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M1903-A4 Sniper Rifle Barrels

3K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  snowtigger 
#1 ·
Question for your rifle history buffs:

Did Remington specifically make accurized barrels for the M1903-A4 sniper rifle?

OR...

Did they just test fire off-the-line 03-A3 barrels and set aside the ones that showed the best accuracy for use on the A4s?
 
#4 ·
Standard A3 barrels minus front and rear sights but the receiver was marked off center so the scope base wouldn't obscure the Model number and serial number. Easy way to tell if its a fake. We still had two M1903A4s in each of our battalions arms room as late as 2004 in 5th SFGA (didn't get shot much at that time)

CD
 
#5 · (Edited)
Interesting.

So apparently Remington wasn't all that interested in sending out the A4s with accurized barrels. I guess they had to get them out so fast there was no time.

Just a side note...my sporterized 03-A3 has the two-groove rifling. It despises 150 gr bullets and anything lighter. It does a bit better with 165 gr bullets, but really starts to tighten up with 180 gr bullets. I haven't tried 200 gr bullets through it yet but I would imagine I would get even better results.

Now, my dad's WWI era, sporterized 1903 has the four-groove barrel. That rifle shoots 150 grain bullets fine...all day long.
 
#6 ·
Wasn't necessary Remingtons decision on the barrels as they go by what the customer ie: Government told them to do and how they wanted them. Each design change had to be approved by the Army and the Army needed guns!

CD
 
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#12 · (Edited)
One day the accuracy of the 03 noticeable improved, those building the rifle and those shooting the rifle could care less. Others concerned with giving the customer more than they paid for launched an investigation. Once the 'problem' was determined everything went back to normal.

I have a barrel that was removed from an 03/A4, it is chambered to 308 Norma mag with an air brake. The builder that found the rifle disguised as a sporter was so excited he gave me the barrel, stock, bolt and trigger guard, problem, I do not have an 03 type receiver I am willing to five up so there it sits.

F. Guffey
 
#13 ·
One day the accuracy of the 03 noticeable improved, those building the rifle and those shooting the rifle could care less. Others concerned with giving the customer more than they paid for launched an investigation. Once the 'problem' was determined everything went back to normal.



I apologize, but I really don't understand the above paragraph, not being critical, just a little confused and would appreciate some help......

Dan
 
#16 ·
That sounds reasonable. They had to get them made quickly.
That makes sense to everyone but me. The settings did not happen by accident and it happened in 1911. I make no excuses for Springfield's bad behavior. Winchester discovered nickel steel in 1864 at the patent office. Springfield could not find the patent office. Winchester/Browning used nickel steel in the Model 94, Springfield started using nickel steel in the mid 20s. That could have been 30 years.

F. Guffey
 
#17 · (Edited)
Nickel steel was a peacetime luxury and wouldn't have been wasted on small arms during wartime when its use was required for more critical defense manufacturing.

The objective of Defense mobilization is not to build the best rifle that money can buy, but to make as many serviceable arms as you can efficiently and quickly with the lest use of critical materials and resources. Plain carbon steels with proper heat treatment get that job done just fine,

As for the Hatcher anecdote on the barrel twist, you must appreciate the design intent is not to make the most accurate target rifle for use with good ammunition under ideal Camp Perry range conditions. The ten-inch twist was predicated based on the need to ensure adequate gyroscopic stability when ammunition is fired in heated machinegun barrels or in subzero cold in aircraft operating at combat altitudes, as well as to enhance hard target penetration of AP ammunition, which was the primary combat ammunition used in the ETO during WW2.

The same general rifling characteristics were specified for pressure and accuracy test barrels during manufacture, as well as for both rifle and machinegun barrels to ensure that ammunition performance under all conditions would be consistent and predictable.
 
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