So, we were given this barrel and action

[flipper35]

It is not 30 caliber, it appears to be .243/6mm but has Winchester 1917 stamped. We don't have any really good smiths nearby but I suspect the best thing to do is have it mic-ed out to see if it is a factory or wildcat cartridge? It had a partially finished fiberglass stock but no other hardware like an internal or box magazine.

[Porchdog]

Chamber cast is the way to go.

Call a couple gunsmiths

[flipper35]

So do I send the casting to them or send the unit to them to have it cast and measured.

[id10t]

Do it yourself and then measure various bits of the cast with calipers, then do a look up against SAAMI specs.

Do you have the bolt and trigger? Or just the receiver and barrel?

If you have the bolt and trigger, may be worth sending off to a 'smith to build a shooter. If not, you can pick up a new Ruger, Savage, etc. cheaper....

[porsche4life]

Send it to Dave. He will make it right!

[targa911S]

thanks for the comps, but it's beyond my realm of capabilities. Wax casting is the way to go though and then mic everything. According to what I can find, it should be 30-06. Now if it's been re-barreled all bets are off and it could be anything. Where are you located? I'll find you a competent smith.

[Jeff Higgins]

It's just a Pattern 17 Enfield, built in great numbers by a number of U.S. firearms manufacturers in support of our involvement in The Great War. There were actually more of those issued than the '03-A3 Springfield. Both were chambered in .30-'06.

Pattern 17's are damn good actions. Stronger than the Springfield for sure. They were very, very popular in their day for building custom rifles, particularly the really big boomers. They will certainly hold up to the pressures generated by our modern cartridges, so no worries there.

Get some Cerrosafe from your favorite gun store and make a chamber cast. You can get all of the dimensions you need from that to determine its chambering. There were a plethora of .243/6mm wildcats out there before the .243 Winchester and 6mm Remington kind of "standardized" the caliber into two common choices. It really could be about anything, since it hails from the era when guys were playing with that stuff.

Tell you what, cast it, measure it, and post a dimensioned drawing. I have a number of references I can check against.

[sc_rufctr]

Thanks... I really enjoy threads like this one. I had no idea how to do this.

After a bit of searching.

[flipper35]

Sorry, it has been a busy weekend.

I have a 30-06 and I can tell you it isn't a large enough bore. An airsoft BB fits just about perfect leading me to believe it is a .243 or .244 (6mm). The tag on it says it was started in 1981 so 6mm isn't out of the question for that time period.

It has the barrel, action and trigger. Will do a wax casting and go from there. If it is .243 it would be a great deer gun for one of the kids since it is low recoil and you can find ammo for it.

Dave, I am near Dubuque Iowa if'n y'all know someone.

[flipper35]

OK, I didn't do it but know a guy and now I know it is a .270 which makes sense since the other we inherited was a .270.

Will get a picture of the bull barrel when I get a chance. Needs a stock and magazine, scope and mounts tapped. Not sure if it is all worth it.

[Jim Bremner]

Is it just me or does it look like the barrel has been drilled and plugged?

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

Is it just me or does it look like the barrel has been drilled and plugged?

That is for a scope mount on the receiver. The action has been reblued.