The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Junk Yard Dog wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2020 1:53 am Don't know, whatever the reason you will have to live with it. Cast bullets maybe?

etprescottazusa91 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:28 am The one redeeming quality about the Pattern 17 was that it was accurate. The issue you are describing is probably best fixed by selling the rifle, unless this is Uncle Bill or Grandpa Jones old standby rifle, why keep it when it does not shoot straight and probably never will? If you draw a tag are you really going after deer or elk with a chopped Pattern 17? I purchased a Pattern 14 out the door down here in the valley for $200.00 a while back and did not even want the thing, my point, is this rifle really worth your time and money?

Junk Yard Dog wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:43 pm

etprescottazusa91 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:28 am The one redeeming quality about the Pattern 17 was that it was accurate. The issue you are describing is probably best fixed by selling the rifle, unless this is Uncle Bill or Grandpa Jones old standby rifle, why keep it when it does not shoot straight and probably never will? If you draw a tag are you really going after deer or elk with a chopped Pattern 17? I purchased a Pattern 14 out the door down here in the valley for $200.00 a while back and did not even want the thing, my point, is this rifle really worth your time and money?

OK, you just totally distracted me, the question being, why would you blow two hundred bucks on a rifle you didn't want? There's lots of things in this world I don't want, and I am not paying for any of them.

Junk Yard Dog wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:29 pm There were some issues with the wartime (WW2) rebuilds having cracks appear in the ring after new barrels were installed. I think it was traced to a lack of chasing the threads in the receiver before forcing the replacement barrel on. Wartime rush, sloppy work.

Junk Yard Dog wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:29 pm There were some issues with the wartime (WW2) rebuilds having cracks appear in the ring after new barrels were installed. I think it was traced to a lack of chasing the threads in the receiver before forcing the replacement barrel on. Wartime rush, sloppy work.

AMCHornet wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:00 am It's been in my family for fifty years and was entrusted to me as an heirloom. It's not going anywhere. I don't need it for hunting or anything like that, it would just be nice if I could actually hit something with it. There are definitely things I can do as many have suggested. I was mostly just wondering if anybody else had experienced this problem on the 1917 or if it was just me.

So far I've only shot 150 grain projectiles with it. I have some heavier ones to try. Perhaps the longer bearing surface will help. I might look into how the action and barrel are mating with the stock too. Beyond that we will see.

Answered my question, it was somebody's rifle so yeah you have to keep it and try to fix it now.

Usually accuracy suffered from the way the barrel was floating over the stock after both were cut, bore diameter issue was something I had not heard of before. Side note, cast bullets normally work horribly with rifle calibers, I can't even imagine loading lead bullets in 30:06 sounds like it's been done though.

AMCHornet wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:10 am I have a sporterized U.S. Rifle model of 1917, also known as the American Enfield. It is a Winchester manufacture, date 1918, with it's original 5-groove barrel and chambering in .30-06. The barrel was cut to 21 inches, sights removed, scope mounted, and stock replaced with a short fore end sporter stock, all in the 1960's.

The problem I have is it won't hit the broad side of a barn. I'm talking one foot groups at 100 yards. I've slugged the barrel and its hard to get an accurate measurement because the five groove design places a groove and a land directly opposite of each other, but as far as I can tell it has a .303" land diameter and .311" groove diameter, which is NOT what a .30-06 should be. That is too big. That is identical to .303 British from the British P14 Enfield that these U.S. rifles were based on. I can place a .30-06 bullet in the end of the barrel and see that it just barely catches the lands without much bearing surface. The barrel looks beautiful inside. No evidence of wear, nice and shiny, sharp grooves...

Has anybody here seen or experienced this? I don't think the .30-06 of 1918 used a different diameter projectile than .30-06 of today. It just seems insane that the U.S. Army would send boys into battle with this kind of inaccuracy.