Excess Headspace in the 1903 and '03A3 Springfield

[duckcreekdick]

I would be interested to hear how Chuckindenver cuts square threads on a contoured barrel blank without a lathe. If one knows how to read a depth mike and pays attention to the graduations on the tail stock of your lathe, finish reaming a chamber with your trusty lathe is not hard. I agree, though, that the coned breech and extractor cut of the 1903 is a pain in the keester.

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.

[Chuckindenver]

i dont buy barrel blanks..when i can get a sporter barrel threaded, contured, short chambered and ready to install for less then 200.00 at my door.
buying a blank really doesnt make since, when i charge 75.00 an hour plus set up..blank is 150.00 plus,, and at least that to thread, chamber, install headspace and testfire.. your total bill will be well over 300.00
however...
90% of the rifles i work on are in Military trim..and they come threaded, and chambered..even when new.
so..
heres how simple that its...
screw the barrel in, set the witness marks up, finish ream by hand..check headspace, test fire,,, its done...
it aint rocket science....really..
if you have a barrel thats worn out, shot out, ect...cutting back the shoulder is more work then its worth.. by the time you charge a customer to set the shoulder back..{no threading is needed} re install a rear sight base, and reeam the chamber again..he will still have a worn out barrel, but the bolt will not close on a no go gage..
for the same amount of money, you can find a new or like new barrel, screw it on and be done with it..
what alot of people dont know,, when you cut the shoulder back, you have to move the breech up as well...
the extractor cut is cake...done by hand..takes me 20, 30 mins tops...
really,...this aint that hard...

[Chuckindenver]

heres a good example of a guy that loves his lathe...turned the shoulder back,..great job of indexing..lol...just think what that breach looks like..

[Chuckindenver]

iv seen many a Remington 700 that has had a case head failure, it destroys the bolt, extractor, and gives the shooter a hot blast of gases in the face...the 1903 is one of the only rifles built to prevent injury from this, that cool little cocking knob thingy is actually built to deflect hot gasses from the shooter in the result of a case head failure,
i prefer a controle feed over a push feed action, makes shooting at the range much easier to just drop a round in rather then push it in the mag box first.
personally i like all of the rifles, be it Mauser, 1903, 1917 , 700 Remington, and even the Nagant, the worn out Nagant i picked up for 40.00 is one of my favorite shooters..
as for safety??you can blow any of them up, and not even have to try hard....its how they handle a failure.. apples and oranges if you ask me..