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 The U.S. Model of 1917 is a .30 caliber, breach-loading,
bolt-action rifle modeled after the British P-17. Made in America by Winchester
and the Remington Arms Co., the M1917 is often called the American Enfield in honor
of its U.K. origins. Gunsmiths and gun collectors sometimes disagree about
whether the U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1917 (Enfield) is a true P17, but smart
shooters know that firearms maintenance is what's really important when working
with older rifles.
Cleaning
and Maintaining Rifle Chambers
According to the U.S. War Department's Basic
Field Manual of 1942, the chamber of the M1917 Enfield rifle "must be cleaned
as thoroughly as the bore" because "a rough chamber may cause shells to stick."
The Flex-Hone tool from Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM) wasn't invented
back then, but we'd like to think it deserves a place in any gun manual's "Care
and Cleaning Section". Ideal for
removing residue from chambers, the Flex-Hone for Rifles is a durable and
reliable gun brush.
Gun
Blogger Garand Thumb
That's what a gun blogger called Garand
Thumb learned last summer when his M1917 starting saving rounds because of
ejection problems. While cleaning his Enfield rifle, the shooter discovered
that the M1917's chamber
"looked a little rough" because of rust and residue. After trying
unsuccessfully to "clean it up with a chamber brush", the gun blogger ordered the
Flex-Hone for
Firearms from Brush Research. Later, while updating his readers about his weapon,
he exclaimed how "this works!!!!" and that his rifle's rounds now "ejected like
butter".
The Flex-Hone for
Rifles
After lubricating his rifle's chamber with Flex-Hone oil, Garand
Thumb chucked the mandrel of the Flex-Hone tool into his handheld DeWalt
electric drill. With the receiver and the chamber clamped in a vice between
two wooden blocks, the amateur gunsmith
honed the rifle chamber for about a minute. Later, as he explained to readers,
"be careful not to overpolish if you decide to try this". The Flex-Hone for Firearms is a surface
finishing tool rather than a material removal tool, but that's good advice
from a satisfied shooter. As Garand Thumb exclaims, "I am excited that I
finally found a solution!"
Author's Note: This CR4 blog entry originally appeared in BRM's
Flex-Hone Blog.
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Re: Flexible Honing for U.S. Model of 1917 Firearms
