M1917 worth restoring??

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Tak

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Yes the one phot is upside down, I’m sorry.

M1917 Winchester that I’ve had for a while, sporterized but tastefully done IMO. I had a scope on it with that no drill mount, but after years of it just living in the safe in-fired I’m more inclined to restore it here and there. I think other than some barrel bands and a new stock I have most of the small fiddly parts that add up.

I already have an 03a3, garand, and carbine so this fits the theme and would be a cool addition to the safe in its longboy 1917 configuration.

Even with paying the CMP or someone else for the rebarrel I think I come out ahead compared to buying an original now, right?

Thoughts? What would you do?

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I think you are going to find that restoration is going to cost more than you think. Replacement stocks and handguards for M1917s are not cheap or plentiful. You will probably have to use a P-14 stock set, which is gonna run $150 or so. With a rebarrel being necessary, you are probably going to be dropping $500+ on a rifle that will be relatively incorrect when you are done. However, it might still be a fun and rewarding personal project, if you approach it from that angle rather than worrying about the economics.
 
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East of Here said:
I think you are going to find that restoration is going to cost more than you think. Replacement stocks and handguards for M1917s are not cheap or plentiful. You will probably have to use a P-14 stock set, which is gonna run $150 or so. With a rebarrel being necessary, you are probably going to be dropping $500+ on a rifle that will be relatively incorrect when you are done. However, it might still be a fun and rewarding personal project, if you approach it from that angle rather than worrying about the economics.
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I’m not overly concerned with it being correct, this is a long - horizon kind of project if it even happens at all.

I agree it would be a personal satisfaction kind of thing. I just love US service rifles, I took the probably usual path of movies and games to cheap milsurps to modern shooting. I’d love to spend some time working with the rifle.

I guess my broader concern is wood stock purchase and rebarrel included, can I still come out ahead vs buying an in-butchered m1917?

I can do the wood work and small parts finishing. I have a small garage workshop and may even end up being able to do the rebarrel myself, which would drop the price even more. I need to do more research on that front though.
 
if you have an 03, garand, and carbine, i personally think it would be cool to ad the 1917 restored to the set. I have no idea on costs though.
 
Tak said:
I’m not overly concerned with it being correct, this is a long - horizon kind of project if it even happens at all.

I agree it would be a personal satisfaction kind of thing. I just love US service rifles, I took the probably usual path of movies and games to cheap milsurps to modern shooting. I’d love to spend some time working with the rifle.

I guess my broader concern is wood stock purchase and rebarrel included, can I still come out ahead vs buying an in-butchered m1917?

I can do the wood work and small parts finishing. I have a small garage workshop and may even end up being able to do the rebarrel myself, which would drop the price even more. I need to do more research on that front though.
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If the question is whether you can "restore" this one cheaper than buying another, the answer is "it depends". Even if you can find the parts to put this one back together, you are ultimately comparing apples to oranges because we don't know the level of detail you plan to invest in the restoration vs. the theoretical price or value of the substitute rifle you would purchase to replace this one. I can tell you that including your time and energy, it will be more expensive to correctly restore this one than it would be to purchase a comparable complete rifle.

If you restore this one as a mixmaster with functional, but incorrect parts (like using a P14 stock set), it might be cheaper - but is not going to have the end value of a comparable, but more "correct" complete example. If you decide to restore the one you have, just do it for the pure fun and experience of it and don't even worry about the cost difference vs. buying a complete rifle.

One word of caution on re-barreling these: I'd recommend doing research or using a knowledgeable gunsmith to do the work. You can easily crack the receiver removing the old barrel. I do not know all the ends and outs of why this happens, but it is a very real risk. CMP maintenance shop does still replace these barrels if you supply the replacement barrel, and apparently they do still stock M1917 replacement Criterion barrels for sale at $199.

CMP Services Pricing

CMP Custom Shop Barrel Inventory
 
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papa_smurf said:
if you have an 03, garand, and carbine, i personally think it would be cool to ad the 1917 restored to the set. I have no idea on costs though.
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It just feels like a family photo missing a distant but loved cousin.

Don’t mind the junk on the table doing some cleaning!

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rufrdr said:
Don't do it. Move on and get an unmolested piece.
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Apparently the CMP has them in stock again at Talladega Marksmanship Park. Supposedly they are in great shape. Pricing is $1000 for field grade and $1100 for service grade.
 
If the barrel is still correct it is worth A try.if the barrel is not correct leave it be.

Shake A lot the part sources you can find. Try the DCM and see what they have for parts.
 
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It looks like after doing some pricing the cost is going to be about the same either way, around 1k for a good decent condition unmolested one or sound 1k in parts + labor if I send off for the rebarrel.

Decision decisions!
 
If it's $1k for a correct one, and you'd have to spend lots of time and $1K to re-build and incorrect one........seems like a no-brainer. Put your building talents into something else! :D
 
Oh just do it … you’ll get exactly what you want! Sure, granted it will cost you but your heirs will enjoy it down the road also so no real waste since it will live on.
 
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the CMP is out of 1917 barrels at the moment and the kind sir who replied to me didn’t know if they’re able to work on sporterized rifles at all. I did ask him to check and clarified that the receiver is untouched. Here’s hoping!
 
NCFubar said:
Oh just do it … you’ll get exactly what you want! Sure, granted it will cost you but your heirs will enjoy it down the road also so no real waste since it will live on.
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Everyone here has the same disease, we just can’t help ourselves when it comes to these boomsticks.

So every other part including wood is about 400, so the only other question is the rebarrel. I did contact the CMP but that may not even be an option, see note above.

Assuming I can find one, I’m totally willing to try it myself after watching some people attempt them, but I need the actual. Wrench which Brownels lists as out of stock.
 
Tak said:
Everyone here has the same disease, we just can’t help ourselves when it comes to these boomsticks.

So every other part including wood is about 400, so the only other question is the rebarrel. I did contact the CMP but that may not even be an option, see note above.

Assuming I can find one, I’m totally willing to try it myself after watching some people attempt them, but I need the actual. Wrench which Brownels lists as out of stock.
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Getting the barrel off of a 1917 can be a struggle. They were put on with hydraulic machines that really put them on tight. Read up on the process for a 1917 if you aren't familiar with it.
 
Sorry to dredge up an old post, I've been a little sick, there's a guy name Mike Morgan that does some gun shows around NC/SC. He's tall guy with red hair you can't miss him. He has surplus parts and I've bought a lot of 1917 parts from him. He was at the the Greenville SC show just before Christmas and had two tables full of GI parts, mostly M1 Garand and Carbine but it would be worth looking him up.
 
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