Review: Model 1917 Enfield

When someone is talking about a “World War II sniper rifle”, the Springfield M1903 30-06 usually comes to mind. That is true, the Springfield ’03 was a World War Two sniper rifle, but there is another one. The Model 1917 30-06 Enfield rifle.

 

Background

Three different gun makers manufactured the M1917 Enfield: Winchester, Remington, and Eddystone (Eddystone was a branch of Remington).

The Winchester and Remington models were identical in every way. Eddystone’s version was less reliable, though, because the barrel was two pieces welded together, instead of a single piece of steel. This made the rifle’s barrel more susceptible to cracks and breaks.

In World War I, the M1917 was issued to British troops as a standard infantry rifle, along-side the Enfield Mk. II rifle. Around twenty years later, World War II broke out, and the M1917’s were issued as sniper rifles after the soldiers realized how accurate they were. They were also issued to the artillery and rear-guard troops. Overall, 2,193,429 of these rifles were built. They saw service in the Korean War as sniper rifles as well. During the Vietnam War, they were still used, although much less frequently. Also, in more recent Middle East conflicts, rebels and insurgents have purchased these as surplus rifles to use in their battles. 

The Rifle

The M1917 is a heavy beast of a rifle, weighing in at 9 pounds, three ounces. It uses the Enfield-style bolt, which allows and easier operation, because of the easier-to-grip shape. It also incorporates a peep sight in the rear, and a three-pronged front sight, similar to the one used on the M1 Garand.

Found in different places on the rifle (such as the bolt, in front of the action, and next to the safety) is the flaming cannonball. It is also found on the Springfield 1903 rifle, the M1 Garand, and most other US Military rifles of the era.

The rifle itself uses the standard military (of that time) 30-06 cartridge. If the rifle is scoped, the rounds must be loaded one-by-one, due to the scope’s placement over the rifle’s receiver. Stripper clips can be used to assist loading, but only if the scope is not present. 

Shooting the M1917

The M1917 is a superb rifle. The Enfield bolt makes cycling the rifle easy and smooth. I started out by firing a few rounds from the bench at 100 yards, and got a great 4-inch pattern. After that, I attached a few CD’s to the top of my target, and I was punching one-inch wide holes in them at 50 yards. I didn’t miss once. Six shots, six holes, six dead CD’s.

 

Final Notes

While it’s a bit on the heavy side at nine pounds, the M1917 Enfield 30-06 rifle is an all-around great rifle. The hard-hitting cartridge makes it perfect for big game hunting as well, which is why I use one as my deer rifle, as does my dad (mine is a Winchester, his a Remington). My 93-year-old rifle was bought in the 1920s by my great grandfather, and it was passed down through the generations, making me the fourth person to own this rifle in our family. My dad bought his at Cabela’s in 2009 after giving me his Winchester. I strongly recommend picking up one of these rifles. You won’t regret it.

10/10

Paintball--My First Game

Back in April of 2009, I got the opportunity to try paintball with a couple close friends. I accepted the invitation and on the next Saturday we went to True Paintball Adventure Park to play. Along with me, there were three others: Sam, Ben, and Gabe. I would say that we got there around 5 PM or a little later. I gave the owner, Jeremy, my signed waiver and he got us set up. We would all be using the simple-to-operate rental Tippmann 98 Custom paintball markers, single-pane goggles, and gravity hoppers.

Jeremy explained the rules to Gabe and I, who had not played before. He went over safety rules (goggles and barrel covers), the basics of the gun, the surrender rule, and other simple rules. After that, he returned to his work, and we went out to select a field. After some debating, we decided to play on the outdoor tactical field. Ben and I started on the parking lot side of the field, with Gabe and Sam near the speedball field. Soon after the game had start, I was shooting wildly at everything, giving Ben cover so that he could move up. Which he did: about ten feet. Then he retreated back to my position. I was still giving him cover fire when I glanced to my right to see him hunkered down next to me. If I hadn't have been wearing a mask, I would have slapped my forehead. Then, Ben got hit in the side of the neck. Instead of exiting the field, he fell over and started crying. Once again, hand-to-forehead connection would have been nice. After more exchanging of shots, I got hit. Then we helped Ben off the field.

After that first game, I was hooked. I knew I had found a sport I could play, without having to be the best player in the world. It was fun, exciting, and intense. By the time we left, it had gotten dark, and we'd resorted to playing on the indoor field. After a lot shooting, fogged goggles, and a nut-shot (sorry Gabe), we ran out of ammo and staggered out to the car, tired, covered in paint, and wanting more.

I was thrilled with the game. It was my new favorite thing. Now, here I am two years later, 100% obsessed with the game. I have my own team, Boise Shield, which I founded in early January of 2011. I have recruited approximately 20 people to the team. We even have our own Code of Conduct. On April 23rd we are playing in a beginner speedball tournament at True Paintball. After that, we've got a scenario game, Drug Wars, that we are hosting. And after that... well... we've got a lot of paintball to play, a lot of people to meet, and a lot of fun times in the near future.

If any of the readers would like more information on my team, please visit our Facebook Page. If you would like to play, and you live in driving distance of Boise, Idaho, send me a friend request on my Facebook Profile and send me a message.

Review: Savage Mk. II

I thought I'd start my blog with something simple. A firearm review. Today I'm going to tell you about the Savage Arms Mark II bolt-action rim-fire rifle.

General Info

The Savage Mk. II comes in two calibers: .22LR and .17HMR. I personally use the .22, mainly because if I didn't, I'd have to find some way to get rid of the big stack of 500 round boxes of .22LR ammo I already have. No point in buying one caliber you don't use, when you already have the ammo for another one.

Moving on, the MK. II is a bolt action rifle that feeds with a 5 or 10 round magazine. The magazine is a banana-style, similar to an AK-47's magazine; you curl it into the magazine well when you insert it. The bolt's movement is very short and slick, which means if I really wanted to, I could put out 2 shots in one second. That way, if you're tracking a ground squirrel as it zooms towards a hole, you can afford to miss, because chances are (if you practice) you'll be able to shoot again quickly.

The MK. II has a synthetic black stock, and the whole rifle weighs in at 5 pounds. Located on the butt-stock and the fore-stock are swivel studs, which allow for slings or bi-pods to be mounted. There is a .22 scope mount located on the top of the receiver, and it is long enough to customize your scope's positioning to your exact needs. There are also iron sights mounted, for those who prefer them over a scope. 

What I like About it


I took the rifle out to the range last month to sight it in. I had purchased a 4x Burris scope, a Winchester bi-pod, and a tactical sling, to customize it to my needs. I after a couple mags of shots, I was really enjoying myself. Let me tell you: That rifle is a tac-driver! Pretty soon I was hitting steel targets at 215 yards.

I like that the magazine has a 10-round capacity. It's large enough that the shooter will spend less time reloading, and small enough that reloading the magazine itself isn't time-consuming. For the reader's information, Savage Mk. II magazines run about $15, less if you can find a good deal.

I also like the length of the rifle: 39.75 inches. It's got a long enough barrel (21") to hit far targets, yet is compact enough that you won't be constantly hitting the muzzle on various things.

Conclusion

I like this rifle. It's great for target practice, as a first rifle for a kid, and for varmints. It's a great addition to the gun collection, and I'd get it again if I was in the market for another .22.

10/10

If you'd like to purchase any of the things I mentioned above, or if you just want to take a look at one, visit HERE 



Rifle: Savage Mk. II

Scope: BSA S4X32WR 22 MAT 4X32 W/R