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1903 windage troubleshooting

OFIS

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
  • May 28, 2007
    1,333
    30
    Harrisburg, PA
    Granted, this is not very snipery, but it is a vintage rifle...
    The windage adjustment on my 1903A1 Springfield is not very secure. Between shots, it will gradually drift unless otherwise reset each shot by hand to the first hash mark on the right. This was the best group so far, and I was actually pretty shocked with how well the 93 year old barrel shoots (5@100 per the rules)

    wmfa11.jpg


    I considered loctite on the screw, but dont want to risk damaging the mechanics of it, and not even very sure that would solve the little bit of wiggle present in the sight.

    If this is just how they are, I'll take that as a valid answer.
    Thanks
     
    Re: 1903 windage troubleshooting

    The sight is spring loaded to the left. If you push the sight to the right, it should spring back to the left. I would try lubing the area around the windage knob, and the rear of the sight where it slides in the sight base. I have seen a few that have had the sight base bent slightly, binding up the fit between the sight and base where it slides rt or lt. The windage adjustment screw has a spring and cone that may become stiff due to old lube or rust.
     
    Re: 1903 windage troubleshooting

    Maybe check to see if it is a worn worm gear?

    Was a problem on my 1903 when I first got it and is apparently pretty common. Had to hold the rear sight with my thumb.

    If it is this, it is an easy fix and the parts are not hard to come by.
     
    Just wanted to check back in: I gave the rear sight a thorough cleaning and resorted to a 200 SMK load since it was all I could find. The longer bullets are able to be seated much closer to the lands and with a 1:10 twist I knew they would be stable. Started at a minimum of 50g H4350 and only worked up to 52. I don't know if the lower spread helped or my shoulder had gone completely numb after 40 rounds, but the rifle really shines with the 52g load.

    300tlww.jpg


    33l2ur4.jpg


    And some data, for the other detail freaks out there

    1cev7.jpg


    I'm hesitant to practice to get the groups down much more than this, 200 SMK @ ~2480 fps through an 8lb rifle with a steel butt plate is a sobering experience...
     
    Looking good!

    Know what you mean about the numb shoulder....with the heavy checkered butt plate it'slike hitting yourself with a meat tenderiser!!

    Did you work out what was wrong with the windage adjustment?
     
    I stripped the sight down as far as it would go and really went at it with Hoppes 9 and about a dozen Q tips. It ceases to shift during firing but if you purposely nudge it left or right it will have slack in the direction opposite to which it was previously adjusted. I assume its a combination of a worn gear and gummed up spring, and cleaning resolved the spring.
     
    Yeah, the spring is there to take out slack from gear wear. Lots of commercial target peep sights have these also.