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Have it rebarreled and call it a day. The problem is most certainly throat erosion. The CMP has new Criterion barrels for the 1917. I bought one at the Eastern Games for $190. They are beautifull.
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06-03-2009 12:41 PM
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(Deceased April 21, 2018)
Just a wqrning here. P14 and M1917 barrels were installed by machinery, not by someone with a barrel wrench. This makes them VERY TIGHT. The standard method of removing the barrel is to make a relief cut with a lathe just at the point the barrel joins the reciever. There have been cases of cracked recievers when someone removed the barrel without doing that.
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Originally Posted by
Harry
I had the same problem with my P-14, including keyholing at 25 metres. Had it re barrelled. It's now a nice shooter.
Know where I can find a new military-style barrel for a 1917?
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Advisory Panel
i would avoid any smith that would want to cut the shoulder to remove a barrel,
that should only be done as a last resort.
likely you wont find anyone in todays market that will work on a 17 anyway.
however.
i have yet to see a 1917 with a cracked reciever ring, and iv had some that are stupid tight.
took my 225 lb butt, and a 5 foot cheater pipe to get them loose, not a crack yet.
as soft as a 17 is, id doubt that a cracked one from being barreled has ever really happened.
im sure, you can find a cracked reciever, but from having the barrel removed? not likely.
from having one installed hard? maybe...i doubt it, but maybe.
i have seen, a 17 with a crack at the sight ears, and a crack just above the bolt latch.
both on the same rifle that had been in a fire.
it was cracked by me, and not from removing the barrel, from removing the rear sight, and the bolt latch..
didnt notice until i went to clean up the holes for the rear sight, and and redrill the spring screw, then the little scrack showed up when i set it in my mil vise.
iv seen some crazy stuff done with a 17 reciever, and they always keep on shooting, from hot magnum loads to under loaded super high pressure loads,
one was so hot it made the brass flow back into the bolt face, crack the extractor, and stick into the firing pin hole.
i know own that rifle, as the guy didnt trust it.
i rebarreled it , made it into a 338-06IMp. never have had any issue since.
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Just for reference, here is a photo of the pitting at the muzzle on my CMP Salvage grade Eddystone. It didn't like HXP or Lake City, so I tried 168 grain Matchkings seated long and it averages just a little over 2.5 MOA. Target shows a couple of 5-shot groups at 125 yards. I have tried the same thing with a couple other 1917s with rough bores and they shoot surprisingly well, all less than 3 MOA.
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Advisory Panel
thats a nice group, with a rough bore..
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I have the same problem with a VFW return (Winchester). However in my case, it's a badly eroded barrel. You can see the pits. They literally tear the bullet apart as it goes down the barrel. Nothing but keyholes at 25 yards. At 100 yards, I have no idea where the bullet has gone. Too bad those VFW guys were more concerned with knocking back a few after firing a salute, rather than spend 5 minutes cleaning the barrel.
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Advisory Panel
Coal Burner, try a long round-nose bullet, like the 180 gn Hornady or Sierra. The aim is quite simply to get the longest bearing surface you can.
Patrick
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Originally Posted by
Patrick Chadwick
Coal Burner, try a long round-nose bullet, like the 180 gn Hornady or Sierra. The aim is quite simply to get the longest bearing surface you can.
Patrick
Yup - that was my reason for moving up to the 168 grain, I just didn't have anything heavier at the time. My next step is to try some reduced loads with the Lyman 311284. They cast at about 205 to 210 with wheelweights, and they have a very long bearing surface. I also want to try a jacketed 180 gr round nose, and I may even pick up some of the Sierra 220 gr round nose to try.
My other two 1917s averaged about 3 MOA shooting 10-shot groups with my generic 150 gr handloads made for the Garand. So far I've only spent one day shooting them after the initial cleaning, really just shooting out the remaining traces of corrosion. I can't wait to get home in a couple of weeks and work up some loads, to see what they are really capable of.
Were these guns originally sighted with the bayonet fixed? All three of mine shoot about 8" above POA at 100 yds, with flat base bullets.
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Dan Wilson
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Problem with a muzzle wear gage is it will tell you absolutely nothing about concentricity of the bore at your muzzle.
The most reliable way would be to cerrosafe the muzzle end and mic it out BUT its probably going to end up with recrown and possible counterbore.
You may be able to do a recrown yourself if you have one that has a really good fitting arbor but a counterbore I would let someone with a lathe do.
Dan
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