sighting in weekend that I run (10/15 & 10/16).  The only  question is--If it really shoots as good as my initial test.  I may just have to keep it.  But I still don't know what I would use it for.  I already have all of the "working" guns I need.

[Shorty]

:wink: Not to nit-pick, just FYI, there is no such thing as a P17.  There is a P14 (Pattern 1914, .303 Brit) and there is a US Model 1917 (.30-06) .