Ithaca Gunner
06-06-2016, 12:45 PM
With much sadness I separated the original barrel from my M-1 Rifle yesterday. It had been on that rifle since early 1943 and gave good service until a few years ago when she started turning in 3" groups at 50yds with my favorite cast boolit load. I had the new Criterion G.I. contour barrel, pull through reamer, receiver wrench, and barrel blocks for my Brownell's barrel vice for a few years, but hated the thought of using them on my pet M-1.
Well, last week I made a "timing" gauge set out of 3/8 drill rod and decided this week-end would be the operation on my dear friend. I stripped it down to bare receiver and barrel, discovered some fine sand mixed with the cosmoline hiding under the rear sight base and wondered, "What beach did that come from?" An early just over one million sr. number could be a great many beaches, possibly multiple beaches. The original barrel turned right off with little force using a 3' pipe on the wrench. After examining it the thought went through my mind, "It's not that bad..." (yeah it is, the throat gauges over 8, almost a 9 with thin rifling present).
After chucking the new barrel up in the blocks and tightening the receiver I removed the front sight from the gas cylinder assy. and mounted it on the barrel, leveled the entire thing and put my high tech timing gauge to work passing one drill rod through the rear sight hole and leveling the other against the front sight dovetail. Getting down on my knees looking down the works I could see the rods were anything but parallel, the receiver needing a few degrees more turn on the barrel. A few more tiny turns on the receiver wrench and by-golly, it timed!
Time for reaming. I had to weld a "T" handle on the pull through reamer rod, but no biggie. Strip the bolt down to just the body, insert in the receiver, place the reamer in the chamber, thread on the rod on, apply a generous amount of cutting oil and I was ready to finish the chamber. Thumb pressure on the bolt following the reamer is all that's needed, (keep a close eye on that right side locking lug!) and soon the right lug dropped fully into place. Disconnect the reamer and pull it out, clean any chips from the chamber and head-space...Perfect!
On reassembly and zero sights I found my "high tech" timing gauge had worked very well! Brownell's wants over $75.00 for a timing gauge. It can be done with 2-3/8" drill rods, each 24" long and a small level for a whole lot less, (in my case the drill rod was even free). The front sight post stands perfectly straight in the rear appeture.
Now for some range time. I expect the 50 or so c.b. rounds I have loaded may shoot less than stellar since they're over size to compensate for the worn 1943 barrel, but I expect much better targets in the future.
Well, last week I made a "timing" gauge set out of 3/8 drill rod and decided this week-end would be the operation on my dear friend. I stripped it down to bare receiver and barrel, discovered some fine sand mixed with the cosmoline hiding under the rear sight base and wondered, "What beach did that come from?" An early just over one million sr. number could be a great many beaches, possibly multiple beaches. The original barrel turned right off with little force using a 3' pipe on the wrench. After examining it the thought went through my mind, "It's not that bad..." (yeah it is, the throat gauges over 8, almost a 9 with thin rifling present).
After chucking the new barrel up in the blocks and tightening the receiver I removed the front sight from the gas cylinder assy. and mounted it on the barrel, leveled the entire thing and put my high tech timing gauge to work passing one drill rod through the rear sight hole and leveling the other against the front sight dovetail. Getting down on my knees looking down the works I could see the rods were anything but parallel, the receiver needing a few degrees more turn on the barrel. A few more tiny turns on the receiver wrench and by-golly, it timed!
Time for reaming. I had to weld a "T" handle on the pull through reamer rod, but no biggie. Strip the bolt down to just the body, insert in the receiver, place the reamer in the chamber, thread on the rod on, apply a generous amount of cutting oil and I was ready to finish the chamber. Thumb pressure on the bolt following the reamer is all that's needed, (keep a close eye on that right side locking lug!) and soon the right lug dropped fully into place. Disconnect the reamer and pull it out, clean any chips from the chamber and head-space...Perfect!
On reassembly and zero sights I found my "high tech" timing gauge had worked very well! Brownell's wants over $75.00 for a timing gauge. It can be done with 2-3/8" drill rods, each 24" long and a small level for a whole lot less, (in my case the drill rod was even free). The front sight post stands perfectly straight in the rear appeture.
Now for some range time. I expect the 50 or so c.b. rounds I have loaded may shoot less than stellar since they're over size to compensate for the worn 1943 barrel, but I expect much better targets in the future.