Vall, I must respectfully direct your attention to the blowup tests conducted by P.O. Ackley and recounted in his Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders. In fact the 1917 actions are not generally as strong as commonly thought, especially the Eddystones. Ackley admits that he himself was greatly surprised by the 1917's relatively poor showing, but it's really not such a shock when we consider that it's made from basically the same type steel and with the same design breech as the 1903.
For any of you who are still laboring under the misapprehension that M70s are notably safer than the 1903 'grenades', I respectfully direct your attention to the photo of a blown-up M70 in the same publication. Behaved in exactly the same way as the early case-hardened 1903s, that is, shattered. As Gomer Pyle says, "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!"
Regards, Joe
