1903 barrel tension

[vintage hunter]

Does the 1903 Springfield NM supposed to have upward or downward pressure on the barrel at the stock tip? I asked several self proclaimed '03 ''experts'' this question at a gun show today and did'nt get two answers that were alike. Some said up, some said down an one said it should float. Who's right? Or does it vary from one rifle to the next?

Information

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[Jim Tarleton]

8 lbs of up pressure was SA's answer to accuracy. It works very well.

jt

[vintage hunter]

Thanks Jim. Do you have any recomendations on how I can accomplish this without butchering the stock? As it stands now the barrel floats, I would say there is less than .010'' for the barrel to move before it touches the band.

[Kirk]

The M1903 was designed for accuracy with a bedded receiver and free floated barrel but with firm contact at the tip. The guard screws must be kept tight as they are the key to locking the barreled receiver to the stock. The wood under the receiver tang is a critical fit area - it is critical in maintaining pressure on the barrel at the tip of the forearm. Over time, the wood often compresses when the rear guard screw is over tightened but recoil is also a factor.

Think of the front guard screw as a fulcrum and the barreled receiver as a lever. The front guard screw should be very tight while the rear guard screw is just firm. Tighten the front screw first, then the rear. This allows the “lever” to balance on the “fulcrum”. Over time, screw tension and recoil compresses the wood under the tang and the lever falls to the rear (tang) and rises on the front (muzzle end of the barrel), reducing forearm pressure on the barrel. As the tang sinks, the muzzle loses contact with the tip. Accuracy suffers. When properly assembled, the forearm tip should put 4-8 lbs upward pressure on the barrel; the rest of the barrel is free floating. The stock, hand guard and upper band do not contact the barrel except at the tip, under the upper band. With the upper band removed, you should be able to pull the wood away from the barrel with your fingers and see it snap back when you let go. If forearm pressure is weak or if the forearm stands clear of the barrel, pressure may be restored by shimming the area under the tang; it is not necessary to shim any part of the barrel. During its WWII rifle overhaul contracts, Remington developed and made a special D-shaped washer for this purpose. One or two of these washers were fitted during overhaul to bring pressure on the forearm tip back to spec. Original Remington washers are hard to find but substitutes can easily be made with a drill and file from any metal about .03" thick or from a washer. Drill a .25" hole for the guard screw to pass through and shape the metal to fit the tang recess in the stock. Use one or two washers depending on how compressed the wood is. The aim is to reestablish the 4-8 lbs of positive pressure on the forearm tip on the barrel.

The bad news is that CMP rules prohibit bedding of any sort, including shims under the tang, in a rifle used in a CMP match.

Attachment 25272

[Chuckindenver]

thats inch pounds....not foot pounds by the way..and can be adjusted with the rear tang bushing.

[browningautorifle]

Good to see you back Chuck.

[vintage hunter]

One more question.........after getting the 4-8 lbs up pressure should the band touch the barrel at any point?

[Kirk]

The upper band can not touch the barrel; the fore arm fills the bottom & the hand guard the top of the band.

[vintage hunter]

I got around to shimming the stock last night as Kirk instructed and found the time for a range test this afternoon. It was on the way back home that the meaning of Chuck's post really sunk in. So, I may have over did it a bit with the up pressure, It takes 4 lbs 2 oz. of lead shot in a bag suspended from a punch through the upper band cross bolt hole to seperate the stock from the barrel just enough for a dollar bill to be slid between the two. Too much up pressure? I'll wait till somebody tells me for sure whether i've done it right or wrong to let the cat out of the bag about the range results.

[firstflabn]

Torque is not the same as force.