Winchester Service Grade M1 - First Shots

[Mountain]

One other thought...

So the areas that get compressed by the receiver and trigger group when locked up: Might steaming raise these areas a little and improve lock up? It's ok on this stock, but tighter would be better and/or might extend the time before it becomes loose. Yeah, can always bed or shim, but that's not kosher for JCG matches.

 

[mac1911]

have you ID'd that stock yet. If its a winchester or even a WWII issued stock it might bing in a hefty amount that might be better spent on a nice fancy walnut stock from DGR ?

Just for a idea. I sold a winchester stock in much worse shape than yours with the only thing going for it was nice cartouch marks. $300 and that was offered to me.

 

[Mountain]

There's the usual eagle stamp on the left and the circle-P bottom of grip. Maybe something will pop out during cleaning. Otherwise I see nothing to ID what it is. It's a SA '65 rebuild as marked in electro pencil on one of the legs, so probably a grab bag of components that SA had available for the rebuilds. Color, grunge, and amount of dings lead me to believe that the stock and lower HG are matched but I don't know the make. Upper HG dif color and in better shape, so probably not matched. Maybe added by CMP?

Lower band was bent. Could have been one of the accuracy issues. Wasn't difficult to tweak back to strait. Majspud had asked about that and I just checked to make sure it wasn't loose. Looked at it closer last night and realized it was bent quite a bit on one side.

Since I already have two Garands, each in a new or NOS stock, I'd like to keep this one in a USGI stock. On top of that, I have an open offer to DW in case he wants to buy it. He was the one who spotted it at the Vermont CMP's. I'd be happy to keep it or go for a mostly correct late year H&R with an excellent USGI barrel.

If I can get the low flyers to behave, I'd bring to OCSA for one of the Garand matches. Maybe a few of us could go for a match involving non-accurized M1's and HXP ammo. Not expecting it to keep up with the Franco-ized Special, but a reasonable group without flyers would be great.

 

[snd1t]

[/IMG]

Also has the typical circle-P.

You can really see the 'hurry up there's a war' machining and the lead dip effect on the heel. Dimensions are good on this stock and I don't see any cracks nor repairs, but appearance-wise it's a Field or maybe Rack grade. If my kids were young, I'd tell them Davey Crockett ran out of bullets and used the stock to fight off a dozen bears.

Looks like they loaned it to the Swiss......the things those people did to K31's

 

[mac1911]

There's the usual eagle stamp on the left and the circle-P bottom of grip. Maybe something will pop out during cleaning. Otherwise I see nothing to ID what it is. It's a SA '65 rebuild as marked in electro pencil on one of the legs, so probably a grab bag of components that SA had available for the rebuilds. Color, grunge, and amount of dings lead me to believe that the stock and lower HG are matched but I don't know the make. Upper HG dif color and in better shape, so probably not matched. Maybe added by CMP?

Lower band was bent. Could have been one of the accuracy issues. Wasn't difficult to tweak back to strait. Majspud had asked about that and I just checked to make sure it wasn't loose. Looked at it closer last night and realized it was bent quite a bit on one side.

Since I already have two Garands, each in a new or NOS stock, I'd like to keep this one in a USGI stock. On top of that, I have an open offer to DW in case he wants to buy it. He was the one who spotted it at the Vermont CMP's. I'd be happy to keep it or go for a mostly correct late year H&R with an excellent USGI barrel.

If I can get the low flyers to behave, I'd bring to OCSA for one of the Garand matches. Maybe a few of us could go for a match involving non-accurized M1's and HXP ammo. Not expecting it to keep up with the Franco-ized Special, but a reasonable group without flyers would be great.

I brought my best shooting "as from the cmp" shooter late last year and struggled to hold a 437/500.

 

[majspud]

Majspud had asked about that and I just checked to make sure it wasn't loose.

I did? I thought I gave cleaning advice, and the bit about using an iron and wet cloth. I don't remember much anymore...[sad2]

t

 

[Mountain]

Majspud had asked about that and I just checked to make sure it wasn't loose.

I did? I thought I gave cleaning advice, and the bit about using an iron and wet cloth. I don't remember much anymore...[sad2]

t

Oops...

That was Mac. Now don't you feel better that someone else is forgetting things?

 

[76Too]

Oops...

That was Mac. Now don't you feel better that someone else is forgetting things?

You're getting to that age, you know. Soon enough I'll be out shooting you and Mac because you won't be able to see anything beyond your front sight post!

 

[Mountain]

You're getting to that age, you know. Soon enough I'll be out shooting you and Mac because you won't be able to see anything beyond your front sight post!

 

[dw617]

.

 

[majspud]

Well, that's all I have! One Danish return Winchester, with matching stock as serialed by the Danes after a RA-P run through, and WW2 lock bar sights.

Call me Pumpkin Killer...

t

 

[76Too]

I might die I'm laughing so hard right now!

 

[76Too]

This needs some more traction behind it. I know Mac did this a while back, would be fun if a bunch of us did. Maybe we can even convince Franco.

make it a winter match with some form of vintage match counterpart and I'd be VERY interested! Make it not on a drill weekend and I might even show up

 

[76Too]

Well, that's all I have! One Danish return Winchester, with matching stock as serialed by the Danes after a RA-P run through, and WW2 lock bar sights.

Call me Pumpkin Killer...

t

And an original barrel! That rifle is worth it's weight in gold! Seriously, you should see how much parts are going for these days.

 

[majspud]

Tell me about it. I paid $1100 for it, and added $400 of Winchester parts to it; bolt, op-rod, safety, trigger, front sight. Full Orion7 spring kit and detail strip. Sold off the Springfield parts in it for $300. It had a WRA bolt in it, but almost no finish so it looked like bright metal. Cut out the plug in the pistol grip and replaced a Danish 10-0re coin in it as the Danes did, or a unit disc. Got the Danish sling and scabbard from LT.

t

 

[majspud]

I might die I'm laughing so hard right now!

Now who taught him that? On Halloween was it?

t

 

[76Too]

Tell me about it. I paid $1100 for it, and added $400 of Winchester parts to it; bolt, op-rod, safety, trigger, front sight. Full Orion7 spring kit and detail strip. Sold off the Springfield parts in it for $300. It had a WRA bolt in it, but almost no finish so it looked like bright metal. Cut out the plug in the pistol grip and replaced a Danish 10-0re coin in it as the Danes did, or a unit mark. Got the Danish sling and scabbard from LT.

t

I bet you'd double that in parts if you sold everything separately right now. Everyone in their mother is clamouring for Winchester correct parts...it's like a feeding frenzy on the CMP forums.

 

[Mountain]

Now who taught him that? On Halloween was it?

t

I paid the neighbor kid in beer to help send a message to Dakar. The kid is only a year or two younger than Dakar, so I'm sure it's legal.

 

[majspud]

I bet you'd double that in parts if you sold everything separately right now. Everyone in their mother is clamouring for Winchester correct parts...it's like a feeding frenzy on the CMP forums.

Well, that's because they sold how many mixmaster Winchesters recently?

Only so many parts to go around. I went through two-op rods; the first one's tail wouldn't stay in the groove.

Qualifying at 100 yards before moving on to qualify at 200 yards at my range. Only the second time I shot it after rebuilding it. First shot was the 12:00. Mixed HXP. Rang the 200 18" gong 7/8 afterwards to qualify there.

December 4, 2016

t

 

[snd1t]

make it a winter match with some form of vintage match counterpart and I'd be VERY interested! Make it not on a drill weekend and I might even show up

A winter match with copious amounts of snow on the ground would be epic

I'm in.....

 

[mac1911]

Well, that's because they sold how many mixmaster Winchesters recently?

Only so many parts to go around. I went through two-op rods; the first one's tail wouldn't stay in the groove.

Qualifying at 100 yards before moving on to qualify at 200 yards at my range. Only the second time I shot it after rebuilding it. First shot was the 12:00. Mixed HXP. Rang the 200 18" gong 7/8 afterwards to qualify there.

December 4, 2016

t

is that the 200 yard qualifying target..... horrible target.

 

[majspud]

100. 200 was a 18" gong.

t

 

[mac1911]

100. 200 was a 18" gong.

t

Still horrible looking target...

 

[Mountain]

T- Who in their right mind thought that target was a good idea for qualifying to use a range? I'm guessing someone with a scope.


***

So the Winchester has been stripped down for its Garand make-over:

[/IMG]

The stock was coated mostly in crud (little or no BLO or tung oil) that scrubbed clean with Simple Green. Hand guards have a finish that remains after scrubbing. Still having some trouble deciding if walnut or beech. On the interior of the stock where various sections were milled out, the pores look pretty big- suggesting walnut. Smoothness and pattern on the exterior suggest beech. I wouldn't call myself an expert but after years of doing business with woodworking customers (Gibson Guitar, Fender Guitar, most of the big furniture makers, etc.), I'm not a complete newb to identifying wood species.

Going to steam out some dings today and start with the BLO either tonight or tomorrow. I think there's a little uneven staining of the wood, but I think it would be wrong to use a tinted stain on a USGI stock just to make the color more uniform. Some of the pattern appears to be some figure or 'flame' in the wood grain. Should be interesting after a few coats of BLO.

The lower HG looks like a rack grade, so I may not use it. I'll work on it and see. Unfortunately a spare one that I have doesn't match well for color and grain.

[/IMG]

***

I did find a couple accuracy issues to correct. Though it wasn't moving when checked before firing, after I made a few shots on paper the lower band would move with a little force. Also the op rod was lightly rubbing or slapping the upper hand guard liner. I could peen it a little along its length to bend it away from the op rod, but for now I'm just going to remove it. I'm going to use an as-issued legal trick I learned to deal with the upper hand guard fit.

I've already addressed the loose GC and loose rear sight.

 

[majspud]

Well, that's what my Club used. You could use optics. I just used my . T

- - - Updated - - -

Well, that's what my Club used. You could use optics. I just used my . T

 

[mac1911]

T- Who in their right mind thought that target was a good idea for qualifying to use a range? I'm guessing someone with a scope.


***

So the Winchester has been stripped down for its Garand make-over:

[/IMG]

The stock was coated mostly in crud (little or no BLO or tung oil) that scrubbed clean with Simple Green. Hand guards have a finish that remains after scrubbing. Still having some trouble deciding if walnut or beech. On the interior of the stock where various sections were milled out, the pores look pretty big- suggesting walnut. Smoothness and pattern on the exterior suggest beech. I wouldn't call myself an expert but after years of doing business with woodworking customers (Gibson Guitar, Fender Guitar, most of the big furniture makers, etc.), I'm not a complete newb to identifying wood species.

Going to steam out some dings today and start with the BLO either tonight or tomorrow. I think there's a little uneven staining of the wood, but I think it would be wrong to use a tinted stain on a USGI stock just to make the color more uniform. Some of the pattern appears to be some figure or 'flame' in the wood grain. Should be interesting after a few coats of BLO.

The lower HG looks like a rack grade, so I may not use it. I'll work on it and see. Unfortunately a spare one that I have doesn't match well for color and grain.

[/IMG]

***

I did find a couple accuracy issues to correct. Though it wasn't moving when checked before firing, after I made a few shots on paper the lower band would move with a little force. Also the op rod was lightly rubbing or slapping the upper hand guard liner. I could peen it a little along its length to bend it away from the op rod, but for now I'm just going to remove it. I'm going to use an as-issued legal trick I learned to deal with the upper hand guard fit.

I've already addressed the loose GC and loose rear sight.

If you applied the same cleaning to all the wood parts I'm leaning towards beech for the stock. Plus it just has that look. Beech is dense and does not take on stain very well. Beech stock (to me anyway ) feel beefier and "harder" in the hands.

As for staining to match wood...why not if you where thinking of "preserving" some sort of "usgi" thing or status you would have just gave it a good tung oil scrub with cheese cloth.
Any way getting wood to match can be very tough. This is why boyds/dupage/cmp stocks have that shit brown spray on paint/finish stuff.
Beech also seldom has any grain to it. More blotchy than walnut.

 

[Mountain]

If you applied the same cleaning to all the wood parts I'm leaning towards beech for the stock. Plus it just has that look. Beech is dense and does not take on stain very well. Beech stock (to me anyway ) feel beefier and "harder" in the hands.

As for staining to match wood...why not if you where thinking of "preserving" some sort of "usgi" thing or status you would have just gave it a good tung oil scrub with cheese cloth.
Any way getting wood to match can be very tough. This is why boyds/dupage/cmp stocks have that shit brown spray on paint/finish stuff.
Beech also seldom has any grain to it. More blotchy than walnut.

Yeah, I agree that CMP / Dupage spray finish is pretty awful.



After all the cleaning & steaming I have done on this stock, I'm also going to agree with you and DW that it's beech.

Appears to be a Winchester stock, so that's a nice discovery.

 

[mac1911]

Yeah, I agree that CMP / Dupage spray finish is pretty awful.



After all the cleaning & steaming I have done on this stock, I'm also going to agree with you and DW that it's beech.

Appears to be a Winchester stock, so that's a nice discovery.

How did you come to Winchester ?
Did you find numbers under the ferrul.
The Winchester V in trigger lock area?

 

[Mountain]

How did you come to Winchester ?
Did you find numbers under the ferrul.
The Winchester V in trigger lock area?

Large 'U' where the heel sits.
Definite Winchester 'V' in the trigger lock area.
Very round grip. Looks exactly like every Winchester stock pic I could find.

I can't see any numbers under the ferrule, but it's a bit of a mess. Maybe in better light I'll see something.

This stock definitely had the "Revenant" post grizzly attack looks, but is cleaning up decently. After the first coat of BLO was wiped in this AM, it's definitely beech. Quite the blotchy appearance. Natural camo, I guess...

Based on correcting a few things, I'm hopeful that it will end up being a pretty good shooter. We'll see- maybe late next week.

 

[dw617]

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