Force matched - me no understand

Where does the term 'force matched' come from???

Use force to fit something???? Or does it mean renumbered with or without fitting???

What exactly does it mean? Is it possible to force match something nicely?

To me, if I read that a rifle has something force matched, the thing is garbage.
Or is this the meaning of the expression? I have a forced matched bolt so my gun is a piece of schit.

Or do we make up our own terms now? eg. I have a 'relaxed fit' happy matched bolt in mine!!!

WTF???

Winston Churchill said that he would never beat a child unless it was for abuse of the english language.

Rant over. Happy Easter.
Monty Python - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - YouTube

I never understand the phrase either. I've heard it to describe the fitting of an ill-fitting bolt. You get it to fit or bear evenly on both locking lugs by firing it until the DO bear evenly!

Force match......... Nope, nothing a real Armourer would ever practice. I put the phrase down to those much-derided-by-me home tinkerers or enthusiastic amateurs etc etc

I think it's an Americanism meaning; fitted and re-numbered to match.

The example I thin of for this term relates to Yugo M24/47 mausers. These mausers were made from bins of M24 parts. FOr the "new" assembly, the old number was either ground off or struck out. Then the new serial number was applied. Thus the serial numbers on the parts were "forced' to match during this refurbishment/rebuild.

Walter

It has nothing to do with the fitment of parts in relation to each other. The term simply refers to the serial numbers of individual parts, whatever that might be, being X-ed out and "Force Matched" to the receiver serial number. Very common on Russian arms and Russian captured weapons.
It's a numbers game that's all.

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Originally Posted by WNO1958

the old number was either ground off or struck out

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That's exactly what it's come to mean. It's a created term for those that have to have a term...instead of mismatched, jumbled up or parts gun. I guess it's nicer than built from scrap parts. Now it's "Original" again...

In the US it is a term used to identify rifles that might have matched serial numbers, but did not come from the factory in that condition. In descending order of desirability it could mean:

1) Fresh out of factory rebuild with major serialed component replaced and renumbered
2) Rebuild/repair out of military workshop, same as above.
3) Reworked by skilled gunsmith, not military but up to mil-spec.
4) Humped up piece of crap done by Billy-Joe-Jim-Bob in his garage. Often not done correctly, for example Lee Enfield bolt substituted and re-numbered where both lugs do not bear evenly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

That's exactly what it's come to mean. It's a created term for those that have to have a term...instead of mismatched, jumbled up or parts gun. I guess it's nicer than built from scrap parts. Now it's "Original" again...

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I agree, but the term has also come to refer to guns that have had parts renumbered during a legitimate arsenal overhaul such as an FTR. Finnish captured and reworked Soviet MNs for example. I would argue that category of weapons is not a parts gun or built from scrap parts. I would also argue that the term is sloppy communication with a meaning so diffuse as to be meaningless. What it really means is the potential buyer better look the thing over very closely to find out why the parts have been renumbered.

Fredrick 303 posted while I was typing. I concurr

But a useful and necessary term in the wacky world of collecting. To me a 'force-match" is a replacement part installed by a military armorer and numbered or renumbered accordingly. Maybe not now "original-matching" but still a genuine, mechanically sound piece. Renumbering post service is not "force-matched", it's faked.

Ridolpho

Here's another possible meaning

In the US, there is a group of M1 Garand collectors that acquire M1 rifles, remove perfectly serviceable parts of one manufacture so that they can add parts of another manufacturer such that the rifle appears to be as if it came directly from the factory. That the part they removed was carefully fitted by an properly trained armorer is of no consequence. The term they use is "all correct' and they assign a higher value for it.

I think the proper term for this activity might be 'Forced matched".

Walter