Breeching Up Washers

[Potashminer]

I've read that it was a thing in the British Army to use "breeching up" washers between the barrel shoulder and the receiver face to get the 7.62 barrels to proper index with proper torque numbers. I am trying to install a small ring mauser barrel with an .820" long barrel tenon to a receiver that appears to want a .610" barrel tenon. The barrel is from a 1907 Paraguay; the receiver is similar size to a Swede 96. I did not know that the .980" x 12 tpi small ring barrel threads came in different barrel tenon lengths, but they do. The barrel is chambered for 7.65x53 - I do not own a reamer for that, so shortening the tenon and deepening the chamber is not an option. So, considering installing a "breeching up" washer.

The British washers were an "in stock" item ranging from .060" to .080". I am looking at .210".

So, informed or experienced comments appreciated - has anyone used breeching up washers, and any particular reason why this would not work? If you have used them, is there an advantage to the "washer" being threaded and tightened up to the barrel shoulder before the receiver is installed, or can it be made up as a sleeve that skims along the top of the barrel tenon threads?

 

[tiriaq]

I acquired a PacNor .308 barrel through the EE, chambered and threaded, but never installed. The seller believed that it was machined to fit a M700. It almost was - counterbore, threads and chamber were just right - but the shank was too long. I suspect it had been machined for one of the custom 700 clones. So, I lathe turned a breeching collar, very much like the one that you are thinking about. By adjusting the collar length I was able to torque the barrel in with correct bolt nose to barrel breech gap and headspace. It shoots very nicely.
The sleeve I made is just a plain collar that slides onto the shank, and is held in place between the barrel shoulder and the receiver face.
I have also made breeching washers that I soft soldered to the barrel and then machined to obtain correct shank length. I suppose one could be internally threaded and installed on the shank. That would be a lot of bother for no good reason.
Can't see any reason that a spacer wouldn't work for you. You are going to have to find someone with a lathe, though.

 

[bearhunter]

I put a barrel onto a Swede M38 action that needed a breeching washer. Never gave an issue.

The Brits weren't the only ones using those washers. I've come across a few US Springfield rifles with them.

When you think about it, the recoil ring on a Rem 700 does double duty as a breeching washer and a recoil lug. I've seen several Remington actions fitted with custom width recoil rings to adjust headspace. Usually on aftermarket barrel installation where the barrel was pre chambered and the smith didn't have the proper reamer for the job. One offs aren't worth buying an expensive reamer for and if the customer doesn't want to pay for it, this is a cheap, easy fix.

I believe Remington used to sell recoil rings of different widths. Not sure though

 

[Potashminer]

Thank you tiriaq and bearhunter! I am very much a beginner with my lathe, so this will make a good project, now that I am satisfied the concept will work. And the comment about the Rem 700 style recoil lug as a breeching washer is "spot on" - as it happens, I actually have a couple of "custom ground" recoil lugs by "Hollands Gunsmithing" to .250" thick, with 1.0035" bore, so similar thickness to what I had in mind. I had not "twigged" that they also do the same function as a breeching washer.

 

[dan belisle]

I put a barrel onto a Swede M38 action that needed a breeching washer. Never gave an issue.

The Brits weren't the only ones using those washers. I've come across a few US Springfield rifles with them.

When you think about it, the recoil ring on a Rem 700 does double duty as a breeching washer and a recoil lug. I've seen several Remington actions fitted with custom width recoil rings to adjust headspace. Usually on aftermarket barrel installation where the barrel was pre chambered and the smith didn't have the proper reamer for the job. One offs aren't worth buying an expensive reamer for and if the customer doesn't want to pay for it, this is a cheap, easy fix.

I believe Remington used to sell recoil rings of different widths. Not sure though

I know Brownells did. I bought a few back when. - dan

 

[Leeper]

Remington made recoil lugs of different thicknesses only by accident and did not vary them to adjust headspace. If headspace is short, a washer can correct that. In a case where the tenon is too long, a washer can be used to set headspace. It sounds like the barrel referenced by the OP is correct if allowed to seat on the inner seat in the receiver. With this being the case, I would make the washer so it contacted just one or two thou before the breech end of the barrel contacts the seat.