RC20
10-31-2015, 04:26
I bought this one as I thought it would be interesting one to own a WWII re-barrel.
I also target shoot and was interested in what I could do with it. TE and MW are good (under 1 on MW and 1 even on TE (note I am using the Steve Mathews gauge which is good for MW but not "calibrated" for TE though he says its close, he just never got enough examples to get an offset to use for the different setup on the 1917 - and as its just an indicator it works fine for that purpose)
It took some working with the 1917s in general to get them to shoot decently. I reload so was able to find tune it, it did not work on what I call the EJA (Eddystone Receiver with JA barrel)
The characteristic key seems to be how the groves start. My brother researched it can came up with the fact that the 1917s are pretty square and the 1903s are a lot more tapered. I forget who confirmed the JA barrels were cut to 1903 standards which makes sense, basically its a 1917 barrel done on 1903 barrel making equipment and that's what they made most of them for.
My regular 1917s seat shorter than the 1903s.
Upshot (pun intended) I finally asked and found out that the chamber setup was a 1903 type and not a 1917. I did some checks to see where the lands were and indeed they were further out for bullet contact than the 1917s.
Still only so until I thought to try 4831 powder in it. That has been the good go to powder on the 1903s and the EJA liked the custom length of the load and the powder combo.
I can no longer see iron sights real good, but I can shoot the 1917s with some degree of success (light conditions make a difference) out to 60 yds normally - also note I filled in the ladder peep to smaller size which helped a lot, another item my brother taught me.
Yesterday I had a target setup at 82 yds, put one of the 3 inch black roundels on white paper and could see so so. I was able to get 8 our of 9 shots on the 3 inch roundel (with one cluster of 6 at 1 1/4 inches. I was pretty happy with that, overcast, snowing a bit and some wind (though I was in a covered bench with overhead heaters)
I had another target setup at 50 yds and got 5 in a half inch group on that one.
Bullet choice has been interesting, I try to shoot the least expensive bullet that are accurate. In this case it like the Hornady 180 sp flat based bullet.
I have a 1903 Sporter with a SC 6 grove barrel that really does not like them at all.
I also target shoot and was interested in what I could do with it. TE and MW are good (under 1 on MW and 1 even on TE (note I am using the Steve Mathews gauge which is good for MW but not "calibrated" for TE though he says its close, he just never got enough examples to get an offset to use for the different setup on the 1917 - and as its just an indicator it works fine for that purpose)
It took some working with the 1917s in general to get them to shoot decently. I reload so was able to find tune it, it did not work on what I call the EJA (Eddystone Receiver with JA barrel)
The characteristic key seems to be how the groves start. My brother researched it can came up with the fact that the 1917s are pretty square and the 1903s are a lot more tapered. I forget who confirmed the JA barrels were cut to 1903 standards which makes sense, basically its a 1917 barrel done on 1903 barrel making equipment and that's what they made most of them for.
My regular 1917s seat shorter than the 1903s.
Upshot (pun intended) I finally asked and found out that the chamber setup was a 1903 type and not a 1917. I did some checks to see where the lands were and indeed they were further out for bullet contact than the 1917s.
Still only so until I thought to try 4831 powder in it. That has been the good go to powder on the 1903s and the EJA liked the custom length of the load and the powder combo.
I can no longer see iron sights real good, but I can shoot the 1917s with some degree of success (light conditions make a difference) out to 60 yds normally - also note I filled in the ladder peep to smaller size which helped a lot, another item my brother taught me.
Yesterday I had a target setup at 82 yds, put one of the 3 inch black roundels on white paper and could see so so. I was able to get 8 our of 9 shots on the 3 inch roundel (with one cluster of 6 at 1 1/4 inches. I was pretty happy with that, overcast, snowing a bit and some wind (though I was in a covered bench with overhead heaters)
I had another target setup at 50 yds and got 5 in a half inch group on that one.
Bullet choice has been interesting, I try to shoot the least expensive bullet that are accurate. In this case it like the Hornady 180 sp flat based bullet.
I have a 1903 Sporter with a SC 6 grove barrel that really does not like them at all.