m1903a1 tryout results

[ssgross]

Poyer reports Remington made m1903 barrels until Nov. 1942, and the 1903a3 barrels lack the extra machining needed to fit the sight collar for the m1903...as such any 1903a3 barrels produced in droves after production changed 11-42 ish would not be compatible. Since we know that the transition was not instantaneous or smooth - as evidenced by my receiver and others from {11,12}-1942 clearly starting as A3 but finished as m1903, I had some hopes.
However, I think those hopes are already dashed by the fact that this barrel is clearly short chambered. Simplest explanation is it was in a bin of lat m1903 receivers that were never completed in the changeover, and was bought much much and fitted with a NOS replacement barrel.
I wouldn't say "surprising" - I imagine if it was forward deployed and serviced with a new barrel, they would have put whatever replacement parts on it they had.
Guessing is part of the fun!

[ArtPahl]

You are right. I had a brain fart when I typed that; I was thinking of A3 barrels. With the corrosive ammunition, it wouldn't have taken much neglect to ruin a barrel which is probably why so many of the 03's and A3's we see today show signs of non-original barrels. One of the A3's I received from the DCM in 1960, serial number dates to 9/43, showed every indication of being unissued. I don't recall the barrel date but it was a 4-groove. The one my brother received was a 2-groove with a serial number to 12/43. Original barrels? Who knows. But I'm pretty sure the dinged-up Smith Corona that I received in 1962 with a rack number painted on it and a 2-groove RA barrel was not original.

[ssgross]

finishing reamer and T-handle on the way from reamerrentals.com.

[ssgross]

reamer came in the mail today...that was fast. I didn't get an email that said it shipped, figured I was waiting on one to come in.
The T-Handle had 2 set screws on the bottom. One of them was longer than the other, and bumped the side of the action...no good. The fit in the socket of the handle was tight enough I thought it would be OK with just the one set screw.
This is my first time finishing the chamber on a barrel, so hopefully this helps other newbs get up the courage to do it.
1) I polished the chamber with a bore hone, and then fine emery paper in a slotted dowel, first to see if that would work, but knowing if it didn't I'd polish smooth any small pits or raised area from former corrosion. Didn't work, so I ordered reamer rental.
2) I thoroughly cleaned the chamber. Then, I used tap-magic oil cause that's what I had - liberally coated the reamer and inserted carefully, rotating clockwise as I did.
3) I gave it about 5 full turns without pushing it in - just the weight of the tool. I could feel it "grab" on the chatter marks...likely on the shoulder as you can see from my initial pics in this thread. Removed, flushed the chamber with clp (only cause that's what I had in a can with a straw), followed by air from my compressor. Checked with the go gauge, no progress.
4) clean the reamer, re-oil, and repeat. this time applying pressure...basically just hanging my hand on the t-handle. I could feel it grabbing, first it was jumpy as it removed the chatter, but by the 3rd turn it was smooth. Rotate clockwise while removing, clean out and check. No visible progress (bolt was in the same place), but there was a bit of grey dust in the flutes around the shoulder.
5) Repeat. 3 turns, same pressure. this time I could tell it was cutting smoothly the whole time. clean out and check progress.
6) OH NO!!!! the bolt closes easily!!!! Panic. Panic. Did I go too far? how could it be? Plenty more powder on the reamer flutes...only at the shoulder though.
7) Quick...grab the no-go gauge. Whew!!! it doesn't close...not even close!. Check with a live round (firing mechanism removed...only the bolt sleeve) from my dies. perfect.

My phone died just as I was going to take pics. I'll take final pics with my bore cam too...I owe you all pics of the stock after final shaping...raw linseed oil been doing its thing for over a week now.

Conclusion...I think I got very lucky. After the perceptible change from chatter to smooth cutting, I should have gone one turn at a time. I think the result would have been the same (total number of turns required), but my momentary heart ache would have been avoided! I did learn to turn the reamer a few more turns with no pressure before backing it out (still turning while pulling out). This helps to make sure there are no burrs.

[browningautorifle]

I think I got very lucky.

Maybe, but that's how you start with reamers if you have no one there to instruct you. You move slow and careful and the end result is the same. I had an M1 rifle come to me that had a perfect barrel, except someone had thought it too tight and overdone it a couple turns. New brass showed a separation line...no issue with military ammo and not reloading but that's not here in Canada.

I did learn to turn the reamer a few more turns with no pressure before backing it out (still turning while pulling out). This helps to make sure there are no burrs.

That also brings out the bits. You could have used brake cleaner for the cleaner, it has pressure and a long tube to reach inside. Go muzzle down and it blows everything out and leaves it dry for testing. Next time... Anyway, well done. By the way, it might still want a touch of polishing.

[ssgross]

By the way, it might still want a touch of polishing.

I did indeed polish it again. Very happy with the results.
I also double checked the the max CBTO again with my Hornady gauge. It is about 6 thous. less free bore now than there was. Assuming that I didn't cut the throat at all, (I didn't notice any debris on that part of the reamer), this must have been how much more I pushed the shoulder in. I was tempted to put steel blue layout fluid in there to take pics, but decided against the high likelihood of making a big sloppy mess of it.

[browningautorifle]

Time to shoot it and see.

[ssgross]

Final pretty chamber pics. won't likely get to the range until kids' break is over. Until then, they love helping with reloading - they call it "bullet parties".
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[ssgross]

Time to shoot it and see.

This rifle exceeded all my expectations. The color from the RLO has started to come in. The Minelli has some nice swirls of light and dark walnut after sanding off the oil stain they use when doing the final shaping - and the NOS handgaurd I fitted has some similar character - it kind of matches but doesn't, only due to the variations in wood grain.
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Since my receiver came along so late, last month of m1903 at Remington, I finished it with as many A3 parts as I could find for cheap. Cocking piece is Rem. 1903, milled mag and floor plate that it came with, stamped and blued furniture. The stippled buttplate came with it, but with a checkered trapdoor I just had to swap out. Just because it's a parts queen doesn't mean she doesn't want to look good too!
And it shoots great!...even though I didn't quite do my part. I find that aperture sights are very hard for me to get a consistent sight picture across more than 3 shots at a time. I can easily take 12 rounds, and get 4 different tight groups. Need to work on that. The target above is 100yds from the bench, front rest and rear bag. 168gr Hornady BTHP over 48.5gr IMR4064, Winchester brass and Rem 9 1/2 LRP (worked up this load in my Gibbs 03a4 clone). The 3 "fliers" (left 10 followed by top 9's) were separate sight adjustments. Then 3 upper 10s came, then the X, then the 3 lower 10's in ~1/2" square! Target is an NRA SR21? - the 200 yd one scaled for 100yds.
My next step with this rifle is to send it to Chuck to have the barrel, receiver, buttplate, front band parkerized. You can see in the pics that receiver is a dark brown rust-blue. I thought it was just old dried grease in the park, tested a spot with rust/blue remover under the receiver and it came off like wiping butter off a hot knife. I'll leave the other furniture in it's blue finish, but I'm gonna polish and blue the magazine floor plate eventually - a high polish like the national match rifles are said to have been - just because I can. The few m1903 parts it had, or I had in a box, I'll save for the sept 1942 1903 I have. It came in an 03a3 scant replacement stock - unmarked. I shoots just as good. I may put it in a Minelli also, and use the scant on a A3 sporter when I find the right one.

I need to close this out by saying what a great evening at the range I had. I had my son (12) with me. It was just a priceless evening...good company, good shooting, and a wonderful "start" to the next generation, and a new family style service history for this rifle.