Drifting front sight M1917

[trosturleo]

Some elementary points to check:
1) Take a very close look at the muzzle. Preferably with a watchmaker's eyeglass. Are there any signs of damage, nicks in the crown etc? Touching up a crown is a simple 5-minute job for any gunsmith.
2) Are the system screws properly tightened up?
3) Is the barrel binding in the channel at any point?

I looked at the muzzle when I bought it and didn't see any damage, still had sharp rifling.
I did not check that the screws were properly tightened up but they should be not after I reassembled it. I checked to see if the barrel was binding at some point and might have found the reason why my 1917 was shooting to the right
it looked like the foreend of the stock was putting some sideways pressure on the barrel from the left at the very front of the stock where the metal piece slides over the tip of the stock. I took some very fine sandpaper and took a couple of mm off the inside of the channel where I think the stock was pressing against the barrel. Unfortunately I can't get to the range for at least two weeks so I won't know if my hunch was right.

Would sideways pressure on the barrel cause such a large difference in point of impact at 50m or am I just way off here. I also ordered a c-clamp online so I should be able to move the front sight when I get back home.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[mtoms]

I looked at the muzzle when I bought it and didn't see any damage, still had sharp rifling.
I did not check that the screws were properly tightened up but they should be not after I reassembled it. I checked to see if the barrel was binding at some point and might have found the reason why my 1917 was shooting to the right
it looked like the foreend of the stock was putting some sideways pressure on the barrel from the left at the very front of the stock where the metal piece slides over the tip of the stock. I took some very fine sandpaper and took a couple of mm off the inside of the channel where I think the stock was pressing against the barrel. Unfortunately I can't get to the range for at least two weeks so I won't know if my hunch was right.

Would sideways pressure on the barrel cause such a large difference in point of impact at 50m or am I just way off here. I also ordered a c-clamp online so I should be able to move the front sight when I get back home.

I would say 15 cm is certainly possible with forend pressure. I built a frakenmauser a couple of years ago for hunting with an RC barreled action and a mystery beech stock. I had to fashion a handguard because the stock was 5/8" too short. When I assembled it for testing didn't notice the handguard was touching the barrel on the left causing it to shoot fat right. I drifted the front sight far to the right before I realized the problem.

Good luck