Lithgow stock finish...

[mhb]

I did say it is a Jovino gun, but neglected to state that it is apparently one of those built-up from spares. The receiver is dated 1943, while the stock parts are 1942. The serial number is 771A, which is one of the series applied by Jovino, as I understand it.
It looks good, and shoots so well, that it is an irritant to have excessive headspace. I bought the rifle as a shooter, and would much prefer to have its mechanical aspects up to spec., and avoid the need to resort to dodges to save the brass for reloading.
It appears possible to correct the problem with new parts, and I'm going to try that.

mhb - Mike

[JB White]

Mike, the A suffix sums it up as would a prefix of G or higher. It's a spare parts rifle so no harm is being done. Have at it!

Keep in mind the chamber itself is oversized. Even though the headspace can be reduced to help save the web area, thin and undersized commercial brass is still going to stretch quite a bit.

[mhb]

Thanks, again!
FWIW, I have shot it with my customary mild load, and bulging was not very noticeable - no worse than in my #4, which was FTR'd in 1948.
I'm gonna keep after this thing until it's as 'right' as I can make it.

mhb - MIke

[bigedp51]

Don't get hung up on finding and buying O-rings if you don't have a supply on hand. There are plenty of other ways to do the job, some of which are very low-cost like this old fishing line.


(Ed, it's still not "weedwhacker" cord.)

You forget Parashooter in your first headspace 101 you told the readers to lube their cases to fire form them. I told everyone that lubing cases increased bolt thrust and should not lube their cases.
You didn't change your headspace 101 to weed wacker/fishing line until I posted this from the 1929 British Textbook of small arms.



And rubber o-rings are used for two reasons.
1. They hold the case against the boltface to prevent the case from stretching.
2. When the rubber o-ring is compressed it centers the rear of the case in the chamber. Meaning the case does not just lay in the bottom of the chamber and warp when fired.

Your thick weed wacker/fishing line does not compress and center the case like a rubber o-ring would and being harder increases lug wear. The rubber o-ring trick has been around for a very long time and works. And your weed wacker/fishing line idea died at birth and wasn't a good idea, and you just used it because I promoted the rubber o-ring method and you wanted to be different. And the problem is your idea never caught on and your the only one in the world who uses weed wacker/fishing line.

Signed
bigedp51 the non case greaser

Below is from the H.P. White Testing Laboratory and why you should never lube your cartridge cases that greatly increases bolt thrust.

"1.4 Failure of a gun assembly from internal pressure may be from either
of two (2) failure mechanisms.

1.4.1 The general perception is that those failures are the result
of a single exposure to a CATASTROPHIC PRESSURE level. This
may be an over simplification in that the strength of the
assembly may have been degraded by previous repeated exposures
to excessive, but lesser, levels of pressure whose cumulative
effect is to reduce the ultimate strength of the assembly.

1.4.2 Repeated exposure to pressures which exceed the elastic limit
of a material will continually reduce the ultimate strength of
the material until the ultimate strength is exceeded by a
relatively low pressure level causing fatigue failure."

[p246]

Thanks bidedp51 for the info.

[JB White]

Mike, since now we know it's a Jovino tool room rifle...
Have you looked to see if the recoil plates have been retrofitted to the draw areas of the forend? Coachwood was prone to failing over time, so it shouldn't be bedded to the draws like walnut or beech etc.
It's another topic but one I figured I should mention before you begin shooting it seriously. The guys over on the other board have lots of pics to give you a good look at what is needed

[mhb]

Mike, since now we know it's a Jovino tool room rifle...
Have you looked to see if the recoil plates have been retrofitted to the draw areas of the forend? Coachwood was prone to failing over time, so it shouldn't be bedded to the draws like walnut or beech etc.
It's another topic but one I figured I should mention before you begin shooting it seriously. The guys over on the other board have lots of pics to give you a good look at what is needed

I have checked the draws - the copper plates were never fitted to this Coachwood forearm, which is new. The bearing at the draws is as good as it should be, and the rifle shoots into 1 1/2 MOA as it is now. I am aware that Coachwood is not as durable as some other stock woods, but, since I don't plan to shoot the rifle a great deal, I'm going to leave it as-is for now, and watch it for signs of deformation/displacement at the draws. If it becomes a problem, I'll deal with it at that time.
Appreciate the heads-up.

mhb - MIke

[mhb]

I was able to obtain a bolt head of the length I wanted - headspace is now reduced to .065" or just an RCH (q.v.) over, and will not close on .066". It still shoots as well as at first, but I'm happier about it now.DSC00620.jpgDSC00625.jpg


mhb - Mike