Sportered 1917

[Calfed]

Recently picked up a sportered 1917 and 1903A3. Both look like they can be re militarized fairly easily:

The 1917 is an Eddystone, with a High Standard barrel. The bore gauges just over a "0" on the CMP muzzle gauge and is shiny with strong rifling. The bolt will not close on a field gauge.




The 03A3 is in a nice looking maple stock. Hasn't arrived yet, but is described as being a Remington with metal intact and having a Smith Corona barrel with a "very good bore" . Came with a nice looking leather sling



Plan is to re-militarize them when I can find the wood.

Information

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[jamie5070]

Nice. That stock on the '03 is gorgeous.
john

[Calfed]

Thanks, Jamie

I've gotten about 5 PM's offering to buy it if I'm going to sell it. May be able to offset some of the re mil costs with it.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Calfed,

I agree with Jamie. Although I wouldn't be interested in a sporter '03 either, that '03 stock is gorgeous! I hope you find someone who wants a sporter stock.
Did you ever try to do some horsetrading with Chuckindenver?

[Calfed]

I'm waiting till the 03A3 actually arrives before I decide what to do with it.

The description advised:

"Serial no. 3738625, 30-06 cal., with 24" Smith-Corona 8-43 dated barrel, parkerized finish, maple stock.

Condition:
Very good as reconfigured. Retaining approx. 90%+ original parkerization. Front sight blade has been painted. Metal is intact making this a good candidate for restoration. Maple stock shows light use. With commercial leather sling by Uncle Mike. Action is good, bore is very good."

I've had very good luck with the auction house in question and believe that the receiver has not been D&T'd. But I won't know for sure till it actually arrives.

[bb1]

What does gauged to "0" mean?
What is the process and and how does the scale work?
Thanx
Bill

[Calfed]

The CMP gauge is a taper gauge that measures the muzzle of .30 caliber rifles across the lands. A more accurate version of the old "bullet test", if you will.



A "0" is .300 across the lands or a "new" spec bore. As the lands wear, the gauge can slip further into the bore and measure a "1" or a "2". I assume that a "1" is .301 and a "2" is .302.

The pic is another one of my 1917's that measures between a "0" and a "1"--much closer to the "1". Still a good bore, IMHO. once it reaches a "2", it is anyone's guess.

I used the CMP gauge to measure my .30 cal Swiss rifles and was shocked that even the oldest was tighter on the CMP gauge than a new US .30 caliber bbl. Most, even the 1911 series, would not allow the gauge in deep enough to register on the scale--very tight.

[Chuckindenver]

isnt the Swiss a 7.5MM and the 17 a 7.62MM?

[Calfed]

isnt the Swiss a 7.5MM and the 17 a 7.62MM?

The Swiss is called a 7.5mm, but the Swiss military surplus GP11 projectile mics .308 and .308 reloading bullets are used in reloading--just like the US .30 caliber--so it seems to me to be, at a minimum, an interesting and fair comparison.

I can only assume that, since the muzzle gauge measures across the lands, that the lands are "taller" on the Swiss barrels than on US barrels. If so, that might explain why those Swiss barrels just never seem to get shot out.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Swiss CIP values are:
bore/lands 7.51 mm (0.2957"
grooves 7.77 (0.0.3060)

I just dismantled a GP11 and measured it with my bench micrometer.

The diameter in front of the crimp groove was 0.3030"
The diameter behind the crimp groove was 0.3079"
The diameter is most certainly NOT 0.308" over the full bearing length.

Instead, the short section BEHIND the groove will act as a driving band.
CIP gives the maximum projectile diameter as 7.78 mm = 0.3063"
So, while the rifles may well fire 0.308 bullets without complaining, this will surely lead to a higher chamber pressure and bore wear than that caused by the GP11 cartridge.

But the Swiss barrel will have to be very worn indeed before it loosens up to 300/308 dimensions!

Patrick