Mann Accuracy Device

[lencac]

Well, now that I have come into possession of a Mann Accuracy Device chambered for 7.62 NATO (308 WIN) I'm wondering what the heck should I do with it? It's in excellent condition and has a seriously heavy barrel (1.250 in.) of 21 inch in length. It has what looks like a 2 piece collar pressed onto the barrel back to the receiver. Does anyone know about what the collar was used for and if they can be removed by pressing them off or splitting the collars? It utilizes a Remington 1903A3 action with the bolt numbered to the receiver. Still has perfect bluing and parkerizing. Looking at the bolt face it appears it was used very little if at all. I could mount the standard mil-spec sight on the rear but have no way to mount sight on the front. Although I have the equipment and ability to I'm not sure I want to drill and tap the receiver for a scope mount.
I'm open for suggestions guys.

 

[Tim the student]

I don't know, but I want to see pics of whatever you decide to do with it. Good luck.

 

[krs]

Named for Dr. Franklin W. Mann, the foremost accuracy experimenter of the early twentieth century those were used mounted in V blocks at those collars (usually two) with barrels of various diameters and characteristics to obtain results in work on velocity, accuracy, firing pin indent, and assorted other ideas with the Springfield 1903 rifles built during the 1920's and 1930's. Shorter barreled versions were constructed using the same receivers to do pistol ammunition testing as well. Apparently most any barrel could be configured to mount in the setup and extensive testing was done in those days.

They were used for testing by the U.S. Army Ordnance Dept. before WW2, and most were chambered for .30-06 at the time. Does yours not have a brief section of 1903 Springfield rifle stock attached?

CMP sold them. At first they had them available for $500. and it seemed like not many sold so when they began auctioning certain items the Mann accuracy devices were amongst the first they listed. Seems like they sold the first one for $600. at auction but I saw later ones close at around $300. or $350.

For a while I kept thinking of adding one to my CMP orders as a historical curiousity but never did. I'd come to my senses and think of how useless the thing would be to me.

If yours has a Remington 1903a3 action instead of a Springfield 1903 it would mean that they were continued in use during or after WW2 since that rifle didn't appear until then.

 

[cowhide1]

Go to the CMP wbsite forums. There are many guys who have made serious target rifles from those.

 

[lencac]

KRS, mine does have a section of rifle stock attached to hold the action together. Mine is chambered for 7.62 NATO so they obviously used these into the 50s as that cartridge was not in the works until the very early 50s

 

[Avenger]

I was looking one of those over at the North Store a few weeks back. That barrel is the virtual definition of HEAVY.....has to weigh the better part of 25lbs in and of itself. Seriously, the thing is almost ridiculous, any outside factor that might affect the bore had better pack sandwiches. On the other hand, I can't see felt recoil EVER being a factor.....

Me...I'd find an unfinished repro 03A3 stock to cut-to-fit and then finish. Then attach the proper rear sight, then GLUE a tiny little blade sight on the front. Then I'd take it to a mil-surp shoot, casually plunk it on the bench, and see how many people give themselves whiplash as they walk by! No wait.....pistol grip in the style of an M1A1, just to really mess with people's heads!

Sounds like the making of a good target rifle to me.

 

[Maverick223]

I want pictures (even before you finish the project)...I am somewhat considering one myself...looks like a pretty interesting build.

 

[lencac]

The basic Mann Accuracy Device

Well, this is it as I received it. Ahhhhh, if this could talk what would it say? (how bout bang dumb-ss)

 

[Maverick223]

Looks pretty good, is there any reason why you couldn't buy a 1903 stock sporterize it and hawg it out for the larger free floated bbl. Looks like it would be a great low budget target rifle. What does it weigh?

 

[lencac]

Well I think first step is to have my machinist turn down the collar to the diameter of the barrel and then give the whole thing a very small final cut for appearence sakes. The barrel is stainless so it should look pretty nice. I found out the barrel is under cut where the collar is so removing it is not an option. That also means the collar was pressed on before the barrel was installed to the receiver. I would prefer to not remove the barrel as the bolt/barrel/receiver combo are set to a very precise headspace tolerance.
Here's a pic of another one that a guy modified to make a bench rifle.

 

[Maverick223]

That looks great...looks like you have a good pattern to go by.

 

[Riss]

Yup. I was thinking the same. Get the barrel and turn it down a little to straighten it out or somehow manage to shoehorn it into a standard stock and possibly fit it under the handguard. That a a big long target sniper scope to top it off.

 

[langenc]

shorten the barrel a little for pant leg CCW

 

[Acera]

Langenc you dug up a thread dead for over a year just to make a joke???? Seriously dude, ***.

 

[essayons21]

That's some serious thread necromancy,

However, these things may not be worth much today, but I'd wager that 10-20 years down the road they will be quite collectible. It would be a shame to ruin a valuable piece of history to make a benchrest rifle you could build from scratch for $1500.

 

[Hummer70]

These rifles are ammunition acceptance barrels and as far as I know are still in use at NATO test facility at Ft. Dix.
They are fired in a Frankford Arsenal Machine rest known in the business as a FA mount.

Three rifles are use to test ammo and 7.62 is tested at 600 yards against the specification as follows.

Rifle is mounted in FA Mount and is fired one round. The gunner gets a report from the pit of where the shot is on the paper and he adjusts the elevation/windage wheels till it prints center. Usually about three shots.

Target (blank paper) is cleaned up and gunner loads five rounds in mag and has five rounds in his left hand. He fires five and reloads one round at a time till he gets off ten shots. A good gunner can run 10 rounds in about 20 seconds. The reason for the rapid firing sequence is to deliver all shots down range with as little change in wind as possible. If I remember correctly they don't test with wind over 5 MPH.

The guy in the pits pulls the target and measures the group and gives the guy on the line the report. Assuming it passes this rifle is removed and the number of rounds fired is put in a log for that rifle.

The second rifle is run the same way and then the third.

OK lets say a rifle delivers a group "out of spec" what happens? A "Reference Lot" box of ammo is opened and fired in the same way. If it passes with reference ammo it may be fired an additional 10 round string with the test lot.
All three rifles must print acceptance or the lot is destroyed as not meeting spec.

Accuracy tends to get better as the rifles are fired delivering peak accuracy about 8000 rounds. Barrels will generally go for about 15 to 17K before they are rebarreled.

The rifles are then taken to the shop where they are cleaned thoroughly. No lot is accepted starting with a dirty barrel.

There is a prescribed test series in the NATO Stanag that is followed with each lot of ammo submitted for acceptance.

Very few "problems" can develop that will doom a lot to the burning ground.

 

[Tim the student]

Cool info Hummer.

I'd like to get one, even though I have no practical use for it, nor would I be able to turn it into a bench gun any time soon. I think I may anyways, just because they aren't making more of them.

 

[lencac]

It's ALIVE