1903 windage troubleshooting

[OFIS]

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)

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

 

[Ken1941]

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.

 

[BasraBoy]

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.

 

[OFIS]

Re: 1903 windage troubleshooting

Thanks for the insight! I'll see what I can do.

 

[OFIS]

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.

And some data, for the other detail freaks out there

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...

 

[Former0302]

Pretty wood on that rifle! Glad you got the site figured out. Good shooting.

 

[BasraBoy]

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?

 

[OFIS]

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.

 

[xs hedspace]

Yeah, the spring is there to take out slack from gear wear. Lots of commercial target peep sights have these also.

 

[jasin1890]

That is nice they are beautiful I am a sucker for 1903's and M1 Garand's. Good luck with the sights.

 

[Oxcart13]

Is this a NM rifle? Beautiful!!

 

[OFIS]

As far as I can tell its just a re-blued 1903 Mk1. Best picture I could manage of the 2-19 barrel date

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcvec13u5l1qbrl9ao1_400.jpg

Not the original stock, or even orignal style stock. But as noted, above average figuring in the wood for a service rifle.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcxkiphEGi1qbrl9ao3_500.jpg

Glad some others out there appreciate the classics!