starting out

[K98dkmauser]

hi im a new member and i want to get into long range shooting but i dont have a lot of money . i have a m1917 30-06 rifle with a older bushnell scope chief 3x9x40 scope . my rifle has loose head space but it has great rifling so im gonna try a different bolt to tighten that up . i have the barrel free floated and im gonna glass bed the stock .
so i suppose my question is is there anything else i can do to make it shoot sub moa groups ?


the headspace is loose about .006

 

[jpd676]

I don't have a lot of experience with that type of rifle. Reloading is key to good accuracy. Other than that, a good trigger makes it much easier to be consistently accurate. Remember too, the scope you put on your rifle needs to be repeatable.

 

[FearNoWind]

If you've got head space problems I wouldn't advise trying to repair the problem by simply trying a new bolt. Have a qualified gun smith check it out so you don't find the new bolt sticking out of the side of your face.
If your M1917 30-06 is an Eddystone Arsenal, a military rifle, is it sporterized? If it's another Model 1917 (e.g. sporterized 1917 Enfield) please describe it more completely so the information you might receive here is relative.
The Bushnell Chief, in any power configuration, is unlikely to provide repeatable settings and I wouldn't recommend it for any serious hunting venture.

 

[K98dkmauser]

it is a mis match sporter eddystone with a winchester bolt . a gunsmith for 20 years told about using a different bolt . he said he used to do it with mausers and 1903s .
I have looked at a bunch of scopes i think a 14x leupold would nice but i dont really know

 

[K98dkmauser]

the rifle is an military eddystone with a full 26'' remington barrel . now the head space is not dangerous but it is loose it leaves a slight ring on the case but nothing uncommon .

 

[HARPERC]

Dollar for dollar your money would be better spent on getting a newer modern rifle.

Get quotes on the work and parts you're talking about to make your rifle safe and serviceable, and compare to some of the used rifles in the classifieds here and elsewhere.

It's easy to get sticker shock, but there are some gems on the lower end mixed in there.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

There are a couple things you can do. I'm a big fan of the 17 Enfields. . As the barrel has already been swapped out it should be pretty straight forward for a smith to pull the barrel and set it back 1 turn. Then run in a finishing reamer to get the head space correct.. there are after market triggers like Timney that you can install pretty easily. I myself wouldn't waste $ or effort converting it to cock on opening. You can get a laminated stock and epoxy bed it yourself. Then on to the bases, rings and a scope.

But you will still be putting some $$$ into it to get it reliable for long range shooting.
Another option for getting started shooting long range is to go the Savage route. Like an Axis or Edge. Around 300$ . Put a Boyd's Tacticool laminate target stock on it for about 125$ then a 20 moa base, rings and a scope like the 10×42SWFA SS scope and a bipod. You should end up with a rifle that will shoot very well for less than 800$ and will be a platform you can grow from. Most of the guys on this forum that can shoot reliably and well at long range could do so with the rifle I just described ( not saying they would want to) but rather that they have gained the knowledge and skills to do it. .
There's a lot more to shooting far away than just owning the gear to do it.

I've had a bunch of 17 Enfields and REALLY like them. But there are easier ways to get a long range rifle than rebuilding an almost hundred year old rifle.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

And besides if you ever want to build an absolute classic Alaskan Brown bear rifle. The 14 or 17 Enfield built into a 450 Watts is THE classic Baranof Island brown bear rifle. 2 of my 416 s have been built on 17 Enfields a Rem Mag and a Taylor. My 500 A-Square was on a P14. They are great Huge actions but really not the best starting place for LR

 

[HARPERC]

Agree with both of Cold Trigger Fingers posts.

I had a well put together .338 Winchester that was a very nice rifle.

 

[mountainman56]

United States Rifle, cal .30, Model of 1917. Manufactured by Eddystone, Winchester and Remington.Excellent rifle and very strong action. Have always been a big fan. You could have your bolt face opened up (or find a P-14 bolt) and re-chamber to 300 WM (I had one re-chambered to 308 Norma years ago and was a real shooter). You can get a Dayton trigger from Brownells for about $60 I think and I believe they sell a cock on open kit as well. This will improve the lock time quite a bit. Would not be very high on my list as a long range hunter but will get the job done.

Cold Trigger Finger has the right idea. While perhaps not the best long range candidate it is an excellent choice for re-barreling to the big magnums. The action is long enough to chamber to the 458 Lott if so desired. I believe A-square used this action for their massive 577 Tyrannosaur. Strength is not an issue as long as it is in good condition.

Either way have fun.

 

[K98dkmauser]

thanks for replies they are a lot of help !

what do you guys think about paper patch bullets .

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Not for long range shooting with modern rifles.

 

[K98dkmauser]

what ammo do you recommend ?

i looked at the swfa ss scope and its seem to be a great scope with a great price

i was looking around and came to conclusion that a looser headspace doesn't really affect accuracy all that much .

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

There is an abundance of good bullets for the 30 cal. Just try bullets with a BC over .5
Do you reload?