I was at my uncles house last week and he gave me 10 boxes of modern winchester 30-06 ammo. Normally I only shoot my own reloads which I load down so as to no damage my M1 Garand. I shoot those same reloads through my 1917 Enfield. I am unsure though if shooting the lighter ammo is necessary since the enfield is a bolt gun and does not have the same issues with the gas system as the M1. I like to shoot the light ammo anyway since I am only shooting at a range and prefer to not add as much wear to the barrel since the enfield is now 100 years old. My question is can I shoot the winchester ammo through my enfield? I don't really have and modern 30-06 gun I can use it in and I know the M1 Garan is a no go.
1917 Enfield with modern ammo.
- Thread starter chasep255
- Start date
Heavy Metal 1
New member
The short answer is yes. Many of the Enfield actions were built up into sporters of heavy magnum calibers. It should hold 6 rounds in the magazine. Mine shot shotgun patterns at 100 yds w/ commercial ammo. I put together a handload below book max with 165gr bullets and IMR 4350 and it is amazingly accurate and that is with a sewer pipe barrel!. If you have a 2 groove replacement barrel they like flatbased bullets; boattails do poorly in these barrels. I chose 165gr bullets because I had some on hand and I figured since the bore looked like it had been neglected I guessed the leade was worn. I think the 165gr has a larger bearing surface than the 150gr bullets.
Blindstitch
New member
I shoot the modern 150 grain Winchester ammo in my Winchester 1917 and it likes it. The one advantage over downloaded ammo is it doesn't make your shoulder as sore as fast.
The "lighter" ammo is GI spec. M2 ball is a 150gr @ 2750fps (+/-). This is what the 1917 Enfield was designed to shoot. Modern commercial ammo, at 2900fps (ish) won't be a safety issue in your bolt action, but might not shoot as well for accuracy, and might not be perfectly aligned with the GI sight markings.
only way to know is shoot it.
M1 Garands can be made to handle modern sporting ammo, but it takes a modification of the GI gas system. Most of us today don't bother, and just shoot GI spec ammo from Garands and save the hotter commercial ammo for other guns.
If the commercial ammo groups well in your Enfield, you're good to go. If not, you'll at least get some good brass for reloading!
only way to know is shoot it.
M1 Garands can be made to handle modern sporting ammo, but it takes a modification of the GI gas system. Most of us today don't bother, and just shoot GI spec ammo from Garands and save the hotter commercial ammo for other guns.
If the commercial ammo groups well in your Enfield, you're good to go. If not, you'll at least get some good brass for reloading!
No problem shooting standard factory 30-06 ammo of any weight in a 1917. My dad and all his brothers have been shooting their sportster 1917 rifles for hunting for 40 years, no issues with any of the rifles. I used my dad's to take my fist whitetail, used 165 grain Corelokts.
Loading down for an M1 isn't necessary either. No Hornady Superformance ammo in an M1 though. That used to be called "Light Magnum".
"...M2 ball is a 150gr @ 2750fps..." .30 M2 was a 152 grain bullet at 2800 fps. Not that it matters. The M1 Rifle wasn't designed to use .30 M2 anyway. It was made and tested using .30 M1 ammo with its 174.5 grain BT bullet at 2640 fps.
"...shoot those same reloads through my 1917 Enfield..." The only issue might be accuracy. Every rifle likes a different load. However, your Pattern 17 was made to use M1906 ball with its 150 grain bullet at 2700 fps. Not that that matters either. As mentioned, Pattern 17's have been sporterised into magnum chambered rifles with no fuss. Plus Remington sold Pattern 17's as their Model 30.
"...M2 ball is a 150gr @ 2750fps..." .30 M2 was a 152 grain bullet at 2800 fps. Not that it matters. The M1 Rifle wasn't designed to use .30 M2 anyway. It was made and tested using .30 M1 ammo with its 174.5 grain BT bullet at 2640 fps.
"...shoot those same reloads through my 1917 Enfield..." The only issue might be accuracy. Every rifle likes a different load. However, your Pattern 17 was made to use M1906 ball with its 150 grain bullet at 2700 fps. Not that that matters either. As mentioned, Pattern 17's have been sporterised into magnum chambered rifles with no fuss. Plus Remington sold Pattern 17's as their Model 30.
"Loading down" for an M1 rifle is not necessary, but the nature of the gas system does limit the loads and powders that can be used. I strongly suggest using loads specifically noted for use in the M1 rifle, or as close as possible to GI loads, else it is possible to damage the op rod or other parts.
Jim
Jim
This is the data I have
Cartridge, Caliber .30, Ball M2
Ballistics:
Velocity: 2740 +/- 30 ft/sec at 78 feet
Pressure: 50,000 psi, max. avg.
Accuracy: 7.5" mean radius max. avg. at 600 yerds
CARTRIDGE: 408 - 23grs.
Case: 200 - 20 grs.
Bullet: 152 - 3 grs
Primer: 5.43grs lead styphnate
Propellant: IMR4895, single base, tubular, 50grs.
WC852, double base, spheroidal, 50grs.
CMR-100, single base, tubular, 45grs.
Point Identification: Plain tip
This data from Cartridges of the World.
While I cannot personally verify the accuracy, I believe its close enough to be useful in discussions.