Dick Hosmer wrote on Mar 30^th, 2013 at 2:07pm:

You're right as usual. I was tempted to write "how/why . . . " instead of "how one produces a "short chambered" Krag barrel". Short chambering a Krag barrel just doesn't make sense considering that the SAAMI minimum .30/40 cartridge is some .020" shorter head-shoulder than the minimum chamber and that's not where a rimmed design establishes headspace anyway.

I like reincarnated's approach and am curious to learn if the uninstalled Criterion barrel will accept a new .30/40 case up to the rim.

Bob, great to see you back - "movin kinda slow" sure beats the alternative!

Best wishes,

Dick

That pretty much settles the question. Thanks, Bob!

Ned,

I have no idea what Criterion uses for a reamer, but I'll bet dollars to Navy beans that it is a one-piece and has a throater for the 220 grain service load.  Just like the 6.5 Sweed ... if you buy a reamer from Clymer, you're stuck with that damned long throat for the old 160 grain RN service load, even if you all you want to shoot is 139 grain Lapua BT.  I learned that the hard way.

I will pull the barrel back out of the rafters and take some Stoney Point readings of the throat.  Yes, I have the special case for 30-40, and I'm pretty certain I have a small stash of Hornady 220 grain SP's from about 45 years ago.

Based on that quick test with the empty case, I would not run a finish reamer into the chamber for any reason.  If it turns out that the throat is shorter than desired (doubtful), a separate throater would be in order.  I did this with one of my K31's and it made a world of difference.  (Shhhh. Don't tell anyone on the Swiss boards.  I'll be keelhauled!) 

Resp'y,
Bob S.

Ned,

No problem, this has piqued my curiosity.

And the answer is .....

This is a Hornady 220 grain SP gently pushed to the lands of the new Criterion 30" barrel with a Stoney Point gauge .  This indicates that I would be able to load "long" without doing a thing to the throat.

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It would be nice to compare with an "as new" Springfield barrel.   The closest thing I have without digging through several safes is No. 8828, an 1892 with modifications of 1896.   The bore and throat look "as new" to my naked and aging eyes.  Here is that same Hornady 220 grain SP pushed gently to the lands in No.8828:

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The throat is slightly longer.  How many rounds has been put through this tube is unknown to me, but probably not many, at least not in Whistler-Aspinwal days.  Contemporary powders had high nitroglycerin content and would "eat" throats much more rapidly than we modernfolk are used to.   I purchased this rifle some years ago from a long-ago retired Air Corps officer.  I didn't quiz him about his use of it.  The interesting things about this particular rifle are the M1901 sight with large aperture, handguard and front sight that look like they "belong", not like they were added some long time after the rifle left government ownership, it came with an original (not reprpo) muzzle cover, and a nice 1942-dated Boyt M1907 sling, obvously used, but not abused and well cared for.  The groove diameter of this barrel is .3094".

Resp'y,
Bob S.

P.S.  The Criterion barrel that I have was purchased from CMP about two years ago.

Resp'y,
Bob S.