Star gauged barrel ?

[Roofuss]

I am considering buying a 1903A1 Springfield scant stocked rifle that is said to have a "star gauged barrel " dated 11/24 along with a registration number stamped under the hand guard and a receiver serial number of 1523xxx . I am fairly new to Military weapons, and wonder just what is the real significance of the star barrel stamped rifles and if anyone has any advice and info for a newbie, before I make a decision on the gun ? Thanks, in advance ....

Information

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[Calif-Steve]

Barrel date and rifle serial number don't match. Stock is completely wrong. I'm guessing a parts gun. A photo of the muzzle would help. How much does the seller want?.

[Roofuss]

Seller is asking $1400.00

[Kirk]

If it were all correct, $1400 may not be out of line for national match rifle with a star gauged barrel. Seeing that it is not correct, half or less, depending on condition. How is the bore? Bright with strong rifling or dark or worn rifling? Can you measure the Throat Erosion (TE) or Muzzle Wear (MW)? What kind of finish on the receiver? Barrel? Bolt? Does the bolt handle curve slightly to the rear or does it hang stright down? What markings are on the bolt handle by the both body? On the safety lug? (check top & bottom) Any markings on the stock? What is the condition of the wood? All intact with no splits, chips or serious dents? Same for the handguard. Are the trigger guard & bands milled or stamped steel? Post photos if you can.

[Rick the Librarian]

$1400 would be a steal if the rifle was a NM! The rifle, as described is worth maybe half of the asking price. Maybe $750, depending on the condition of the barrel.

[Roofuss]

Owner says : Bore is very good and measures under 1 on a CMP gauge . I am not close enough to the seller to physically look the rifle over in person, so I'm taking the seller at his word. Has a Hatcher hole on the left side , bolt is excellent, and slightly curved rearward, and is etched with the receiver serial number . Receiver and muzzle is parked, and bolt is blued . Owner does not state it is a NM rifle, but most likely a USMC rebuild with a registration number stamped under the hand guard and seen very little use .

[Calif-Steve]

Oh, no a story gun. USMC etc, etc. The Canal, yack, yack. Came home in a duffle bag, yack, yack. The Marine won a Silver Star, yack, yack. Offer him $750.00, see what happens. I would certainly avoid it at high money.

[Johnny Peppers]

Very good is not very high up the scale as gun descriptions go. The barrel might gauge high, but still be rough.

[enbloc8]

A "star gauge" is a special gauge intended to measure internal bore diameter. The idea of a star-gauged barrel was that, in an era when rifling processes could be a bit inconsistent (due to cutter wear in the "hook rifling" process causing high and low spots), the star-gauged barrel had been measured for consistent rifling the length of the bore. Therefore, the barrel would be "guaranteed" (or at least assumed to be) accurate.

In practice, "star gauging" appears to have been one of those half-skill-half-magic processes. Bill Brophy wrote, in his big book on '03s, that he and a friend each had a star gauge, and a NOS star-gauged barrel with the original measurement card. They tried each others' gauges on each others' barrels, and neither of them could come close to each others' gauge readings, let alone the "official" readings from the Armory.

As to accuracy, I've seen multiple statements that the plug-rifled and air-gauged barrels from WW2 are every bit as good, if not better. I can report that my Springfield target rifle has a 1944 High Standard barrel on it, and that sucker shoots better than me!

[Roofuss]

Thanks for your input, enbloc 8 , much appreciated .
I passed on the rifle, just too many unknowns for the $$