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Eddystone M1917 Rifle in Pre WW2 Use ?


Matt4thCav
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Hello everyone. I have a question to ask. It's been a long time since I'm trying to figure out if during the pre-war era the P17 was used. I have seen can not be seen. Is there still a chance that it was used by the National Guard?

 

Thanks

 

Matteo

 

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Hello Matteo, I would say that would and could be very likley as again like WW1 we were caught short of arms. These could have been used as training rifles or pulled out for use by National Guard or State Guard units.

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Hello Matteo, I would say that would and could be very likley as again like WW1 we were caught short of arms. These could have been used as training rifles or pulled out for use by National Guard or State Guard units.

In my research, did not I even find a single photo of soldiers using the P17? Yet I'm sure it was used... :dry:

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us state guard used these along with many countrys china, phillipines etc usmc training , us coast guard keep looking

photo reference is out try google.

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Trevor M. Larson

A few months back I interviewed a soldier who was in the pre war army called up during the first draft. So he was in for the summer of 41. Long story short in most of his photos he has a 1917 in hand. I'll have to go digging for those photos

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The 116th Infantry started training with M1903 Springfields but were replaced with M1917 Enfields in May 1918, about one month before the Regiment left Camp McClellan for France.

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The 116th Infantry started training with M1903 Springfields but were replaced with M1917 Enfields in May 1918, about one month before the Regiment left Camp McClellan for France.

I think the original post asked about any post-WW1, pre-WW2 use on the M1917 rifle.

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Good news guys. I found this photo. 185th Inf. Reg. 40th Div. California National Guard during maneuvers in July 1941. I was almost certain that the NG used the P17.

post-158039-0-70818500-1511138244_thumb.jpg

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Basically after WWI, the Army did not want to use it, and downsized to the point it did not need to use it. The USMC considered adopting it over the M1903 in the early 1920s, but ultimately chose to retain the M1903 due to the sights. In the 1930s large numbers of M1917 rifles that had been in storage were sold to the Philippines to outfit the Philippine Army. The Philippine Scouts were US Army and used M1903/M1 Garand rifles. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and invaded the Philippines, large numbers of M1917s were used by US personnel to supplement the meager small-arms available to the battered forces on Bataan and Corregidor.

 

Large numbers were also supplied to Canada, China, as well as other friendly countries on the eve of and during WWII. When the US found awoke to find itself at war, any small arms still in depots were issued for training and guard use. I think the earliest stateside photo I found was taken in 1942, before April. I do not recall seeing a M1917 rifle in training or guard use in 1941 stateside photos, but in training use it would not surprise me.The Army was rapidly expanding and needed everything they could get.

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Pretty sure that's an M1903 rifle in that photo.

 

 

I have to agree. While the shadows make it resemble a M1917, it definitely appears to be a M1903.

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I've got some family photos that my grandma said were taken by her dad while he was in the CCCs. I did hear that ccc training involved some military training, but these are very military... Couple in garrison, and i am 99% sure there is a stack of 17s in a photo. Also have a picture of a train car with FT17 tanks on it. Makes me think maybe great-grandpa was national guard. I'll double check.

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The 'in-storage' M1917 rifles were sold to the Philippines for cash (gold) to pay for the set-up and production run of the M1 rifle. Springfield Armory was over budget and needed funds. The Army came through with the cash sale of the M1917s. In those days you paid as you went. Not like today where a couple of billion dollars deficit is normal. By the way, to the rest of the world, World War Two started in September 1939.

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I have seen some Youtube video of ranger training in Hawaii that appear to have some 1917's in use.

 

 

Was it color footage? I seem to recall seeing it or stills of it. I believe you are correct that the footage shows M1917s, but I think it was taken in early 1942.

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The 'in-storage' M1917 rifles were sold to the Philippines for cash (gold) to pay for the set-up and production run of the M1 rifle. Springfield Armory was over budget and needed funds. The Army came through with the cash sale of the M1917s. In those days you paid as you went. Not like today where a couple of billion dollars deficit is normal.

 

Yes, I believe there was a gentleman ('eclancy' something) posting copies of the reports about 10 years ago on gun forums. I also recall that the Army refused to provide spare parts to the USMC for their M1903's; instead wanting money for M1 rifles as that was what they were tooled up for; in the end the USMC was able to get the parts they needed from both the Army and contractors.

 

It is interesting that of the 2+ million M1917's manufactured, about half or more served under foreign flag during WWII.

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In a later episode of Ken Burns"The War," there is a 17 visible in some ETO footage. I'll try to find it.

 

I have no doubt that some M1917's were used in the ETO, but a lot of the photos actually wind up showing British Pattern 14's in the hands of US or UK outfitted Free-French or other Aliied forces. So that is something to consider too; non-US Army usage of the M1917 which was often the case with the Free French forces.

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To the OP, when you said 'prewar', were you asking about pre-1939 or pre-1941 usage? There is a big difference there, and I am not sure what time frame we are talking about.

 

For pre-1939, I am not aware of any National Guard use of the M1917 on a wide scale after the 1920s; if 1940-1941, that changes.

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Was it color footage? I seem to recall seeing it or stills of it. I believe you are correct that the footage shows M1917s, but I think it was taken in early 1942.

 

Yes. I just searched Youtube and all the videos are there but I didn't watch them.

 

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I just came across this photo from May, 1942 of John Wayne attending the premier of the movie Reap The Wild Wind". Next to him are a file of Sailors with M-17 Enfields. Nice picture. After you clink on the link, you'll find the picture. Then click on the picture to enlarge it.

 

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/hollywood-ca-star-of-paramounts-reap-the-wild-wind-john-news-photo/517432384#3201942hollywood-ca-star-of-paramounts-reap-the-wild-wind-john-wayne-picture-id517432384

 

Steve

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To the OP, when you said 'prewar', were you asking about pre-1939 or pre-1941 usage? There is a big difference there, and I am not sure what time frame we are talking about.

 

For pre-1939, I am not aware of any National Guard use of the M1917 on a wide scale after the 1920s; if 1940-1941, that changes.

I am referring to the use of M1917 pre 1939 by the U.S. Army...

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