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?

[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.

[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

[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

[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

[paratrpr]

Lance, no rounds feed at all, if I single feed and push the round into the chamber with my finger, it only goes so far and then gets stuck, have to back it out with a cleaning rod... tried a 30'06 snap-cap (practice round) it gets stuck as well and will not seat entirely... basically round slides into chamber only so far but won't go that extra 1/8th of an inch for the round to seat and bolt to close... one other detail, I did force one round all the way in and closed the bolt, touch extracting and the round came out with a dent just at the point where the case narrows...