M1917 sights

[xcom]

I recently obtained an Eddystone M1917. I took it to the range and set the ladder for 200yrds (as I know the battle sight down is 500yrds) and at 100 yards I missed the target every shot, 5 out of 5. I had another guy shot it an he missed too. I tried to play with the holds and I was shooting waaay low at best. I flipped down to the battle sight and sure enough it started hitting the target as well as I shoot. I looked at the front sight (which says .015 on it) and I did not see any noticeable shaving but I am guessing it has to be shaved to be shooting accurate at 100yrds with the battle sight down.

Question, does this make the ladder completely useless or does it just mean that the 500yrd setting on the ladder is actually now 100yrds? Moreover, does this mean that 600yrds is 200, 700 is 300, etc?

Thoughts?

Maybe I should just buy a new front sight blade...lol

 

[55_grain]

It sounds like you diagnosed your own problem! Measure the height of the front blade. If you plan on using it at different ranges, you might buy a new front blade.

Before you change anything, set your ladder sight for 500 yards and see how it shoots at 100.

 

[mac1911]

I recently obtained an Eddystone M1917. I took it to the range and set the ladder for 200yrds (as I know the battle sight down is 500yrds) and at 100 yards I missed the target every shot, 5 out of 5. I had another guy shot it an he missed too. I tried to play with the holds and I was shooting waaay low at best. I flipped down to the battle sight and sure enough it started hitting the target as well as I shoot. I looked at the front sight (which says .015 on it) and I did not see any noticeable shaving but I am guessing it has to be shaved to be shooting accurate at 100yrds with the battle sight down.

Question, does this make the ladder completely useless or does it just mean that the 500yrd setting on the ladder is actually now 100yrds? Moreover, does this mean that 600yrds is 200, 700 is 300, etc?

Thoughts?

Maybe I should just buy a new front sight blade...lol

The problem with all these old rifles is we have no idea who/what/when/where/why
It was not unheard of “back in the day” for shooters to run cast through this old rifles.
The very short front sight generally leads to “cast” or “reduced” loads.
Also alot of matches as these rifles where no longer the “service” rifle of there time where no shooting reduced matches at 100-200 yards. Some used the battle sight , adjusted the front sight to get the correct zero. They even filled in the rear aperture and re drilled the hole to a smaller size.

Im not to up on M1917s but the battle sight is in that 400-450 yard range or “point blank” range.
The front sights came in .015” increments and IIRC the “common” height was .060”

So we have no idea what ammo it was zeroed for or even the previous shooters hold or if its ever been zeroed at all after being sold off as surplus.

Personally I would bring it back to 25 yards , use a 1.5” aiming black hold 6oc and take some zeroing shots. Giving plenty of target above and below left and right of your aiming dot.
You then can assess how far your off.
This of course is good if your going to use “regular” ammo.

 

[jakeroub]

As mac1911 said, the front sight is available in a variety of heights. Springfield Sporters used to carry 4 or 5 different ones, but they have been out of business for a few years.

 

[jpm]

here's what the .015 sight looks like so you can compare it to see if yours was modified

Winchester 1917 Front Sight, (.015)

U.S. 1917 front sight, Size .015. Manufactured by Winchester.

store.centuryarms.com

 

[cjrubes]

For what it's worth, my 1917 is just about dead on at 100 yards using the 200 yard setting, but I don't know the front sight height off the top of my head. Are you sighting with the top of the front sight in the center of the aperture? One thing that bugs me with the 1917 is that the front sight is too short for the size of the aperture, in my opinion (at least compared to a Garand or a 1903A3). It's really easy to not get the top of the front sight all the way into the middle of the aperture, which screws with your elevation. If I remember correctly, when I shoot mine, the base of the front sight is clearly visible to me through the aperture if I center the top of the front sight post. I almost have to have it all visible in the aperture to get everything centered.

Either that or your front sight is too tall.

Not sure if that's helpful, but it's what I got!

 

[76Too]

Count your blessings. I had to find/get the tallest front sight they ever made for the 1917 to get on paper, and I still have to use a bottom of the paper hold (like, below 6 o'clock).

Post pictures damnit. I love 1917’s and want to see it!

 

[BigGreen2000]

I reload for my M1 Garand, and I use the same loads in my 1917 often. I had to get an aftermarket front sight (taller I think) to get the '17 Enfield to zero at 200 yards. I use a 200 yard xero because our local CMP/Garand/old iron-and-walnut competitions use a 200 yard target, then shrink it to simulate the CMP 600 yard target

 

[mac1911]

I reload for my M1 Garand, and I use the same loads in my 1917 often. I had to get an aftermarket front sight (taller I think) to get the '17 Enfield to zero at 200 yards. I use a 200 yard xero because our local CMP/Garand/old iron-and-walnut competitions use a 200 yard target, then shrink it to simulate the CMP 600 yard target

Just us MR52 targets or MR52 repair centers @ 200 yards
Unless you are running CMP GAMES rules then its just SR across the board.

 

[mac1911]

Also when calculating your front sight correction

You take the Error ( impact high or low) X sight radius ( measure from rear of front sight to rear of rear sight, Divide by target distance in inches
This will get you close and you fine tune from there.
Just remember Front Sight Is Opposite
Move front sight
Left your impacts will move right
Right moves impact left
Taller impacts go lower
Shorter impacts go higher

So example
6” low X 22” Sight Radius = 132

132”/ 3600” ( 100 yards) .036” to move your impact 6”

On average .007” will move about 1” on most old iron sight battle rifles.

Now if you change ammo often you need to find a middle ground or your chasing zero all the time