If you go back to days of the M1 Match rifles, it was no secret the M1's built by Don McCoy for the Navy Shooters of that time out performed the other M1's being used by the other Service Teams.
It was years later, after having spent many hours with Don, that I learned of his secret... It has to do with the modification of the Gas Cylinder and the manner in which the Cylinder was installed.
The early Match M14's simply would not shoot as well, this later changed after a similar modification was made to the M14 gas Cylinders and their installation.
Both the M1 and the M14 gas cylinders have a rear gas cylinder ring that slides over the barrel to a position on the barrel collar... This fit between the rear rings and the barrel is suppose to be a non interference fit... Should the fit be as designed, or modified to be an interference fit?
Both rifles had the splines peened, the Marine M1's were peened in a manner to drive the Cylinder up against the bottom of the barrel, giving a constant ring to barrel pressure, while the Navy took a different method, their rear rings were free floating.., How can this be done in a manner where-by the rear ring stays in this free floating position during firing?
Art
It was years later, after having spent many hours with Don, that I learned of his secret... It has to do with the modification of the Gas Cylinder and the manner in which the Cylinder was installed.
The early Match M14's simply would not shoot as well, this later changed after a similar modification was made to the M14 gas Cylinders and their installation.
Both the M1 and the M14 gas cylinders have a rear gas cylinder ring that slides over the barrel to a position on the barrel collar... This fit between the rear rings and the barrel is suppose to be a non interference fit... Should the fit be as designed, or modified to be an interference fit?
Both rifles had the splines peened, the Marine M1's were peened in a manner to drive the Cylinder up against the bottom of the barrel, giving a constant ring to barrel pressure, while the Navy took a different method, their rear rings were free floating.., How can this be done in a manner where-by the rear ring stays in this free floating position during firing?
Art
