Rear sight options for sporterized 1917 Eddystone

[ScottInPDX]

I picked up a sporterized Edystone 1917 a while back. It came without a rear sight, but was already drilled, tapped, and inlet for one. Everything I read pointed to the Lyman 57 SMET as a good option, partially because they're still in production and not as outlandishly expensive as good condition vintage alternatives.

So I picked one up, and it does fit the receiver well. The screw distance and threading is correct, though I had to trim a bit off of the screws to clear the bolt inside the receiver.

My only complaint is that it blocks the stripper clip guides. The stock inletting suggests it was also not the sight used when it was first sporterized.

I'd really like to be able to use the pile of stripper clips I bought for it. Any suggestions for a rear sight with the same screw and thread patterns as the Lyman 57s that might not block the stripper clip guides?

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[bcp]

Looks a lot like the Lyman 48 inletting I've seen.

Here's one:


^^^ from: https://auctions.thegunrunner.com/l...cal-bolt-action-rifle-24-barrel-lyman-48-peep

Or possibly a Redfield as shown here:

Remington Model 30 Express Bolt-Action Rifle Review - RifleShooter

Climb on board the Remington Model 30 Express, the company's first sporting rifle in a high-intensity cartridge—initially the .30-06. Here's a full review.

www.rifleshootermag.com

Bruce

 

[ScottInPDX]

Looks a lot like the Lyman 48 inletting I've seen.

Here's one:
View attachment 1848431

^^^ from: https://auctions.thegunrunner.com/l...cal-bolt-action-rifle-24-barrel-lyman-48-peep

Or posibly s Redfield as shown here:

Remington Model 30 Express Bolt-Action Rifle Review - RifleShooter

Climb on board the Remington Model 30 Express, the company's first sporting rifle in a high-intensity cartridge—initially the .30-06. Here's a full review.

www.rifleshootermag.com

Bruce

Good suggestions. The inlet looks more like the Lyman size, but scouring random forum posts suggest that all the different peep sights from this era used the same screw threads and spacing. So a Redfield might work as well.

 

[crossbow5]

Northwest Armory has a 1917 Enfield (Winchester) up for auction right now on Auction Arms and it is also sporterized somewhat similarly to yours. It has a Redfield sight on it.

 

[ScottInPDX]

Northwest Armory has a 1917 Enfield (Winchester) up for auction right now on Auction Arms and it is also sporterized somewhat similarly to yours. It has a Redfield sight on it.

Winchester US Model 1917 30-06, 26in Sporterized, Redfield Peep Sight, MFG 1918, NO RESERVE .30-06 Springfield

Winchester US Model 1917 30-06, 26in Sporterized, MFG 9-18, MFG 1918, **NO RESERVE** This is a Winchester US Model of 1917 bolt action rifle in 30-06. It has

www.gunauction.com

Somewhat similar, but the smith that did that work left part of the "ears" intact, and the sight mounts to them. That's why it is mounted higher than mine and doesn't require any stock inletting. It's probably a flat-sided sight like you might put on a lever gun. Mine is drilled and tapped directly into the rounded receiver, so it needs a sight with a similarly curved surface.

I'm tempted to buy it just to avoid the hassle of finding a new sight, but I'm too enamored with the idea of having a rifle built in a retooled train factory. Can't trade my Eddystone for a Winchester.

 

[aasbra]

Mine wears a Lyman 57 SME, but it appears to be mounted a little further back on the receiver than yours.

I did not install the sight, it was on there when it came to me. If your goal is to use the stripper clips, maybe drilling and tapping another hole further to the rear , or two holes, would get you what you are after?

 

[ScottInPDX]

Mine wears a Lyman 57 SME, but it appears to be mounted a little further back on the receiver than yours.

I did not install the sight, it was on there when it came to me. If your goal is to use the stripper clips, maybe drilling and tapping another hole further to the rear , or two holes, would get you what you are after?


View attachment 1848657View attachment 1848658View attachment 1848659

You're suggesting I drill the forbidden 3rd hole? I'm telling Papa AFT on you.

---

That's a good suggestion.

But I don't trust myself to do it right, and I found a good deal on a used Williams 5D-JEMS, which is cheaper than getting a competent gunsmith to do it. It looks like the horizontal bar that holds the peep sight is set further back on those and it's another model name that pops up on forum threads about rear sights for the 1917s.

So I'll see if that fits better first, and may get another hole drilled if not.

 

[aasbra]

Sounds like a good plan. I use the Williams receiver sights on quite a few rifles; they have served me well.

 

[MountainBear]

Lyman 48E17 is what the Lyman 48 model is for the sporterized Enfield. Great sights, but I think you'd be looking a while to find one…

 

[whiskeybill]

A whole lot of work just to be able to use stripper clips. Any reason you absolutely need to use them?

 

[ScottInPDX]

Any reason you absolutely need to use them?

Nope, just want to. And switching to a different aftermarket sight doesn't seem like much trouble to me. I haven't zeroed it yet, so it's just a few minutes of work to try a different one.

I'm definitely not going to sink $300 into a rare vintage iron sight - that's how much the rifle cost me just two years ago. But a cheap Williams sight I found on e-bay? Worth a shot.