M1917 Rifle Restoration

AFJuvat · #1 11-26-2016, 03:10 PM

The buttplate, trap door, and buttplate screws. These were a mix of white metal, some rust, and a little bluing when I got the rifle. I have a 24"x24" piece of Corian that I use as a sanding/reference plate to keep edges square. I wanted to keep as many of the "character dings" as I could,

The barrel band and front sight. Clearly shows the contrast between the newly rust blued parts and the finish remaining on the barrel.

The outer bolt body was white metal along the contact points, as well as the bolt handle. No sanding was done to this piece. Just a detail clean and then bluing.

Magazine floor plate: A little sanding on this to remove some rust scale, then blending with some high grit sandpaper to blend. I think this is a different grade of steel, as the color is slightly different than the rest of the rifle. I just could not get it to take on any additional color.

Safety: This was in pretty rough shape. Rust in the finger grooves, as well as white metal on contact surfaces. This got a light wire brushing on the grooved surfaces, and a light sand on the white metal. It blued up very well.

Picked up an original nickel cleaning kit and a M1917 bayonet. The scabbard is the later WWII - Vietnam issue, as the M1917 bayonet was also the bayonet used on the M12 shotgun.

Closeup of the makers mark: Remington, 1917

Just an idea of how long they made bayonets back then:

Got a new production M1907 sling and put it all together.

With bayonet, it is just a hair under 6' long.

After finishing this project, I took it to the range, where I discovered that the accuracy of the rifle should be measured in 'Minutes of Barn Door'

Ordered a new Criterion barrel for it 'in the white' Had a the new barrel installed and had the receiver reblued.