Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
Was not sure if I should continue an older thread or start a new one. Figured I'd start a new one. For anyone who read previous posts regarding my 1903 Springfield and unexplained flyers at various yardages, including 100 yds., I have gotten to the bottom of the problem.
Yesterday, I made a new bulb (obsolete) for my old cystoscope (borescope) and took a good hard look down the bore. To recap, I have slugged my bore twice. Groove diameter is 0.311 and bore is 0.303. Yes, oversize. I now am sure that it was made this way at Springfield. Who knows why. Initially, I was pleased with the rifle. We shoot out to 500 yds at Wilton and I did okay as a general rule. But some days I had unexplained flyers. Normally, my spotter who is a very seasoned Class F, Palma, and military team shooter and I working together can figure out the mirage and the wind to make appropriate corrections between shots. But some days I would have rounds a foot or two, maybe more off target and it did not correspond to what the conditions said to expect. I started experimenting with different bullets, borrowing molds from guys at the club. I would get good if not great single digit standard deviations, yet would still have flyers. Needless to say, there was no shortage of opinions on why it was happening. Guys at Wilton are all very supportive. Everyone wants the other guy to get better.
Looking down my bore from either the muzzle or the breech showed a shiny as glass bore, with crisp rifling. Surely the barrel should shoot. Well the borescope told the true story. Looking directly at the bore with the scope was like looking at a polished version of the moon. The lands are pitted badly. The groove are also pitted, but not quite as bad as the lands. I did find two spots where the grooves were pristine and wished the rest of the rifle looked that good. But alas, it does not.
So, it looks like a rebarrel is in my future. Rifle is drilled for a Lyman 48 as well as a Lyman STS. It was made in 1921 yet is wearing a C stock. and that stock is not original to the rifle based upon the inletting. So, she's a shooter for sure and might as well make her a good shooter. I could spend money on another 03, but it won't be cheap and I'll still have a gun that has an old barrel. I found a NOS High Standard barrel in the cosmoline and Criterion is another option. The Criterion barrel is cheaper, but required finished chamber reaming so I suspect the end cost is a wash. Plus HS barrels are said to be the best of the non-Springfield Armory star gauged barrels.
I keep looking down the bore from the muzzle, knowing how it really looks and damn if that barrel doesn't look perfect from that view. Oh well.
regards,
Rob
Yesterday, I made a new bulb (obsolete) for my old cystoscope (borescope) and took a good hard look down the bore. To recap, I have slugged my bore twice. Groove diameter is 0.311 and bore is 0.303. Yes, oversize. I now am sure that it was made this way at Springfield. Who knows why. Initially, I was pleased with the rifle. We shoot out to 500 yds at Wilton and I did okay as a general rule. But some days I had unexplained flyers. Normally, my spotter who is a very seasoned Class F, Palma, and military team shooter and I working together can figure out the mirage and the wind to make appropriate corrections between shots. But some days I would have rounds a foot or two, maybe more off target and it did not correspond to what the conditions said to expect. I started experimenting with different bullets, borrowing molds from guys at the club. I would get good if not great single digit standard deviations, yet would still have flyers. Needless to say, there was no shortage of opinions on why it was happening. Guys at Wilton are all very supportive. Everyone wants the other guy to get better.
Looking down my bore from either the muzzle or the breech showed a shiny as glass bore, with crisp rifling. Surely the barrel should shoot. Well the borescope told the true story. Looking directly at the bore with the scope was like looking at a polished version of the moon. The lands are pitted badly. The groove are also pitted, but not quite as bad as the lands. I did find two spots where the grooves were pristine and wished the rest of the rifle looked that good. But alas, it does not.
So, it looks like a rebarrel is in my future. Rifle is drilled for a Lyman 48 as well as a Lyman STS. It was made in 1921 yet is wearing a C stock. and that stock is not original to the rifle based upon the inletting. So, she's a shooter for sure and might as well make her a good shooter. I could spend money on another 03, but it won't be cheap and I'll still have a gun that has an old barrel. I found a NOS High Standard barrel in the cosmoline and Criterion is another option. The Criterion barrel is cheaper, but required finished chamber reaming so I suspect the end cost is a wash. Plus HS barrels are said to be the best of the non-Springfield Armory star gauged barrels.
I keep looking down the bore from the muzzle, knowing how it really looks and damn if that barrel doesn't look perfect from that view. Oh well.
regards,
Rob