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Lt. Col. Julian Hatcher is indeed on record as recommending addition of a left-side gas vent hole in the M1903 receiver. In response to Lt. Col. Hatcher's recommendation, Springfield Armory replied that they had already been experimenting with the hole. So, it's problemmatical whether Hatcher originally instigated the hole. Nevertheless, the hole got added and Hatcher's recommendation certainly helped it along.
For the record.
J.B.
John, Where did you finally find the correspondence?
Lt. Col. Hatcher was the Ordnance Technical Advisor to the 1936 National Matches. In his official report to the Chief of Ordnance dated September, 1936, following the close of the National Matches, he explicitly recommended "... That the drawings and specifications be changed to provide adequate venting of the bolt of the Springfield rifle." In the body of his report, he criticizes the rifle for having inadequate venting.Quote:
Originally Posted by MoMallard
The report resides in the National Archives.
J.B.
Mystery solved! Thanks a million JB. Good work!