New old stock bolt

[RC20]

As you can see I am the only member that believes you left out all of the information necessary to help you.

After one response that is taking a null data point (making a mountain out of a molehill) - for someone that reveres technicalities (shoulder setback) and datum etc, that ruins credibility.

Merc: What you had with your Eddystone bold was normal. I have had one Winchester bolt that was quite different, most others (including another Winchester) were at the 80%.

I suspect your Winchester bold was tighter (more material forward) than the rest.

Just keep in mind, a lot of slop was the norm for these, mine on a rigged field reject (tape on a no go) close about 80%.

Military cartridges are not made to SAMI, not did SAMI exist back then. Chambers on military guns tend to generous for field conditions for functioning (crud) - they had not figured on civie pick up and use latter (nor did they care of course)

I just keep the brass for those guns separate as the head spaces is longer and I don't mash the shoulder back more than needed on them for reloads. With your tighter Winchester bold you might be able to cross shoot them with minimum shoulder setback (which avoids cracked bases)

Thanks for your help. Full story: I bought the NOS Winchester bolt to replace a slightly worn Eddystone bolt that was originally installed on my M1917 Winchester rifle when I bought it. The E bolt would close on a gunsmith’s no go gauge but only closes about 80% on my field gauge. The W bolt closes about 50% on the same field gauge. Seeing the difference in closing percentage makes me think that the W bolt would probably not close on the gunsmith’s gauge.

- - - Updated - - -

So I ask; did the bolt close on the field reject length gage? M1917 rifles with long chambers are not rare; how they got that way is an interesting story.

Not really, they were made that way at the factory. Said factories were setup originally for 303 which has a lot of excess chamberage.

Brits having a lot of hard combat experience that in turn was clear the unlike low use US forces they did not have the latitude all the time to keep the guns pristine.

The M16/M4 has the same aspects. They work and are accurate when maintained well. When not they fail. AK-47 does not care.

[fguffey]

Thanks for your help. Full story: I bought the NOS Winchester bolt to replace a slightly worn Eddystone bolt that was originally installed on my M1917 Winchester rifle when I bought it. The E bolt would close on a gunsmith’s no go gauge but only closes about 80% on my field gauge.

RC20, you are the self designated M1917 expert so I will wait until for you to explain how that could happen.

Just keep in mind, a lot of slop was the norm for these, mine on a rigged field reject (tape on a no go) close about 80%.

And while you are at it explain why you found it necessary to tape up a go-gage? A reloader that is as great as you claim to be should be able to determine the length of the M1917 chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face with a 280 Remington case.

And then there is that part about "How they got that way", you made that one up because I never told the real story.

F. Guffey

[el Woodman]

And here's a worst case scenario for you...Sometimes the Winchester M1917s are very persnickety about replacement parts, as most were actually HAND FITTED. That means that out of a bucket of "W" marked bolts, they tried several and sent it out with the bolt with either the best fit, or requiring the least modification to fit...I've heard this fro several owners of Winchester M1917s. FWIW...

[JohnPeeff]

Didn't early Winchester guns "flunk" interchangeability testing?

[fguffey]

And here's a worst case scenario for you...Sometimes the Winchester M1917s are very persnickety about replacement parts, as most were actually HAND FITTED. That means that out of a bucket of "W" marked bolts, they tried several and sent it out with the bolt with either the best fit, or requiring the least modification to fit...I've heard this fro several owners of Winchester M1917s. FWIW...

I find Winchester parts fit Winchesters, as the story goes Winchester parts did not fit Eddysone rifles and Remington rifles good enough to be considered interchangeable. I have never found a W2inchester part that would not fit one of the other two rifles. I have built 2 rifles with P14 receivers and M1917 barrels. Now that is something I am not allowed to discuss on a gun forum.

F. Guffey