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Arms Locker, US Rifles

Skunk

Amongst the Enemy
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 24, 2003
1,634
4,207
On gun…
Thought you guys might like this.
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Only problem, and it's not really a problem, is I've got more M1's than 1903's.
There are six M1's, three 1903's, and one M1922 in the crate.


Why is it the one you want is always on the bottom and will require removal of all others?
 
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Why is it the one you want is always on the bottom and will require removal of all others?
Exactly. To get a rifle from the bottom, the top layer must come out. I'm most likely to fire the M1922. There are several guns in the box I've never fired; NM 1903, Type II NM Garand, an unissued/unfired Garand...
 
Some really nice looking wood in the wood crate........show and tell some time.
 
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For PMcLaine, lover of wood!
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For PMcLaine, lover of wood!View attachment 7703414


Thats about as sweet and clean a NM I have seen. The front band looks super nicely fitted. Heavy checkered BP with door?

My 1.3 mil 1903 was someones pet match rifle, reverse safety, C stock, WL3 bolt.

I understand the WL3 bolts were sought out, they were properly heat treated but not NS. Supposedly less "stiction", smoother operation in rapid fire.

Shooting these with the Ohare Micrometer is a joy. Thank you for calling me into the thread to see your rifle.

K02XDeal.jpg
 
I’ve read the same re: the WL3 bolts. And, I guess the theory holds water. This rifle, with the WL3 bolt and polished bolt ways is, as they say, slick as snot.

The wood/metal fit on this rifle really is quite impressive. The whole thing is just super nice. I’ve had it 15yrs and never fired it. I guess a few rounds won’t hurt it…

Your rifle is beautiful and definitely looks the part. Someone did a great job on it.
 

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Only problem, and it's not really a problem, is I've got more M1's than 1903's.
There are six M1's, three 1903's, and one M1922 in the crate.
Oh, that we all had such problems!

That's a box full of all-American goodness you've got there. (y)
 
Do design drawings for that case exist, and can they be obtained?

Greg
As a matter of fact, they do exist and can be obtained.

A year ago, my Dad was watching Sgt. York, again, and took interest in the scene where rifles are being issued out of such crates. He then got to asking around through his network of collector buddies and found a guy with the original US Govt drawings. In his searching, he also found some decent pictures of an original box that he used to have the decals recreated.

The plans I saw when I was home last were Xerox copies, and not super clear, but they're readable. If it'll work well at all, I'll try to put them here.
 
I got it printed out from the above and saved a copy to disk. The drawing scale prints on the small side but is generally legible. The document refers to the object as an arms locker.

I am researching the Springfield Armory Museum collection for more specific data. I think I could use this drawing to make a duplicate, but it's rough.

What I'd actually also like is to build a similar arms locker for AR-15's.

Thank you plenty so far. If more develops, I will post; I but am about to leave momentarily on an O/O state trip with the family.

Greg
 
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That's what I did, but will attempt a tiled print, if such is possible...

Success, as follows:

Clicked image, right clicked "copy Image", opened working folder, pasted to folder.

(BTW, I have double monitors set up on my system, which makes this sort of thing much simpler)

File arrives as jpg, bring up "https://www.ilovepdf.com/jpg_to_pdf", dragged jpg file into add jpg page, performed conversion as per instructions. (Be sure to choose proper Portrait/Landscape mode.)
Opened pdf, clicked "save as" using same filename with pdf extension.
Opened pdf, clicked print icon, chose tiled output, typed in 150% magnification, printed file.
Image came out as four panes, trim and tape together on cut lines as a single pane.

Image is larger, reading is easier, but starting to get into the fuzzy stage of 150% magnification, larger magnification can be chosen; may work, may not (too fuzzy). This file was a poor copy to begin with, better copies can be enlarged much bigger.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I do this all the time with model aircraft plan files, which are usually line drawings and can be enlarged quite big.

I look up the original full size aircraft on wiki, and get the wing span measurement in feet, then divide that in 1/2.

I then print out my plan and measure the plan wingspan.

I have a simple conversion factor that allows me to print out my plans in a specified scale for my plans, so all the model airplanes come out (in my case) to 1:24, or 1/2" = 1'.

For 1:12 scale, I don't divide the full scale wingspan by 2, and get 1" = 1'. This can be computed to do other scales, but that gets too complex for me.

I divide the plan wing span in inches by the full scale plane's wingspan in feet, this gives me the magnification percentage (which can be less than 100%, so this method can be used for size reduction, too). I then bring up the given plan file, choose print, then tiled, entering the derived percentage for magnification. Print, trim, tape, and I have my exact scale plans. Tape them together really good, they get stretched tight on the building board.

I roll my plans for storage, with a trick. I roll them with the image outboard. Then, when I unroll them and put them down on the building board they (mostly) lay flat. Do it the other way (facing inward), and you spread them out, let go, and they roll right back up on ya. Frustrating...

Greg

PS, another interior picture of the real case, with the top layer of rifles removed, would be the cherry on top.

My GI 30 Caliber Rifle Match Load is 168 bullet (generic, I use Speer .308/168 Gold Dot Rifle) Winchester Brass, prepped, Winchester Large Rifle Primer - better cup for GI ignition systems (or so I've been told), and 46.5 gr of IMR-4064. This is an older load and I've been using it since the mid-1990's. Very accurate, and respectful of the M1 operating system. For 308, the only change is 43.5gr of IMR-4064 in IMI brass, prepped.

ETA: I revisited my load data records and the 168 load is either 48.1gr IMR-4064 or 48.5gr IMR-4064. Either will work, but high pressure indicators on your fired brass may mean the lower is the better of the two in your rifle.
 
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It might be a few days, but I’ll get some detail photos of the interior for you all.
 
Most fine!

Please note ETA load Info added to prior post.

Whatever your do, make CERTAIN you're not overloading your op-rod if the rifle is an M1 Garand. If 46.5gr of IMR-4064 is accurate and conforms to your sight settings at the given distances, stay with that.
 
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All,

Here are some shots of the locker’s interior. I’ve tried to show you the general method of construction. It’s all stuff you can find at a hardware store.
 

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And a few more….
 

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