Just got RA 03A3, barrel dated 3/43.

[jjrothWA]

Looked down the bore and very dark BUT its a four-groove.

Now, under long-term barrel soaking with fresh Hoppes, after six hour with send a FRESH bore brush down bore and see what develops.

Took some photos before the soaking, will post later.

Did the same with a 17 Enfield and that took five days.

Sporterized MIL Stock has a "R" stamped on the flat surface under the front ring, nothing else.

No rebuild stamp after WWII.

[Allen]

Interesting. Please keep us posted.

[Johnny P]

For badly corroded bores a soaking in Kroil will help loosen any rust, and they make mild steel bore brushes for just such bores. If the bore is pitted you can't do anything to help this, but jacketed bullets will sometimes shoot amazingly well in cark bores.

Any rebuild mark would have been in the wood.

[jjrothWA]

Weeeell, after 24 hours soaking, pored the clear GREEN liquid thru a funnel and coffee filter.

Ran the new bore brush twenty stroke both was, as got a more defined rifling to start showing up.

Did drop a M2 bullet in the muzzle and the distance between the cannalure crimp and the muzzle, measured as 1/8". May consider counter-boring to hit better rifling.

Black gunk came out with he brush and bore rod, may have to coat the interior with turpentine to remove the rust, may try a SS spiral wrapped brush for that effort.

SN: 34932XX. Barrel date: 3/43

photos are before soaking / cleaning.



Next five are stock one new and sporterized.

- - - Updated - - -

More photos.

[jjrothWA]

Last three of five.

[Johnny P]

The "sporterized" stock appears to be a 1922 Springfield stock. Cut for Lyman 48 receiver sight, and no lightening cuts in forearm.

[JimF]

The "sporterized" stock appears to be a 1922 Springfield stock. Cut for Lyman 48 receiver sight, and no lightening cuts in forearm.

Yes . . . . .This ^^^^^^^

The clincher is, the angled mill-cut in the front wall of the magazine mortice and there is NO mill-cut in the wood for the magazine cut-off ?switch? of the M1903.

[jaie5070]

Have you tried hot soapy water, for cleaning the bore? It works great if the fouling is from shooting black powder blanks.

[togor]

If I may ask, what is the goal? Raise that barrel from the dead?

[Johnny P]

If a rifle has fired blanks you only have a short window to get it out before the blackpowder residue starts attracting moisture and rusting the bore.

[togor]

If a rifle has fired blanks you only have a short window to get it out before the blackpowder residue starts attracting moisture and rusting the bore.

IIRC military blanks are a small charge of fast burning smokeless propellant.

I do recall owning some starter pistol blanks which were black powder based. The smoke being a virtue in that case because it gives a visual indication. And yes 100% true about cleaning.

[Johnny P]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023546315

[togor]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023546315

Perfect for a "starter shotgun" LOL

[lyman]

google best foaming bore cleaner, and buy one,

put the muzzle in a small can, like a tuna can or a catfood can

load the bore up with foam

let set a couple days,
repeat
just using a regular brush, nylon, or brass, or bronze, give it 10 or 20 strokes, and load up a few patches with hoppes or similar,

Diesel or kero work too,

once you feel it is clean, take a peak, and if needed repeat,


I bought a handful of 1917's from an estate, all but one came clean after about 2 weeks of soaking

I bought 4 of the top 5 foaming bore cleaners, and they all worked well,
skip Birchwood Casey, it is like snot going in , and snot coming out,

or you can plug one end, fill it with kero, or kroil, and let it set a good bit and flush and scrub


all were CMP sales, and ex VFW guns,

[jjrothWA]

Did the same from a 17 Enfield , ended up with a good shooter for the early "vintage matches" from the DCM.

Current bore photos:





I will re-assemble and head to range to and fire 10 - 20 reloads and hit the bore with fresh Hoppe's and see what develops.

If the bore clean up and give decent group, then will consider some "Tubbs" fire-lapping bullets.

End result may need to find a WWII barrel still in the wrapper.

[Allen]

If the bore clean up and give decent group, then will consider some "Tubbs" fire-lapping bullets.

End result may need to find a WWII barrel still in the wrapper.

There's several on ebay and couple on GB but mostly 2 grove. Haven't looked at Gun Parts Corp or Sarco. However, yours is cleaning up nicely compared to earlier photo's. Hopefully it will group well enough for you.

[jjrothWA]

Re-assembled the rifle to the original stock.

Took the Forster headspace gauges; "GO" closed and the "No Go" stopped as the bolt handle root rotated even with the top surface of the bottom receiver edge.

Would anyone have the torque specs for tightening the receiver screws?

Thanks.

[Johnny P]

Speaking of torque specs. Several years back a "Wanna Be" law officer from a small town brought in one of the Remington PSS rifles to the local gunsmith with a broken guard screw, and the other screw buggered all to hell. He couldn't get the action torqued to specs, ending up as described. Seems he was using a mechanics torque wrench set to 60 ft. lbs. rather than 60 inch pounds.

You might try starting at 20 inch pounds and working up to no more than 40 for the wood stock. You might find that a combination like 30 in rear and 20 for front works.

[lyman]

torque specs were simple,

tight, then a bit of a umpf,

you can play around with a torque wrench to see which may give you better accuracy or to be consistent, but I don't think any of the original armorers had a torque wrench,

[Johnny P]

Rest your chin on the screwdriver and turn the guard screw until it squeeks?

jj did ask about torque specs.

[JimF]

. . . . . .You might try starting at 20 inch pounds and working up to no more than 40 for the wood stock. You might find that a combination like 30 in rear and 20 for front works.

Been my experience just the opposite . . . .
Tighten the FRONT screw as tight as I can . . . Using ONLY a large, correctly fitted screwdriver BY MY HAND ONLY! (no extra wrenches or any other tools applied to the driver shank.)
Tighten the rear with much less force, but enough to get me through a match or session at the range.

With Mausers with the thumb cut in the left wall, one can bend the receiver with too much pressure on the rear screw, so perfect bedding against the stock is imperative!

[lyman]

Rest your chin on the screwdriver and turn the guard screw until it squeeks?

jj did ask about torque specs.

I know he asked, but I never saw a spec sheet giving one,

Dad worked on 1903's for the .gov in the 60's and 70's,
by then they were basically only in the Military Academy's and a few High Schools had a locker full of them (and Garands, and 22's) ,

I have never seen anyone in the .gov, from user, to armorer to next step above that, ever use a torque wrench,


don't recall Brophy mentioning one either,


would be curious to know if there was one out there, (torque spec)

[Johnny P]

I know he asked, but I never saw a spec sheet giving one,

Dad worked on 1903's for the .gov in the 60's and 70's,
by then they were basically only in the Military Academy's and a few High Schools had a locker full of them (and Garands, and 22's) ,

I have never seen anyone in the .gov, from user, to armorer to next step above that, ever use a torque wrench,


don't recall Brophy mentioning one either,


would be curious to know if there was one out there, (torque spec)

The military was only interested in keepng the rifle firing, not seeking how accurate they could make it. Read up on the National Match rifles.

[jjrothWA]

Just a heads up!

Loaded 20 rounds of LC69 cases and 39 gr W748over a CCI200 primer and long-loaded a 150gr FMJ-BT bullet, [against the leade].

This was suggested by the Sierra Techs for a round that lap / burnish the bore,
will shoot at 100 yards to get an idea of the change in grouping from the beginning to end.

Then hit the still warm bore with some patches soaked with old "shooter's choice", bore cleaner.

With post photos. Just need to get the weather to get better.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

Years ago, one of the gun mags had an article on barrel torque. Can't remember who did the work, but it was probably PO Ackley. The best accuracy was achieved with a barrel torque of 70 ft-lbs. The receiver screws were also torqued, but I don't recall the value. I started torquing all my barrels to 70 ft-lbs. I never had a problem with accuracy with any rifle so torqued. You will need an open-end wrench that fits the receiver across the flat and bridge, and an old socket that fits your torque wrench. Cut both and weld them together to make a compact unit that fits the torque wrench and the receiver. Put the barrel in a barrel vise, oil the threads on both barrel and receiver, screw the receiver on hand tight, and torque to 70 ft-lbs. I do remember that test accuracy decreased with additional torque.

Does it work? Darned if I know, but I have no complaints.

[jjrothWA]

When did the RA 2-groove barrel were accepted.

Have some RA barrels in auctions, so I need to know the barrel date to reference.
Thanks.

Finally, getting to range for barrel shooting.