Just how much does a loose muzzle affect accuracy?

R

Rome

New member
What I'd like to ask anyone reading this is does the muzzle really contribute or affect the placment of the shots or is this an overblown observation?

I've really begun to enjoy shooting my 1945 SA M1. While it works perfectly, and the TE is only 4.0 (I bought a gauge), the muzzle is horrible. I could drop a round right into the tip of the barrel and I swear it would drop about a 1/2" in.

Now I'm not a marksman but I am working hard on grouping my shots and practice match positions. I notice that even on the bench, the shots end up all over the black, not in tight groups. Off hand, I can put them all in the black but with no real "grouping". Is this a function of the muzzle? I'll send it out and have the barrel replaced but I want to know if it is really worth it. Also, I'll replace it now because maybe barrels will become scarcer in the future. Finally, if I do replace the barrel, I'll look for a really good Milsurp to match the age of the gun more closely. The current barrel is from 1966.

Rome
 
To answer your basic question, a lot! And shots will indeed be all over the place. Worn muzzles on M1s are usually caused by cleaning, since the M1 cannot be cleaned from the breech. The steel cleaning rods gradually wear the muzzle and the jointed cleaning rods actually can chip out pieces of barrel. When a bullet exits from a worn muzzle, some of the gas exits on one side before the other; this tips the bullet, and sends it off to one side in an unpredictable manner.

A crude measurement of muzzle wear is with a GI cartridge; if the bullet goes into the bore up to the case neck, the muzzle is badly worn. If it goes in leaving 1/4 - 3/8 inch gap between the muzzle and the case, it is probably OK.

Note that if the muzzle on the M1 is badly worn, barrel replacement is the only practical solution. Due to the need to keep pressure on the gas system after the bullet passes the gas port, cutting the barrel off or backboring will result in malfunctions.

Jim
 
Thanks, Jim. I'm always looking for a legitimate excuse as to why my shooting is so lousy. Hmmmm, maybe I'll just leave the barrel on.


Rome
 
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