Steve, when the U.S entered the First World War in April 1917 the number of rifles available to equip the expanded military was insufficient. The ordnance department realized that two private firearms manufacturers (Winchester, Remington, and the Eddystone subsidiary of Remington) had been making a service rifle for British Army, and had nearly completed this contract. There was intense pressure for rifles for the new draftees so the ordnance department approached these manufactures and asked them to convert their existing tooling and make the British designed rifle to chamber the U.S. 30-06 cartridge. This was done and all three plants were in full production by the fall of 1917. Each of the three makers stamped there names on the receivers of the rifles which they produced. Eddystone made the most with about 1.6 million completed by the November 1918. Winchester and Remington both made about 500,000 each.

The new rifle was designated U.S. Rifle, Model 1917, but was commonly called the Enfield because of its British origins. The rifle was longer than the U.S. designed Model 1903, and the balance was never as good, but the action was stronger, and rifles were more accurate straight from the factory than the Model 1903. Over 70% of our troops who served in France carried the M1917 rifle, and it is claimed that Sergeant Alvin York won the Medal of Honor with a Model 1917 made by Eddystone. After the war most of the Model 1917's were arsenal reworked and put into storage. When World War II broke out The U.S. provided M1917's to many of our allies and also our own troops until the M1 Garand became available.

Here is list of dates for Winchester production, hope it helps. Marc

1917

• August 1-(production sample)
• September 10,001
• October 25,000
• November 45,000
• December 70,000
  

1918

• January 102,363
• February 142,563
• March 175,223
• April 217,423
• May 261,023
• June 302,651
• July 336,900
• August 372,600
• September 392,630
• October 424,180
• November 465,980

1919

• January 515,000
• February 545,000
• March 575,000
• April 580,000

• Prior to 1873 this was a three line marking.
• Prior to 1874 it was changed to a two line marking.
• Circa 1874 it was changed to a single line marking.

From 1874-1876 the marking was Sharps Rifle Co. Hartford, Conn.; and from 1876 onward it was Sharps Rifle Co. Bridgeport, Conn.
There were many different variations of the Model 1874 made, in various calibers with many different barrel options, from 22” to 36 inches. Certainly .45 caliber 30 inch octagon would be a common configuration. Get a copy of the Sellers book for more research. John Spangler

I was unable to find instructions for field stripping the 1907 Webley but I did find instructions for the H&R Semi Auto. H&R Semi Auto pistols were based on the designs of William J. Whiting, which were made in England as the Webley automatics so they should be pretty close to the same.

Field Strip:

• With the striker in fired position and the magazine removed, pull down the front of the trigger guard until the “step” can be seen, and hold it there.
• Move the slide and barrel off the frame toward the front. As it clears its track, the barrel will be released for removal.

Instructions for complete disassembly:

• In the aperture at the top of the slide backplate, use a small tool to depress the plunger of the backplate catch. Move the backplate upward for removal. CAUTION! Restrain the recoil spring and striker spring base, as the powerful springs will force it rearward.
• Ease out the spring base, and remove the base and springs.
• The recoil spring and guide, and the striker spring, are easily detached. The guide for the striker spring is integral with the base.
• The backplate lock plunger and its coil spring are easily taken out of the slide. It may be wise to remove them at this point, to prevent loss.
• Remove the striker from the slide.
• Drift out the breechblock retaining pin.
• The breechblock will often be quite tightly fitted. Insert a drift punch in the firing pin aperture in the breech face, and tap it gently to nudge the breechblock downward.
• Remove the breechblock. The extractor and its coil spring can be lifted out of the breechblock. The loaded-chamber indicator pin is integral with the extractor.
• Set the safety lever in off-safe position (upward), remove the left grip screw, and move the grip panel slightly downward as it is taken off. Be careful, as the upper front of the grip is easily broken. Remove the right grip screw and the right panel. Remove the safety lever retaining screw.
• Remove the safety lever toward the left. The safety detent plunger and spring are now taken out of the frame.
• There is a small aperture on the right side of the frame for insertion of a drift punch. Use it to drift out the sear bar contact pin, shown here, toward the left.
• Drift out the trigger cross-pin.
• Remove the trigger, and its plunger and spring.
• Remove the trigger guard. The lock pin at the front of the frame need not be taken out.
• Remove the sear bar.
• Drift out the grip safety cross-pin.
• Drift out the grip safety limit pin.
• Move the grip safety unit forward, then take it out toward the rear. The sear plunger and spring can be removed from the top of the unit.
• The sear lever and its plunger and spring can be separated from the grip safety by drifting out this cross-pin. Caution: Control the plunger and spring.
• Drift out the sear pin, and remove the sear. The sear limit pin, just to the rear, does not have to be removed.
•  Drift out the magazine catch cross-pin.
• Fully depress the catch button, and remove the magazine catch toward the rear.
• Remove the magazine catch button.
•  Remove the magazine catch spring.

Hope this helps, Marc