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Winchester Trifecta and Poll Question

What to do with the Poly coat on the stock?

  • Keep it

    Votes: 1 6.3%

  • Remove it

    Votes: 15 93.8%
  • Total voters
    16
  • Poll closed .
majspud

majspud

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Wasn't planning this; you know how these things happen. My tag line has said for a while that I'm looking for a US M1917. This is the last piece (save maybe a Krag) that I've been looking for to reconstitute my basic collection after the Great Sell Off in 2017. Wasn't planning on a Winchester; I was looking for an Eddystone or a Remington.

With the reopening of my LGS today, I popped in to make re-acquaintances. Lo and behold there was a non refurbished Winchester M1917 behind the counter. It's in its original faded high polish blue finish. September 1918 Winchester barrel matches the serial number range. Six groove bore is brilliant and spot free. This one most likely did not go "over there" back in it's day, so that's why it's in original condition. Stock is Winchester and has no rebuild marks. Comes with an original M07 sling to boot.

Just when you think it's perfect, there are the caveats. The bolt is also high polish blue, but its a Remington. The stock has a coat of clear poly. The previous owner EP'd his name on it, but it's discreet. The sling has mold spots on it.

So I put a deposit on it to hold it, and I'll pick it up when I've raised and/or sold/traded for the rest. Price is reasonable and $300+ less than GunBroker.

So from the title of the post, I have now totally unplanned for and collected the Trifecta of Winchesters: M1917, M1 Garand, and M1 Carbine. Who'd have thunk it? Family pic once I get it.

My only question is should I leave the poly on the stock, or remove it in favor of a nice coat of BLO? My first thought is to take it off. Rifle needs no other work or care save the mold.

t
1917 1.jpg 1917 2.jpg 1917 4.jpg 1917 5.jpg 1917 6.jpg 1917 7.jpg
 
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Come on you know you want to take that
sh^t off the stock,and return it to as close
to original as you can get. lol
 
I’d take the poly off with stripper. No abrasives. Then I’d leave it as is. Looks like a very nice example. Perhaps you could post to trade bolts on the CMP forum? Looks like an awesome find Tim!
 
I know that Winchester "shot" themselves in the foot by jumping the "gun" and producing the rifle too quickly so that it's parts could not interchange with Remington and Eddystone. Eventually fixed.

t
 
majspud said:
I know that Winchester "shot" themselves in the foot by jumping the "gun" and producing the rifle too quickly so that it's parts could not interchange with Remington and Eddystone. Eventually fixed.

t
Click to expand...

I didn’t know this Tim. My Remington mixmaster had a W bolt that I traded. Must have been later?
 
Mitch,

Winchesters were not sent overseas until they were interchangeable. I don't know what happened to the early ones. Were they retrofitted, scrapped, put in reserve, etc.; who knows?

Homework for someone.

I was looking at a 585K Eddystone from 5/18.....this Winchester is only 414K but already it's September....Winchester was way behind from their screw up. It's four month later, and they're still 30% behind Eddystone.

t
 
Last edited:
majspud said:
Wasn't planning this; you know how these things happen. My tag line has said for a while that I'm looking for a US M1917. This is the last piece (save maybe a Krag) that I've been looking for to reconstitute my basic collection after the Great Sell Off in 2017. Wasn't planning on a Winchester; I was looking for an Eddystone or a Remington.

With the reopening of my LGS today, I popped in to make re-acquaintances. Lo and behold there was a non refurbished Winchester M1917 behind the counter. It's in its original faded high polish blue finish. September 1918 Winchester barrel matches the serial number range. Six groove bore is brilliant and spot free. This one most likely did not go "over there" back in it's day, so that's why it's in original condition. Stock is Winchester and has no rebuild marks. Comes with an original M07 sling to boot.

Just when you think it's perfect, there are the caveats. The bolt is also high polish blue, but its a Remington. The stock has a coat of clear poly. The previous owner EP'd his name on it, but it's discreet. The sling has mold spots on it.

So I put a deposit on it to hold it, and I'll pick it up when I've raised and/or sold/traded for the rest. Price is reasonable and $300+ less than GunBroker.

So from the title of the post, I have now totally unplanned for and collected the Trifecta of Winchesters: M1917, M1 Garand, and M1 Carbine. Who'd have thunk it? Family pic once I get it.

My only question is should I leave the poly on the stock, or remove it in favor of a nice coat of BLO? My first thought is to take it off. Rifle needs no other work or care save the mold.

t
View attachment 355768View attachment 355769View attachment 355770View attachment 355771View attachment 355772View attachment 355773
Click to expand...
Looks more like TruOil or LinSpeed than poly?
I think it looks ok.
 
majspud said:
What's the best way to permanently remove the mold?

t
Click to expand...
make sure the sling is good and dry and use a damp shoe brush or soft cloth should wipe right off.
let the sling see the light of day. Sun light kills mold.
Mold at least shows the sling still has some life left in it. A mix of 50;50 vinagar and water spray will kill mold also but the mold on your sling is not to bad.
 
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Like this?

R7RyH7h.jpg


OE9RLra.jpg
 
mac1911 said:
make sure the sling is good and dry and use a damp shoe brush or soft cloth should wipe right off.
let the sling see the light of day. Sun light kills mold.
Mold at least shows the sling still has some life left in it. A mix of 50;50 vinagar and water spray will kill mold also but the mold on your sling is not to bad.
Click to expand...

Gives me the heebie-jeebies.

I was going to post comparative pics of the 585K Eddystone, but it seems to have sold. Odd dark blue/black finish, grease covered, mismatched stock, canvas sling, and only $5 less than this one.

t
 
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While there is nothing wrong with BLO, I have always used and swear by Fairtrimmers Military Ox. It has color in it and stocks come out like they left the factory. Oh yea, poly does not belong on that fine rifle! Congrats! just when you thought nothing good would come from this wuflu.

ftox.jpeg

.
 
majspud said:
Mitch,

Winchesters were not sent overseas until they were interchangeable. I don't know what happened to the early ones. Were they retrofitted, scrapped, put in reserve, etc.; who knows?

Homework for someone.

I was looking at a 585K Eddystone from 5/18.....this Winchester is only 414K but already it's September....Winchester was way behind from their screw up. It's four month later, and they're still 30% behind Eddystone.

t
Click to expand...

Tim I dug the book out as this was very interesting to me. It seems after Winchester protested discrimination further interchangeability tests were ordered. Many rifles were recalled to be tested and ones deemed acceptable were star marked on the receiver. Star marked Remingtons can also be found as there were discrepancies found with them. Obviously in much less quantity compared to Winchester. In late March of 1918 a decree was made that all three manufactures’ rifles were deemed acceptable and interchangeable. By then it left little time for the Winchester’s to make it to the battlefield in quantity.
 
Nice find! Looks like it's a bit 'younger' than mine....my 1917 has mostly Winchester parts other than an Eddystone stock and rear sight leaf/ladder. She still has the original barrel as well (2-18).

Did you notice any import marks? Mine is CAI marked so I'm wondering where it could have been imported from....

20181018_143326.jpg 20181018_143139.jpg 20181018_143302.jpg
 
I found this last year and brought it back to life. had to buy a new stock but all other parts are period Eddystone. And by the way lose the poly 20190701_094750.jpg 20190701_102959.jpg 20190707_134730.jpg
 
And then there were three...more to come. Action is real slick and passes the field gauge. Rear trigger guard screw is stuck. Original W17 bayonet.

t
01CCC062-CBC5-47B7-9A74-AC95B0E1D30A.jpeg
041168F5-971A-4F9E-BE74-35BB71C31B2D.jpeg
 
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