Short chambered 1903A3

[John Beard]

I got four of the Greek returns before they were offered up at-large; there was a pre-sale for existing DCM/CMP customers (I've been a DCM customer since the mid-1960's.). Three of the four were short chambered: would not chamber a USGI cartridge and would not close on a GO gauge. I emailed CMP as a courtesy just to let them know and of course they wanted them back. I declined as I had already reamed the chambers to close on the GO gauge and all was well. FWIW, the one that had good headspace as-received was the only one that showed any evidence of use and I'm pretty sure had it's original barrel; the three that definitely had USGI replacement barrels were the ones short chambered. But you can't infer anything from my small sample.

Respectfully,
Bob S.

When I first started working at the CMP in the late 1990's, we only tested for long headspace. At that time, we were dealing mostly with U.S. military surplus rifles from the CMH. Complaints about short headspace were virtually non-existent.

When the Greek rifles arrived and started being sold, short headspace complaints came rolling in. Your experience was not unusual. As a result, we now test all M1903's for both short and long headspace. And we also gauge muzzle wear, throat erosion and grade the bore as "Good Bore" or "Dark Bore" and record the measurements and bore grade on the hanging tag. But the rifles are not sold by grade; it's still luck of the draw, or pick one out in the CMP store.

We have chamber reamers at the CMP. And I use them regularly to lengthen short headspace or clean out dirty chambers. Rifles that won't headspace or have badly corroded bores are broken down for parts and sold as stripped barreled receivers.

J.B.

[John L. Lucci]

When I first started working at the CMP in the late 1990's, we only tested for long headspace. At that time, we were dealing mostly with U.S. military surplus rifles from the CMH. Complaints about short headspace were virtually non-existent.

When the Greek rifles arrived and started being sold, short headspace complaints came rolling in. Your experience was not unusual. As a result, we now test all M1903's for both short and long headspace. And we also gauge muzzle wear, throat erosion and grade the bore as "Good Bore" or "Dark Bore" and record the measurements and bore grade on the hanging tag. But the rifles are not sold by grade; it's still luck of the draw, or pick one out in the CMP store.

We have chamber reamers at the CMP. And I use them regularly to lengthen short headspace or clean out dirty chambers. Rifles that won't headspace or have badly corroded bores are broken down for parts and sold as stripped barreled receivers.

J.B.

The bore on this thing is sharp and shiny and although the bullet test is a ballpark on MW it looks good 20150620_210055.jpg

[Punch the Clown]

It sounds like the rifle was never throated. A finish reamer also cuts the throat. I find it easier to use pull through reamers. Kind of almost foolproof.

[John L. Lucci]

It sounds like the rifle was never throated. A finish reamer also cuts the throat. I find it easier to use pull through reamers. Kind of almost foolproof.

Spoke with the 'smith and he told me the rifle has never been fired.. Barrel was brand new! He finished reamed it. I'll have it back Monday..

[emmagee1917]

I find it easier to use pull through reamers. Kind of almost foolproof.

Never underestimate the abilities or resourcefulness of a fool.
Chris

[oldtirediron]

Short chambered 1903 and 1903A3's!

I once worked on several 1903A3 rifles that were difficult to chamber a blank round! Also the bolts seem to be real sticky in those rifles! I found that all the rifles had had new barrels torqued on so tight that the barrel tension itself was warping the receiver--The qualification on a 1903 series rifle receiver should be that the rifle barrel be hand tight at the 11 o'clock position, every barrel had been installed without fitting or chamber reaming, after fitting the barrels, and finish reaming them all of the rifles worked fine and the sticky bolt problem, Really it was difficult to close the bolt on each rifle. I also had a late RIA 1903 rifle receiver with a hatcher hole, barrel was so over torqued that a crack was observed from the receiver face to the hatcher hole!

[John L. Lucci]

I once worked on several 1903A3 rifles that were difficult to chamber a blank round! Also the bolts seem to be real sticky in those rifles! I found that all the rifles had had new barrels torqued on so tight that the barrel tension itself was warping the receiver--The qualification on a 1903 series rifle receiver should be that the rifle barrel be hand tight at the 11 o'clock position, every barrel had been installed without fitting or chamber reaming, after fitting the barrels, and finish reaming them all of the rifles worked fine and the sticky bolt problem, Really it was difficult to close the bolt on each rifle. I also had a late RIA 1903 rifle receiver with a hatcher hole, barrel was so over torqued that a crack was observed from the receiver face to the hatcher hole!

In this case it was just a new barrel the receiver was fine.

[SgtSki]

My O3A3 would not close on '72 HXP from the DCM. It closes fine on 1960's vintage Lake City, 1943 EW, 1942 Denver & 1945 FA. Haven't tried any commercial ammo. But I took a HXP '72 that was fired from my M1917 Winchester with a JA 2 grove barrel, which loaded ok, did a full case resizing in a 30 06 die made up a dummy cartridge and it closed just fine. Is it the ammo the chamber or both? Is it safe to shoot just ammo that closes?

[John L. Lucci]

My O3A3 would not close on '72 HXP from the DCM. It closes fine on 1960's vintage Lake City, 1943 EW, 1942 Denver & 1945 FA. Haven't tried any commercial ammo. But I took a HXP '72 that was fired from my M1917 Winchester with a JA 2 grove barrel, which loaded ok, did a full case resizing in a 30 06 die made up a dummy cartridge and it closed just fine. Is it the ammo the chamber or both? Is it safe to shoot just ammo that closes?

Confirmed by the gunsmith that the chamber wasn't finished.