Hi Bruce -
Yes, the crown is clean, but it was cut by a smith that I don't know and I was not happy with the way the shop went about handling the service. I do clean the face of the crown whenever I clean the barrel.
I can't see the rifling well enough to know if it's crisp, but I suppose I can put a glass and light on it to see.
.30-06 ammunition went through several changes, from the original 150gr spitzer in 1906, replaced by the 172gr M1 boattail ball cartridge in 1926 for better .30cal machine gun and rifle range when used for indirect fire - then back to 150gr with the M2 flat-base 150gr ball in 1938. Most of the WWII ammunition used in these rifles was the 150gr M2, primarily because the new M1 Garand rifle couldn't handle the 172gr M1 cartridge as well, but also because the M1 cartridge maximum range was beyond the safety limits of the Army's training ranges.
In rifles, the M2 cartridge was less accurate than the heavier M1. The following quote is surprising in the 200yd accuracy details:
For rifle use, M2 Ball ammunition proved to be less accurate than the earlier M1 cartridge; even with match rifles, a target group of 5 inches (130 mm) diameter at 200 yards (180 m) using the 150-grain (9.7 g) M2 bullet was considered optimal, and many rifles performed less well.[5] The U.S. Marine Corps retained stocks of M1 ammunition for use by snipers and trained marksmen throughout the Solomon Islands campaign in the early years of the war.[6] In an effort to increase accuracy some snipers resorted to use of the heavier .30-06 M2 armor-piercing round, a practice that would re-emerge during the Korean War.[7] Others sought out lots of M2 ammunition produced by Denver Ordnance, which had proved to be more accurate than those produced by other wartime ammunition plants when used for sniping at long range.
Obviously, my last results are considerably better than that. I have some of the M2 A/P rounds, but have not fired any since my discovery of the 2 issues needing correction.
I also have not fired any 150gr or 180gr rounds since the initial trial and the rifle may now show a more definite preference for something other than 165gr.
I think I now have it shooting within design specs or better, but I also think there's more accuracy available if I do a little more tinkering - which I will. I'd like to see all 5 rounds touching at 100yds.... and in the X-ring..... a tall order, but I think it's possible. I would not only like to take reasonable head shots, but I'd also like to feel confident I can put the round in either eye socket. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />
Frank <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />
