Star Gauges barrels??

[1mark]

In what year did Springfield start star gauging barrels and when did the practice stop?

[John Beard]

Springfield Armory routinely used star-gauging as a quality inspection on a sample basis of their regular service rifle barrels. I know that practice goes back to at least 1904, and probably earlier.

The first M1903 barrels star-gauged for the National Matches were selected in 1908, but could have been manufactured in any prior year.

The last Springfield Armory star-gauged M1903 National Match barrels were made in June, 1939. However, I feel sure that Springfield Armory continued star-gauging and, later, air-gauging M1903 service rifle barrels for quality inspection purposes through 1944.

J.B.

[PhillipM]

Not all star gauged barrels are marked on the muzzle