Since the 1960"s - I SHOT and SHOT ..and SHOT...With a NAVY TEAM and in the early 80's - I went ARMY ...boooo.. No more nice WHITE Uniforms..
Yup , I know .. another day - another dollar. With the ARMY - I shot the M21...M14 MATCH Conditioned. Won State Championship 2 times in the 1980's. Never had enough time to really get involved - and travel.
My Ship -- USS PRAIRIE - won her FIRST BATTLE EFFICIENCY "E" and her FIRST GUNNERY "E"...2 years running...because of my Training the Gunners - and the crew in general... The Commanding Officer ...became a great help after that..keeping up with all the weapons onboard .
With the NAVY - they sent me everywhere - from San Diego I was sent to HAWAII - Philippines ...Washington State - New Mexico... Glad they footed the bill. When my Ship went on her WESTPAC's .. I ran SHIP Weapons Training (ARMORY Chief) (NO - I was not a GUNNERS MATE)- and ran the Botan Rifle Range in the Philippines. Trained MARINES - PHILIPPINE MARINES - NAVY Personnel from other Ship's and Bases. Was a treat for sure. I was constantly hounded by other units and MARINES to help out building M21 and M1 MATCH Rifles.
In San Diego at the old Camp Elliott MARINE BASE - in an old MESS HALL...on stainless steel tables... I helped out with repairing - re-bedding and creating new MATCH M1 Garand Rifles with Don McCoy. ..
For over 40 years I built M1 and M14/M21 Rifles for US Government and for "CONTRACT" Snipers... Latest one in in the Sand Box right now.
I had one to build for some yoyo in Colorado (M1A-MATCH)-- When he threatened me to see it -- it was barely started... I made a mistake and let him see it... I had the stock rough sanded and it looked awful.. Guy blew a gasket and shouted all over the world I had ruined his rifle..sanded it with a rock.. Headspace was set to "my" bolt -- not "his"... So the stuff flew - you couldn't see for a mile or two
Long story short..I will NEVER AGAIN let ANYONE see my creation until it is FINISHED. The piece in question is a flawless beautiful rifle. New owners are 2 ex- MARINES - Both husband and wife LOVE it...
Don McCoy gave me a lot of shortcuts and a lot of knowledge on how to do it right - the first time around. It may not look good at the start -- but the finished product is what counts.. a MASTERPIECE
I can pull and rebarrel an M1 in less than 20 minutes... Chambering - if needed - is another 20/30 minutes. An important "shortcut" if you will -- is ...use only a finish reamer - gently - for the final gauge check. Polishing causes some problems with M1 and M14 Rifles... Problems the uneducated on military weapons just have no clue about...
Can you guess what those problems are..??? Come on.....what is your guess....??
Don't be shy...... A Civilian educated ARMORER if you like ----would want his chamber polished...because that is what "THEY" think is correct... BUT -- come on.....still no guess...???
Very simple... In a MATCH/SNIPER MILITARY RIFLE...there are several "soft" spots with myself - and with Don..... A POLISHED chamber - creates MORE "SLAM" of the bolt and op-rod --- back to the rear of the receiver....than a "FINISH" reamer does. The FINISH Reamer -- holds that shell in the chamber just a zilly second longer than the polished chamber -(holding better burning of the charge) and is somewhat easier on the slamming back of the Bolt and op-rod. Sounds stupid you say..?? Hmm.. I have seen it tested with severl different methods - and I can attest to the fact -- that I will NEVER POLISH a chamber in a MILITARY auto/semi auto Weapon... NEVER.. The Civilian GUN Experts can do as they will... Remember -- opinions are like butts -- everyone has one....
