p-17 question

[mtbugle]

I have a p-17 enfield with a left twist barrel and now have one with a right twist barrel. The right twist one is JA marked instead of one of the usual mfr's.  Has the flaming bomb but no date. Other that that it looks like the correct barrel for a 17.  Does anyone know what this is.  Thanks Don.

[Mikey]

mtbugle:  that may be the correct barrel/rifling for the P-17.  I had a 3/18 ordinance stamped M17 with a left twist barrel.  The left twist barrels may have been designed for the heavier, slower loads for the earlier 303s and 30-06s.  I know the left twist barrel on my M17 shot heavy loads better than anything else - of course, it was perfectly accurate with screamin' 150s but seemed to shoot the heavily loaded 180s and 220s very accurately.  My newer (1970) M70 Winchester with a right twist barrel does not seem to be as accurate.  JMTCW.  Mikey.

[GatCat]

The "JA" stands for "Johnson Automatics", who made replacement barrels. It looks like yours was either arsensal refinished, or maybe sold and someone put on the JA barrel. They also made barrels for the civilian market, also marked JA.
Mark

[mtbugle]

Thanks for the replies.  I am sure it is replacement as the rifle has various finishes on its components and the barrel appears to have no finish on it. or a very thin coat of parkerizing of some sort.  Is there more info on this johnson automatics?  thanks Don.

[Mikey]

You can probably find lots of info about the Johnson Rifle on the net.  They were designed and made during WWII by the time they had dropped the bullet weight on the 06 from 180 to150/147 gns and I think the right hand twist barrels were designed for the lighter weight bullet.  You should be able to get lots of info on these.  Good luck.  Mikey.

ps: also, cruse this forum or put in a search for Johnson Rifles here on GBO - they have been written about here before. 

[.30-06 Guy]

Howdy Gents. I have a few questions for some of you guys who know the 1917. I just acquired one in kind of rough condition. I was looking for a stock as this one is a monte carlo replacement and is busted at the wrist. Whoever had it before I saw it didn't install any recoil lugs or cross bolts. On one website a guy who was giving the Bell and Carlson synthetic 5 stars said he rebarreled his to 8mm Rem MAG. I was wondering if the magazine/action is long enough for this and if so, what needs to be done. Mine would not be in 8 Mag, but rather .338 RUM Imp. Is this doable without too much fuss? Thanks in advance.

[iiranger]

The 17 was designed by the Brits for a long tear drop shaped 7mm to compete with the 7x57 that was so much trouble in the Boer War... WW I popped up and they got made in .303 Brit. (Uncle Sam wanted Springfields, and got told to come back in a year or 3 and bought Enfields in '06 instead) POINT: .303 has the same rim diameter as the .300 H&H Magnum case. So instead of opening a 17 bolt, you just slip in a P14 bolt and you are there.

Mr. Weatherby used the 17, reportedly, to develop his magnums. So if you are anywhere close to the .300 H&H or .375 H&H length, should fit. Now the 17 magazine was built around the '06 so it is some work, but done many times. How heavy 8mm bullets you intend. The fast twist crowd that has to have the longest and heaviest bullets... maybe a problem there.

And how many rounds do you want. Many have had the magazine shortened to flatten the bottom of the stock... Slimmer, sleeker...

The "beware" is the Eddystone Enfields made at Baldwin Locomotive Works, owned by Remington, in Eddystone PA. This WW I era steel has been known to crack if a tight barrel is just removed by raw force. Supposedly, if a ring is cut ahead of the receiver relieving the "tight" .... No problem with Remington marked or Winchester marked (mine are Winchester... 14s)  luck.

[.30-06 Guy]

Thanks iiranger. The magazine is about 3/8"-1/2" longer than a .30-06 tracer round. It holds 6 rounds of .30-06 or 5 rounds of .303. The "belly" doesn't bother me if I can put 5 rounds of Ultra Mag in there.
     My question at this point is ...Does a P-14 bolt have to be modified in any way to fit the reciever if replacing the barrel? If not it sounds like I can "drop in" a 14 bolt, headspace the new barrel to it and go. That would be swell. As for barrel removal just cut a relief in the old barrel just in front of the reciever ring, use the correct barrel and action wrenches and no percieved problems? This might not be as much trouble as I first thought. The .338 Remington Ultra Mag has a fatter body but same rim as the H&H cases. It is also a tad shorter so mag length should be fine. If I loose an additional round it'll still be 4 down and one up, ok by me. Thanks for the help. I saw complete 14 bolts somewhere for $60.

[Buckhammer74]

Can you go the other way and switch a 14 bolt for a 17? Are they the same action just different bolt and magazine?

[Cottage Hill Bill]

Are they the same action? Yes and no. The Pattern 1914 (P-14) was chambered in .303 British, the Model of 1917 was chambered in .30-06. In a general way they are the same action, but not all parts are interchangable and there are a small number of parts in the same model that may not interchange between manufacturers.

For the details your best bet would be to search the Model 1917 specific forum at http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/1917enfield/1917.pl