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Posted: 6/5/2023 8:58:42 PM EDT
I recently picked up a 1917 Eddystone from a gentleman up in AK. He bought the rifle from a native guy who had it for years. The rifle gauges are great. under 1 for throat and muzzle. Original barrel, wood, and all eddy parts.
It does have some red paint up by the front sight along with a name in the stock. He believed it may have been a lend-lease but I am not so sure. The name looks like X RICK ASHALL X Thoughts?   
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Posted: 6/5/2023 9:15:01 PM EDT
[#1]
I read somewhere that lend lease guns has red paint to differentiate them from .303 guns. Can't say for certain though.
It looks like a nice piece. I'd be happy to have it. |
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Posted: 6/6/2023 12:14:33 AM EDT
[#2]
OP:
Pictures of both sides of the rear portion of the buttstock and receiver. If it is a lend lease, there might/should be other markings on it. |
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Posted: 6/6/2023 9:41:04 AM EDT
[#3]
Also remove the handguard and look for British proofs on the barrel.
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Posted: 6/6/2023 4:59:07 PM EDT
[#4]
Here are some pics.
          
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Posted: 6/6/2023 7:34:57 PM EDT
[#5]
Not thinking it was a LL rifle. No British proofs to be seen. But it is a good looking M1917.
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Posted: 6/6/2023 9:19:48 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not thinking it was a LL rifle. No British proofs to be seen. But it is a good looking M1917. This.............. ^^ right here. Unless there some markings on the left/right side of the stock (in front of butt but behind the trigger group). |
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Posted: 6/6/2023 10:15:40 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This.............. ^^ right here. Unless there some markings on the left/right side of the stock (in front of butt but behind the trigger group). Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Not thinking it was a LL rifle. No British proofs to be seen. But it is a good looking M1917. This.............. ^^ right here. Unless there some markings on the left/right side of the stock (in front of butt but behind the trigger group). Thanks. I will look again but I don't see any. The stock has been sanded at some point. The red paint is throwing me off. Other than a LL, it shouldn't be there. |
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Posted: 6/6/2023 11:17:36 PM EDT
[#8]
British proof marks are only an indicator it passed through Britain and likely exported. They are not a guarantee it would be a lend lease and their absence does not guarantee it was not.
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Posted: 6/6/2023 11:32:18 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: British proof marks are only an indicator it passed through Britain and likely exported. They are not a guarantee it would be a lend lease and their absence does not guarantee it was not. Did we have a ll program with Canada? |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 12:13:28 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did we have a ll program with Canada? I believe so. Also bear in mind when lend lease guns entered British service they were NOT proofed/ marked. This would occur when released from military service and the guns released on the civilian market. Also consider the possibility that the gun had the stock replaced with a lend lease stock with the red band ( most of the red band 1917’s I’ve seen had the red band painted a little closer to the receiver) |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 12:52:28 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did we have a ll program with Canada? Yes, many lend lease arms were marked with the Canadian military broad arrow C. |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 7:39:23 AM EDT
[#12]
Fair statement about a stock replacement.
I had considered that but with all the eddy parts I figured it to be mostly original. The seller has owned it for many years and bought it from another gentleman who had it for a number of years before him. Where would that arrow cartouche be located? |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 11:46:07 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I read somewhere that lend lease guns has red paint to differentiate them from .303 guns. Can't say for certain though. |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 12:10:53 PM EDT
[#14]
Numbered bolts were also a thing on the L-L rifles which this one also does not have.
Many L-L rifles were brought back by Century Arms and were so marked near the muzzle. |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 1:36:23 PM EDT
[#15]
Not LL or Canadian.
1917 rifles were issued to native scouts during WW2 and after in Alaska could possibly be one but in general 1917s were a very common surplus rifle post WW1. |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 3:45:53 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not LL or Canadian. 1917 rifles were issued to native scouts during WW2 and after in Alaska could possibly be one but in general 1917s were a very common surplus rifle post WW1. He did mention he bought it from a native guy years ago. |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 11:29:57 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: British proof marks are only an indicator it passed through Britain and likely exported. They are not a guarantee it would be a lend lease and their absence does not guarantee it was not. True but the OP mentioned red paint and suggested it was in a location of the typical LL painted ones. (The band around the stocks about 6" back from the front sight and usually with .300 in black). If it did infact have a red band on it, that would raise the chances of it being a LL alot. But it doesn't have any other inspection/export etc marks on it. Likewise being from AK, it doesn't appear to have any Canadian marks either. |
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Posted: 6/7/2023 11:35:15 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I believe so. Also bear in mind when lend lease guns entered British service they were NOT proofed/ marked. This would occur when released from military service and the guns released on the civilian market. Also consider the possibility that the gun had the stock replaced with a lend lease stock with the red band ( most of the red band 1917’s I’ve seen had the red band painted a little closer to the receiver) Depending on exactly what you mean, I would disagree with you. The whole point to this "red band" thing is when the British received the rifles, they didn't want confusion as to the proper ammo for it, thus the marking. Obviously that would have been when they "entered British service." Now the export markings found on the barrels, that was done after all that. |
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Posted: 6/8/2023 5:31:16 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes, many lend lease arms were marked with the Canadian military broad arrow C. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Did we have a ll program with Canada? Yes, many lend lease arms were marked with the Canadian military broad arrow C. Yep. My January 1919 Eddystone M1917 was on loan to the Canadians, and was used by their COTC (similar to our ROTC). It has both COTC rack markings as well as the Canadian broad arrow making on the buttstock.  Here are some COTC cadets at McGill University in 1941 marching with M1917s: (Full resolution here: https://news.library.mcgill.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/War2.jpg )  |
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Posted: 6/9/2023 12:06:28 AM EDT
[#20]
Thanks for the pics.
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Posted: 6/9/2023 9:08:52 PM EDT
[#21]
Look what I found.
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Posted: 6/9/2023 9:26:20 PM EDT
[#22]
Is there any way to research the Canadian LL program? Possibly research where the gun went?
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Posted: 6/9/2023 10:01:24 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryThere you go.......... Carefully look forward of that, along that side of the stock, forward about 3-4" or so. That is where my Canadian M1917 is marked. Now of course the wood could've been replaced. Look carefully on the exposed parts of the receiver.......... there should be one on there too. AFAIK............ no, there are no Canadian records to research......... |
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Posted: 6/9/2023 10:18:40 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: There you go.......... Carefully look forward of that, along that side of the stock, forward about 3-4" or so. That is where my Canadian M1917 is marked. Now of course the wood could've been replaced. Look carefully on the exposed parts of the receiver.......... there should be one on there too. AFAIK............ no, there are no Canadian records to research......... Quote HistoryQuoted: There you go.......... Carefully look forward of that, along that side of the stock, forward about 3-4" or so. That is where my Canadian M1917 is marked. Now of course the wood could've been replaced. Look carefully on the exposed parts of the receiver.......... there should be one on there too. AFAIK............ no, there are no Canadian records to research......... I will try and take a closer look when I get home from shift on Sunday. |
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