Finally, I came across a lovely Eddystone in a local gun shop. There were two of them at very reasonable prices. One was sold before I arrived. The second one I put on layaway. Looks like this one will be used in our DCM matches this year. Take care...
Joe


P.S. This came out of a gun shop that Gil Martin frequents.

Im none the wiser as to what it is but you sound pleased so I guess its good. I m sure some photos will follow to educate the likes of me.

Joe, we are going to need some pictures!

Just to help out...here's a web site with historical data on the rifle and photos.
HERE

Suz

Thanks Suz that makes sense now. sure is a good looking rifle the typical enfield butt had me looking twice for sure.

Elvis wrote:

Thanks Suz .... sure is a good looking rifle

Yeah, thanks Suz. Agreed - good looking rifle.

Elvis wrote:

Im none the wiser as to what it is but you sound pleased so I guess its good. I m sure some photos will follow to educate the likes of me.

Add me to that "dunno what he's talkin' about" list mate.

Cheers, Vince

I've only seen a few of the Eddystones, but I do know that they were quite numerous. During the Prohibition/gangster days here in Illinois many banks and post offices were issued one or two military rifles as defense against the Chicago gangs that spread out for the easier pickings of the rural and small town banks. A small bank in northern Illinois named Holcomb was the victim of an attempted gang robbery that was foiled by 2-inch thick bullet-proof glass surrounding the tellers' cages. The tellers merely lay on the floor while the gangsters tried to shoot out the glass. When they ran out of ammo, they left. Coincidentally, along with two panes of the bullet-starred glass, up to a few years ago they still had two Eddystone rifles in their vault that were left over from that era. I tried to buy them at that time to no avail.

The small town of Chadwick, Illinois was the scene of a gang/vigilante shootout within about the same time-frame when word of a Chicago gang passing through had people roaming the countryside looking for them. Many of the members of these groups were equipped with federally issued Eddystones as well. The actual confrontation was more Keystone cops than drama since it was triggered by an accidental shot fired through the roof of their car by a towns-person, a fumbling novice shooter, as a carload of the intrepid vigilantes were meeting the carload of bad guys...totally unrecognized!

Here is everything you ever wanted to know about this rifle. All the best...
Gil



www.surplusrifle.com/m.../index.asp

Gil, how did you miss this? Joe does not scoop you too often.

Well it happens and that's the breaks. I was going to visit John's shop to look for a Model 1917. The folks at the gun shop in Elizabethtown told me that Joe was in and what he bought. Seems he wanted to steal a march on me and he did. All the best...
Gil

Good info! I had heard of Eddystone rifles before, but never knew anything about them. Before reading this I would have walked right by that rifle thinking it was another surplus Enfield. I didn't even know Eddystone was a town in PA. and not all that far away.
"Remington Arms Co. of Delaware purchased a half-finished locomotive factory in Eddystone, Pennsylvania. This factory became known as the Eddystone Arsenal, producing Pattern 14 rifles for the British war effort and later the U.S. Model 1917 rifle. In 1918, the Remington Arms Company of Delaware was absorbed by the Midvale Steel and Ordnance Company."

Don

Century arms built sporters on surplus receivers back in the late 80's or early 90's due to the extra long actions I bought one in .300 Win. Mag. and mounted a fixed 6x scope on it, glass bedded it and shot alot of ammo through it. Can't remember exactly who they are but one of their rifles was called a Hannibal, I think they used those receivers as well.

Asquare perhaps???

yep