Need accuracy help with 03A3

[Chuckindenver]

the Greek ammo is a bit longer then standard GI.
though i dont personally shoot Greek stuff, iv had more then a few customers with accuracy and feeding issues,
being headstrong, most wouldnt listen,.
so.
had one guy, give me his rifle to rebarrel,i logged it in, took it to the range that weekend, with Match ammo, the rifle shot within a dime..
when he showed up to see his rifle the next week, i showed him the target,
he said.
wow,,is that from my rifle with the new barrel..no. its your rifle with good ammo.
had the rifle shot bad, i would have changed the barrel, and took some of his money,,however.
since nothing was wrong with the rifle, i handed it back, and didnt charge him a thing...
just do a coogle search for Greek 30-06 problems in a 1903..heck just search this site..youll find a lot of posts..
one thing that you may want to check.
a couple issues that are common.
first. someone might have installed A3 guard screws, they are a little longer then 03 screws, and it wont fit as tight as it should.
another,
remove the tang bushing, trim 1/8 an inch of one end, open it just a little, and install it back in the stock.
if your stock is missing a bushing,,get one, trim it, and install it.
dont shoot your 1903 or A3 without a bushing installed {in military trim} you will destroy the stock.
specs to tighten your guartd screws,,30 to 40 inch pounds.

[us019255]

"...he Greek ammo is a bit longer then standard GI...."

Found thread on bullet seating depth. Observation is that it is a bit non uniform and often long enough to seat into the rifling on some? many? bolt guns. The writer ran it through a seating die to shorten it.

I can understand that the Garand has a bit longer throat and thus M1903's show problems.

Thanks for the information, this type of explanation was what my engineer mind craved.

[Chuckindenver]

remember,,,
keep it simple..dont rebuild the wheel.

[us019255]

One of the curses of being retired, and spending 30+ years as an engineer, is you start wondering about mechanical things.

As a result this afternoon, since it was show showering here and thus I didn't ride (horse) or go to the range (AR-15 load development this month), I got interested in HXP vs M1 and M1903.

I have some, but haven't shot it in a Garand, M1903 or M1917.

Just for grins and giggles I decided to take out my trusty RCBS chamber mike and measure the distance to lands on some Garands, M1903's, and M1917.

Results do not tell me much. M1903's from 0.018 (Mark 1 3/19) to 0.118 (Remington <300 rounds since re-barrel) , M1917 0.1570 (3/19 lend lease return), and 0.1144 (JA -<300 rnds) , Garands 0.0270 to 0.172. My guess is that I am seeing mostly throat erosion and some differences in reamers.

When I get a chance I will mike some HXP, and some WWII black tip and see where that stuff lands. After I get the whole story I may organize it and report, along with the details of each rifle and some shooting results.

[Chuckindenver]

heres some advise..
put down your gages..
go to the range, and shoot some ammo...
sometimes you just have to have fun...and dont bust your noggin trying to figure it out...
it may or maynot be the issue, but its a start..and if it fixes. its cheaper then a new barrel.

[us019255]

"...put down your gages..
go to the range, and shoot some ammo...
sometimes you just have to have fun..."

But it is fun to figure things out!

Besides, I already have US milspec handloads that shoot fine in both all my 30-06 service rifles. (I have qualified with all of those I played with yesterday except the H&R)

[sv1kSteve]

Well I got the rifle out of the safe to take a quick look at it and when checking the muzzle I was able to stick my finger in the end of the muzzle and move it around in the opening formed by the bottom of the stock and the top of the forearm piece. This is of course why it does not shoot, now I have to figure out where the play is comming from. I am thinking that it is a good possibility that the action is not resting correctly and firmly in the stock. I don't really know what I am doing and may turn it over to a pro.
Thanks....

[Chuckindenver]

just remove the stock, and take a look at the rear tang bushing, as stated earlier,
likely its loose and or missing...

[us019255]

M1903 shoot best then there is an upward pressure (I've read 4-8 lbs) on the muzzle from the stock.

One time during the craze for free floated sporter barrels, I restocked and glass bedded free floating. Result: 6" groups. When put a dab of glass bedding on the muzzle end with 6# pressure, <2" groups (which is as good as I can see). This is all with the action bedded properly and tight.

[Griff Murphey]

Two or three years ago they issued HXP at Camp Perry of a lot that gave bad problems. Main problem was people could not get the bolts closed without hammering the bolts shut with this one lot of ammo. This high profile event has given it a bad name.

HXP works fine in my 03's and M1917. It also gives beautiful accuracy. The only problem I ever had was failure to fire when I had not adequately de-Greek-cosmolined a bolt internally prior to going on the range.