M1903: Round Will Not Chamber

[paratrpr]

Newly acquired high serial RI M1903, HXP 30'06 from CMP will not chamber easily... bolt does not want to close all the way... even dented case while trying to close bolt all the way... is this a problem with head spacing? If not what am I dealing with? Difficult fix? How much? Thanks.

Information

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[five 0]

HXP was known to stick in the chambers of 1903's with tight chambers at Camp Perry in the past. Try another brand of ammo if it still will not chamber then contact CMP for it to be returned.

[paratrpr]

Thanks, picked the gun up at a show... took it to a local shop, tried another 30'06 brand with same result, everyone puzzled... taking it to a smith tomorrow

[Parashooter]

Although you haven't provided sufficient information to diagnose your problem with any certainty, it's most likely you have something stuck in the chamber (dirt, rust, broken case) or that the rifle was fitted with a new barrel that has not yet been finish-reamed.

[paratrpr]

thanks for the response Airborne... just spoke to the guy who sold it to me, he's surprised I'm having problems and is willing to refund if a smith can't rectify... claims he had rifle for twenty years, had it head spaced when he first got it, claims he chambered "dummy" rounds (what ever that means)... as I might have mentioned, barrel is new USMC 42 Sedgley, muzzle gauges at 0, chamber is clear.... if it is unfinished barrel, guess I'll return it... shame, beautiful rifle otherwise... I'll have a better idea tomorrow... how could a re-arsenal have an unfinished barrel? wouldn't they proofed it? maybe it wasn't USGI overhauled? Thanks, by the way; what unit Parashooter?

[NuJudge]

Can I suggest you try LC69? With it you can't hit the side of a barn from inside the barn, but it cycles beautifully.

CDD

[Parashooter]

Short-chambered is a possibility with a replacement barrel. Usually a few turns with a finish reamer does the trick.

. . . by the way; what unit Parashooter?

A Company (Abn/Mech), 12th Engineer Bn. - a small unit in cold-war Germany, supporting the 1st Brigade, 8th Infantry Division.

[Jim K]

Whether you have it fixed or return the rifle is up to you, but if the barrel is short chambered, the condition can be corrected very easily.

New barrels are made with short chambers, so the headspace can be set with a reamer after they are installed. That allows for differences among bolts as well as for some wear. If there is nothing else wrong (something stuck in the chamber), ask your gunsmith to check the headspace and finish ream the chamber as necessary. It is a simple job and something gunsmiths do every time they install a barrel.

A dummy cartridge is one with a bullet but no powder or primer and usually some distinguishing feature (like grooves in the case) to prevent it being mistaken for a live round. The army uses them for testing actions. A dummy should be the same dimensions as a live round so I am not sure how a dummy could fit and not a live round.

Jim

[Lancebear]

Hey Para,

Had the same problem recently. Single round would not feed. Full mag would feed the first four perfectly and jam just like yours on the fifth round. Do you have a stamped trigger guard? Have you tried to chamber a round with a full mag? My problem was that the inletting for the trigger guard was too tight and bent the mag in slightly and thus the rifle jammed on the fifth round. Replaced the trigger guard with a milled one and the problem went away.

If you have a milled trigger guard you might try replacing the mag spring before you go to a gunsmith. Also, if you have a milled tg, take the floorplate, mag spring and follower out. Check to see that your trigger guard snugs up properly with the stock. Remove the trigger guard and see how tightly it fits. You might have to sand the inletting for the magazine if the fit is too tight. Bet that Chuck will tell you to get a new mag spring first.
He knows his junk. I got one or two like new springs from Popperts. Shipped fast.

One more thing, pull your trigger guard and check to see that the bushing in the stock for the rear tg screw is not protruding too far above the wood. Chuck recommends grinding an eigth off the bushing. You can do it with a dremel tool with a cylindrical stone.

Chuck in Denver, Emri or any of the other smithing gurus might have some other ideas.

If you are good with tools you should try to fix it yourself. Not good with that idea, go to a gunsmith. Don't want you to mess up a nice rifle.

Good luck,

Lancebear

[paratrpr]

Jim K and Para, thanks for the info and quick response...Short chambering, roger that, I'll pass that on to the smith tomorrow... still not clear as to why they wouldn't have caught that when the weapon went through re-arsenal in '42. Is it possible the re-arsenal job was not USGI... done years later to make the rifle seem to be a Marine build-up?

So basically the chamber is not deep enough to accommodate the round? Will the reaming compromise the integrity of the barrel?

Para... I was an engineer as well, 27th, airborne battalion in a leg brigade, 18th Abn Corp, now the entire brigade is airborne... company B, only Rough/Austere Terrain jump unit in the army... like smoke jumpers