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At the rate I'm going, I may have this back together before the holiday weekend is over. The barrel is nearly finished. The stock is finished, it cleaned up a light red, not sure if I like it or not yet. I still have to clean up the receiver and bolt and other small parts. Once it's pretty well cleaned up I'll post some pics and then decide whether to blue parts of it or leave them all in the white. Depends what it looks like.
It's not finished but I decided to take a break and put it back together to get an idea of what it will look like. I don't plan to polish it to a mirror finish but to get a uniform dull shine. All the large pitting is off the barrel. There is still some fine pitting that needs work. The receiver and action could use some work too. Stock is pretty much finished other than adding coats of BLO.
I included some additional photos of the rear sight showing the mystery screw. It might be missing a part somewhere.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...34fc6c1b-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5ba602fc-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...51d8875a-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4c9d70b5-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b09b78c5-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...29326a76-1.jpg
I wasn't sure I would like it in the white but I think it looks good. I am concerned about rust however. High humidity area here.
Lots of elbow grease invested. Looks great. I am going looking for a beater.
The mystery of the screw continues although I now have an idea.
It appears that the screw and sliding plate were a means of establishing battle zero. The plate when slid in will stop the sight from going lower. When slid out, it would originally have allowed the sight to go lower. But, a second screw was added at some point which prevents this. The small, long screw is probably now the battle zero setting. I spotted some sights that did not have this second long screw.
Other innovative features I've noticed. The screw heads are oval, not round. This means that when they are seated correctly, they are shaped in line with whatever it is they are holding in place. The rear sling swivel for example line up perfectly. The butt plate screws do not. I may have them switched and might see if that changes but the screws also seem to be fit for the hole they are in. A third screw that appears to be the same size as the sling swivel screws is not. It will not go in, it is stamped with two marks where the sling screws are stamped with one.
A lot of care went into these old rifles when they were built and it's giving me a new respect for these old war horses.