1917 will NOT be making it to Butner

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I've been hitting the range this week getting everything dusted off / sighted in for Butner.

My 1917 just wasn't shooting the way I remembered it did last year. First I thought it was me. Larger groups than normal were sitting in the 8 ring at 9 oclock. I didn't have my front sight tool with me so I planned on returning with it. I also thought I may have been putting my head in a different spot. More dry fire in my basement and hit the range with my front sight tool today. I would move the front sight, get them where I wanted them and then the next few shots would be back over again.. Well, I figured out why about 20 rounds in.


View: https://i.imgur.com/TpNBGvw.jpg


I can un-spin the barrel by hand. Doh! I have a loaner 1917 lined up to shoot in Butner.
 
jesus jumped up christ! i think i would have had a 'moment' when I realized that if it were my rifle.

can you take it to Butner and have CMP tighten the barrel for you?

assuming you headspaced it when you got it and everything checked out?
 
Yeah - slightly scary once I found this out. Just took the rifle apart and it turns out I can't unspin the barrel by hand completely, but I can move it about 10 degrees towards loose. Unfortunately I have a receiver wrench for an M1 and 1903, but no 1917.
 
Late to the party on this one... a couple of things:

- you likely cannot turn off by hand because you have the bolt closed and the extractor is stopping rotation.

- if the barrel was properly indexed and came loose from torque on the sight tool, the barrel is most likely lacking the proper draw. If that is the case you’ll either need a new barrel or to have the shoulder set back slightly less than one turn (one turn is 0.100”). If the barrel is lacking proper draw and you just tighten it to the marks it will come lose again.
 
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Late to the party on this one... a couple of things:

- you likely cannot turn off by hand because you have the bolt closed and the extractor is stopping rotation.

- if the barrel was properly indexed and came loose from torque on the sight tool, the barrel is most likely lacking the proper draw. If that is the case you’ll either need a new barrel or to have the shoulder set back slightly less than one turn (one turn is 0.100”). If the barrel is lacking proper draw and you just tighten it to the marks it will come lose again.

So he could use the same barrel, but would need to take a little off the top to re-time correctly. Would need to be re-chambered, correct? Not hard to do for someone with the tools and skills.
 
Yes, I quickly realized that once the bolt was out the barrel would un spin by hand. My WAG is the old smith took a little off the shoulder to make the rifle time properly. Unsure if I can peen the shoulder. For peace of mind, I will likely buy a new barrel ($199). Franco will install it. I believe I am out of town for the next Vintage match at OSCA, so I have some time to sort this out.
 
....and when I hand spin it on the receiver, there is still an appropriate amount of room left between the index marks for the final torque.
 
Glad to hear you're ready to be back on track! I took out my Winnie today and it shot amazing...2-5 shot groups and both had 3 shots in the 10 ring and the first target had 2X, and the second had two shots sharing one elongated hole!

54931434108__B2A2ECF1-725F-483B-987C-74EAE5A51FDC.JPG 54931526761__EC803F5E-3B9F-46F8-87C3-83294BAAA805.JPG

Keep in mind, these are with my 'Garand Loads' as well, so I haven't even seen what she likes yet. Who knows, maybe this is it for accuracy, but I'll still take it. Shoots better than me :D

What great rifles...and to think I barely knew what they were until dw bought his last year (and then I just HAD to have one...lol).

Definitely going to be looking into your JB weld job for the rear sight aperture though...damn thing is like looking through a hula hoop. On my M16a4 at boot camp, there were certain courses of fire they told us to use the larger aperture...not me...no way jose...couldn't do it.

So what's Franco's lead time like?
 
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Glad to hear you're ready to be back on track! I took out my Winnie today and it shot amazing...2-5 shot groups and both had 3 shots in the 10 ring and the first target had 2X, and the second had two shots sharing one elongated hole!

What great rifles...and to think I barely knew what they were until dw bought his last year (and then I just HAD to have one...lol).

Definitely going to be looking into your JB weld job for the rear sight aperture though...damn thing is like looking through a hula hoop. On my M16a4 at boot camp, there were certain courses of fire they told us to use the larger aperture...not me...no way jose...couldn't do it.

So what's Franco's lead time like?
Franco gets things done pretty quick.
 
My wrench set looks exactly like that, but it was made by a guy on a CMP forums. It's really nice, has the correct barrel bushings too. I saw the Brownells link earlier I've been wondering if the 1917 head would line up to my tool...
 
My wrench set looks exactly like that, but it was made by a guy on a CMP forums. It's really nice, has the correct barrel bushings too. I saw the Brownells link earlier I've been wondering if the 1917 head would line up to my tool...
brownells tech line is awesome im sure you can call and do some measuring and comparing. heck you could just order it and return it if it does not fit. brownells is great on that stuff. i would call first.
 
My 1917 is ready! Franco filled in the rear aperture for me too, one less thing I have to do.
 
80 shot XTC (Weds) ; EIC (Thurs); then 4x GSMV Sat/Sun (Garand, Bula M14, 1903A3 and of course the '17)

There is a 4 man team 80 shot XTC the morning of the EIC match, but I am unsure if I want to shoot 2 matches in a row.
 
80 shot XTC (Weds) ; EIC (Thurs); then 4x GSMV Sat/Sun (Garand, Bula M14, 1903A3 and of course the '17)

There is a 4 man team 80 shot XTC the morning of the EIC match, but I am unsure if I want to shoot 2 matches in a row.

Busy match for you too. Ready for Chinese buffet, lol?

SAFS, EIC, 4 GSMM, and maybe one more if I shoot Garand Unlimited.
 
Got the rifle back today.... Going to hit the range tomorrow with it. It's been so long - which end do I point downrange again?
 
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