First off, just to be clear: You can not concealed carry at Camp Perry or the CMP store.
The folks at handgunlaw.us have recently uncovered that as the reciprocity agreement is written OH does not recognize AZ non-resident permits, even if that was the intention.
I was in the process of getting an AZ concealed carry permit so my Glock 19 could come with my to Ohio. It turns out that I will need to apply for a different permit or hope they work of their differences soon.
As you can see the agreement states “residents of the state.” Read the whole document here.
Hopefully this is cleared up soon. You can check this document for updates on Ohio’s reciprocity.
Here is a random picture of my constant companions… My Gen 3 Glock 19 riding in a crossbreed supertuck, and my Tactical Bernese Mountain Dog
U.S. Model of 1917 Rifle – WWI Production, Variants, & Comparisons
My US Model of 1917 Rifle – History, Variants, and Comparisons
Introduction – CMP Field Grade Find
I was lucky enough to get in on the last batch of bolt guns from the
Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) in early October 2011. After much heartache, my rifle showed up a couple of months later.
I didn’t make the 200‑some service grades and was “downgraded” to a field grade. Those couple of days between the card charge and delivery were stressful—but well worth it.
I received a great‑looking Eddystone with a July 1918 receiver, a Remington November 1918 barrel, and a WWI Eddystone stock.
Eddystone Model 1917 bolt‑action rifle with July 1918 receiver
Per the tag, the muzzle erosion was 0+, and the classic “bullet test” confirmed this.
Muzzle erosion gauge reading on Model 1917 rifle barrel
History of the Model of 1917
The Model of 1917 (its proper name, by the way) has an interesting history. Originally, the British were developing the “Pattern 14” (P14) rifle to replace the SMLE. Lacking production capacity, they contracted Winchester, Remington, and Eddystone (Remington’s massive Delaware plant).
When the U.S. entered WWI in 1917, Springfield Armory couldn’t produce enough M1903 rifles to arm the rapidly growing Army. The P14 design was adapted to fire the .30‑06 Springfield cartridge, creating the Model of 1917.
Production Numbers
By the end of WWI, over 2.2 million M1917 rifles had been produced—roughly 75% of all rifles issued to U.S. troops in the war. They outnumbered the M1903 Springfield nearly 3 to 1.
Manufacturers and Markings
Eddystone – Largest output (~1.35 million). Marked with an “E” on parts.
Remington – Produced about 545,000. Marked “R.”
Winchester – Smallest production (~465,000) and most sought after by collectors. Marked “W.”
Receivers are marked above the serial number with the manufacturer’s name, and barrels are typically stamped with maker initials and month/year of production.
Design Features
Action: Modified Mauser 98 with a strong, enclosed receiver.
Sights: Rear aperture sight on the receiver bridge for a longer sight radius than the M1903’s barrel‑mounted ladder sight.
Magazine: 6‑round internal magazine—one more than the M1903.
Weight: About 9 lbs 3 oz, heavier than the M1903, which helped reduce recoil but made it more burdensome in the field.
Model of 1917 vs Springfield 1903
Advantages of the M1917:
Longer sight radius
Stronger action
Greater production numbers
Higher magazine capacity
Drawbacks of the M1917:
No windage adjustment on the rear sight
Heavier
Slightly more awkward bolt throw for rapid fire
Service After WWI
The M1917 continued in service quietly after the Armistice, appearing in WWII with U.S. rear‑echelon troops and being supplied to allies such as Britain and China. Many were rebuilt with WWII‑dated barrels and parkerized finishes.
Collector Notes
For collectors, condition, originality, and manufacturer are key factors in value. Winchesters typically command the highest prices, followed by Remingtons and then Eddystones. Watch for mismatched parts, import marks, and signs of re‑arsenal work.
Further Reading
For a deep dive, see C.S. Ferris, “United States Rifle, Model of 1917”—an excellent resource on production variations and markings.
Tags: Model of 1917, M1917 rifle, WWI American rifle, Eddystone Remington Winchester, CMP field grade
I was lucky enough to get in on the last batch of bolt guns from the CMP in early October 2011. After much heartache she showed up a couple of months later.
I didn’t make the 200 some service grade and got “downgraded” to a field grade. Those couple of days between the card charge and delivery were very stressful. However it was well worth it.
I received a great looking Eddystone with a July 1918 receiver and a Remington November 1918 barrel and a WWI Eddystone stock.
Per the tag the muzzle erosion was 0+ the “bullet test” confirmed this.
The Model of 1917 (it’s proper name BTW) has a neat story behind it. The British were tooling up to replace the SMLE with the “Pattern 14” or P14 (which is where the erroneous “P17” nickname came from).
The brits didn’t have the production capability to build these at the rate needed to beat back the Hun so they contracted out to Winchester, Remington and Eddystone.
When 1917 rolled around and the US started to ramp up for war production Springfield couldn’t produce 1903s fast enough and the Brit’s production of SMLEs had caught up. So the P14 was converted to 30-06 and the Model of 1917 was born. The Model of 1917 went on to out number the 1903 by 3 to 1 by the end of the war.
In my option the biggest advantage the 1917 has over the 1903 is the rear sight. As opposed to the 1903 ladder sight mounted in front of the action. And the 1917 has a peep sight behind the action. Of course the 1903 has windage and the 1917 doesn’t.
My 1917’s rear sight.
If you have the chance to pick up a Model of 1917 do it. They are great shooters with a fascinating history.
If you’re looking for more information on this rifle C. S. Farris’ book is a great resource on this rifle.
It’s a long drive for me and when that alarm went off at 5:30 I was very tempted to roll over and go back to bed. I’m glad I did not.
They have a beautiful range way back in the woods. (it’s a little hard to find by GPS)
This was their first as issued match they worked hard to make it a good one and did a very nice job.
We used a single target per person. We walked down to score and paste between each string (including the sighters) the breaks made for a nice leisurely pace with plenty of time to re-focus. There were lots of new shooters there and everyone was very helpful.
I beat my personal best by 1x for a 224/300 3x.
My slow prone was less than stellar. My working excuse is I kept fiddling with the elevation knob and managed to take a shot with it bottomed out. I’ll have to keep an eye on it. I may need to replace some parts if this keeps happening.
On a positive note I think I have finally figured out how to place the scope stand. Which long story short is bring it all the way down and pull it in real close. I quickly learned to tighten everything on the “head” so when I bump it I don’t end up looking at the grass or the woods or New Jersey.
I really felt great in rapid. I practiced dropping to a natural point of aim from standing during the prep period. Which helped me find the a nice position.
Off hand well… is off hand.
This was good enough for me to make third place and they were kind enough to give me a pin. Which made my day!
I will definitely be back. Next month I’m taking the 1917 back to Kimberton to try redeem myself after my poor showing last time I took it out.
On a whim I signed up to shoot the vintage rifle and Garand match at the CMP games at Camp Perry this year. While I have shot many “shoot and paste” matches, I have never shot at a range that uses pits and had no idea how it worked.
To rectify this I signed up for York Riflemen‘s annual JCG match
I did two rotations in the pit. It took me some time to get into the rhythm but all and all it’s not so bad.
How it works
In slow fire you raise the target watch the impact area on the berm. When your shooter fires you pull the target down. Place the spotting disk in the hole. Place the scoring indicator in the correct place. Patch the old hole if there is one.
Raise the target frame. Repeat as needed. Remember to have the right paster ready and put the spotting disks flipped so that they contrast the target (i.e. white on black)
The new 2012 slow fire score signal locations:
On the other side of the line the scorer is sitting behind the shooter recording the scores and calling them out for the shooter (i.e. “first sigher is a miss”…well in my case).
For rapid its a bit less stressful. In the pit you raise the target. Count the impacts. After time is up take the target down put golf tees in the holes, Hang a chalk board on the target, tally up the scores (i.e. x=6 10=4). Then raise the target and the scorer notes them.
As far as my performance in the match….well I got a 203/300 which could have been better. But, for my first pit match at 200 yards in a cold rain, I’ll take it. The folks at York Riflemen are great to
shoot with I hope to be back next year.
In off-topic news it was fun to stay in a hotel with a 70 year old rifle. 🙂
I discovered the world of the Civilian Marksmanship Program‘s “John C Garand” and “As Issued Vintage Military Rifle” Matches. And after shooting poorly for a year now at local matches I’ve decided there is not nearly enough information on the internet about this sport. This blog is my attempt to correct that. I will prattle on endlessly about my experiences trying to become a better marksmen.
