Vertical stringing, hand guards?

[onlycrimson]

Hello guys. My m1 strings vertically pretty bad, like 6-7 inch line of shots. I believe it to be the hand guards which have no space at the receiver or forfend for the piece of paper trick. They are tight. How do I remove the hand guards, does the sight base have to come off? I was thinking I could just shave a tiny amount off of them with a radial arm saw, like the tiniest bit and keep testing the fit along the way. Please advise, thank you.

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.

[browningautorifle]

If you have a slight movement in the front hanguard it's enough. There's other things that can be looked at. Don't be takin' the chop saw to the woodwork...Yes the gas cylinder comes off to remove the front or upper handguard. If you have to remove any material just use the finest of removal with some sandpaper or a file. Be careful. If you remove half the thickness of a dime, it could be too much.

[onlycrimson]

Absolutely no movement. I will be gentle with sandpaper. Any other thoughts on why it would string like this?

[Patrick Chadwick]

I was thinking I could just shave a tiny amount off of them with a radial arm saw, like the tiniest bit and keep testing the fit along the way. Please advise, thank you.

If the barrel channel is tight, you could buy yourself a channel router. Or just make a "Patrick's Patent Channel Router" from a Stanley Surform round blade and a piece of wood about 3/16" thick, like this:

Attachment 34178

It is ideal for smoothing down a rough channel or shaving off high/tight spots, and produces a very fine finish. But a saw? Please not!

BTW, the object in the background is a Buffet-Crampon orchestral Bb clarinet. Not a student model. An A clarinet for refurbishment is hiding behind it. The wood slice is actually a piece of mature maple from which a blank was cut for a replacement key for a Viennese fortepiano. So you will understand why I cringe when I read of people doing terrible things like sticking their rifle stocks in the washing machine to clean them, or applying caustic soda and sandpaper. That is cruel and unusual punishment of a piece of precision-cut wood. But maybe some people like their barrel channels warped, quien sabe?


Patrick

[Patrick Chadwick]

Any other thoughts on why it would string like this?

Simple: wood will warp, ever so slightly, if it is heated on one side. As it cools, it will (hopefully) return to its initial position. So if the barrel channel is touching the barrel anywhere, this touch can change to become a heavier pressure - or a lighter, or even no pressure - depending on the cut of the wood. So the barrel is bent, just a teensy weensy bit, but enough to cause stringing as the temperature changes, and with it the pressure of the wood on the barrel. The most consistent behaviour is almost always achieved when there is no contact between the barrel and the channel. Some rifles (Lee Enfields come to mind) may perform better with a defined upward pressure at the muzzle end or even at some point along the barrel, but this tends to be a black art. And side contact is to be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, in my experience, no rifle likes contact with the handguards.

From theory to practice: Patrick's Patent Channel Router has been used on several occasions, most recently on a 30M1 carbine where the channel was pointing North by North-West when the barrel was pointing due North. And was stringing. Discreet use of the router cured the problem and was rather cheaper (and more satisfying) than buying a replacement stock (which could have been just as bad).


Patrick

[Bob Seijas]

I don't mean to be a smart alec, but you're controlling your breathing, right?

[browningautorifle]

My first thought was breathing, but most people seem to discount that. For some reason. Like that can't be it, it must be mechanical. So, I quit trying to coach.

[onlycrimson]

Breathing is "controlled." I don't seem to have this issue with any of my other rifles.

[HILLBILLY-06]

Breathing is "controlled." I don't seem to have this issue with any of my other rifles.

Do you shoot from a rest, or do you utalize a sling in "any" shooting position, such as sitting, prone or standing?
1) if you shoot from a rest, do you have to adjust back into position for each shot?
2) if you use a sling, have you tried to let the sling out a notch, or tighten it a notch, to adjust your shot group?
3) I only recomend this out of curiosity... if you use standing offhand, "try this" (Add 2 minutes elevation) to start out, next, when you hold on target at 100 yrds reduced SR-1, or you 200 yrd target at distance, "Place your target circle" in the upper most prtion of your sight picture, resting it snug in the upper most portion, touching the top of your sight picture. Yes, there will be a huge gap between your front sight post and the target, well below the six oclock hold. "But" with the added two minutes of elevation to start out, this will factor into your cone of margin. You should, even while standing off hand at that distance, see a more consistant shot group. It may be a bit low, or high, but you should see a difference in your placement on target all together. You will also be able to better control the break of your bullet, using this technique only as a guide, not as gospel, but just a method of understanding your "string" so to speak. It may also help when shooting the Garand in offhand standing, to hold your elbo up over your shoulder, if you don't use a shooting coat, etc. This is just my advice, something worth trying.... and I am only suggesting it to see if you can have a different angle of approach, next time your at the range. you can practice this method at home too, with dry fire device... and a small black dot on the wall about 25 feet away... thought you might give this a try.... I hope it helps.... HILLBILLY-06.

[vintage hunter]

Howdy HILLBILLY, good to have you back. How's your Dad?

Theres a thread here somewhere on accurizing the M-1. I believe it
s entitled how to make an M-1 shoot better or something like that started by no4mk1t. I would be worth the effort to ferret it out and read through it. Lots of good info in it that may help you sort out any problems with the rifle itself.