USMC rebuilds 1942

[SmokeEaterPilot]

I was looking for another document in the USMC Quartermaster files.

I found this and it caught my eye. Figured it was worth sharing. I copy a a lot, but 90% of the time, I forget what I see and use it later. I copied this before the pandemic and just noticed it now.

Also, USMC 1903 rebuilds carry a premium.

Two things I take away from this.

1) The Marines took low number receivers out of service, not because they were dangerous on their own but because they were dangerous when firing the VB launcher. Google the VB launcher, that concept terrifies me haha.

2) Numerous low number 1903 receivers with 1942 (either SA or Sedgley) barrels share a lot of the same traits. Similar parts, finish, stocks, etc. 20k+ receivers are a lot to build up into rifles. This may explain why so many share nearly identical traits.

Hope you guys don’t mine

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Very cool. Appreciate ya sharing.

 

[Doco Overboard]

SEP,
Thanks for sharing awesome info as always.
Could you say ,or at least share opinion on stocks supposedly modded by the corps.
I have a RI straight grip stick, that at the area directly underneath the bolt handle, has an elliptical clearance cut added to the area where the bottom of the handle meets the wood.
My understanding is that mod was done while in service.
Have you ever heard of anything like that?
At first I thought it was done by some foreign service but have heard / read? It’s a USMC trait.
If you could provide any knowledge, Tia.

 

[SmokeEaterPilot]

SEP,
Thanks for sharing awesome info as always.
Could you say ,or at least share opinion on stocks supposedly modded by the corps.
I have a RI straight grip stick, that at the area directly underneath the bolt handle, has an elliptical clearance cut added to the area where the bottom of the handle meets the wood.
My understanding is that mod was done while in service.
Have you ever heard of anything like that?
At first I thought it was done by some foreign service but have heard / read? It’s a USMC trait.
If you could provide any knowledge, Tia.

I’ve heard people say that’s a USMC modification but I haven’t even seen anything about it in the QM reports. So as of right now I don’t have anything on it.

But there’s a lot of misunderstandings out there. Like the “Hatcher Hole” on the left side of the receiver being Marine exclusive.

The Marines actually learned how to do it from Army Ordnance. The Ordnance Officer that designed it wasn’t Hatcher. His name was Borden.

But not all traits are documented. The “vise marks” everyone looks for on USMC rifles. I couldn’t find anything, anywhere in the entire series of the QM reports. I thought for sure there would be something on that.

 

[Doco Overboard]

I’ve heard people say that’s a USMC modification but I haven’t even seen anything about it in the QM reports. So as of right now I don’t have anything on it.

But there’s a lot of misunderstandings out there. Like the “Hatcher Hole” on the left side of the receiver being Marine exclusive.

The Marines actually learned how to do it from Army Ordnance. The Ordnance Officer that designed it wasn’t Hatcher. His name was Borden.

But not all traits are documented. The “vise marks” everyone looks for on USMC rifles. I couldn’t find anything, anywhere in the entire series of the QM reports. I thought for sure there would be something on that.

Thanks-Ive read that it was a Parme-lee pipe vice, maybe in Howe or Vickery's book or somewhere else I cant remember. Whats weird about that is a Parmelee pipe wrench grips and then is turned. Usually when I install/ remove a barrel I hold the barrel and turn the reciever, but what do I know.
Unfortunately, a lot of innovations get credited to the person in charge or to those up the food chain. Even to this day I'm sure theirs many here that can attest to that.
Thanks for the reply!