1917 Eddystone practice gun - The Firearms Forum

RoadToad · 10-17-2011, 10:01 PM

Am new here and looking for information about a "rifle" I have had for a few decades.

It is a full size 1917 Eddystone rifle with absolutely same look and feel as the 30-06 version. I have several other full Eddystone/Remington/Winchester rifles and this thing weighs/feels the same. Bolt feels the same as well as trigger pull. Action looks identical.

This one has no steel barrel. The wood stock is full length, with a dual pointed pin that pops out about 3/4" from the end of the stock when the trigger is pulled.

The story I heard when I got it was that since the real rifle was in such short supply during WWI when we were gearing up for the effort, that trainees started with this as practice rifle, where the target was "scaled" to 100 yard size, but placed at the end of the stock. When trigger was pulled, a hole was punched in the paper, showing where the bullet would hit if you were really shooting a real bullet at a target 100 yards away.

Have been curious about it and am wondering if anyone has any more/better information about these things? Even just knowing what they were called would be nice. It has Eddystone markings. (NOT interested in selling. Value would be of casual interest.)

Thanks!

jack404 · 10-17-2011, 10:18 PM

dunno about yours there but theres a cadet trainer in the lee enfield i forget which model

tin tube barrel but functional action and the slid in target card at the end

collectors are paying $600-$700 for average condition ones if they can get em

Jim K · 10-18-2011, 06:39 PM

There was a similar device called the Hollifield "dotter", but AFAIK, it was always used with a standard rifle. Yours sounds like a version of the same basic idea but with a dummy rifle. Are there any markings at all on the rifle? There is a similar setup for the British SMLE and perhaps they made one also for what they called the Pattern 1914, which is basically identical to (and was the origin of) the U.S. M1917.

Jim

10-17-2011, 10:01 PM	#1
RoadToad Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1	1917 Eddystone practice gun Am new here and looking for information about a "rifle" I have had for a few decades. It is a full size 1917 Eddystone rifle with absolutely same look and feel as the 30-06 version. I have several other full Eddystone/Remington/Winchester rifles and this thing weighs/feels the same. Bolt feels the same as well as trigger pull. Action looks identical. This one has no steel barrel. The wood stock is full length, with a dual pointed pin that pops out about 3/4" from the end of the stock when the trigger is pulled. The story I heard when I got it was that since the real rifle was in such short supply during WWI when we were gearing up for the effort, that trainees started with this as practice rifle, where the target was "scaled" to 100 yard size, but placed at the end of the stock. When trigger was pulled, a hole was punched in the paper, showing where the bullet would hit if you were really shooting a real bullet at a target 100 yards away. Have been curious about it and am wondering if anyone has any more/better information about these things? Even just knowing what they were called would be nice. It has Eddystone markings. (NOT interested in selling. Value would be of casual interest.) Thanks! -->

10-17-2011, 10:18 PM	#2
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: 1917 Eddystone practice gun dunno about yours there but theres a cadet trainer in the lee enfield i forget which model tin tube barrel but functional action and the slid in target card at the end collectors are paying $600-$700 for average condition ones if they can get em

10-18-2011, 06:39 PM	#3
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: 1917 Eddystone practice gun There was a similar device called the Hollifield "dotter", but AFAIK, it was always used with a standard rifle. Yours sounds like a version of the same basic idea but with a dummy rifle. Are there any markings at all on the rifle? There is a similar setup for the British SMLE and perhaps they made one also for what they called the Pattern 1914, which is basically identical to (and was the origin of) the U.S. M1917. Jim