Mann Device Sled

[NMC_EXP]

Originally Posted by Logdog

Does anyone have a picture of the fixture a Mann Device rides in. I have a very heavy base with two fixtures for securing a tube. I bought it 10 years ago near Aberdeen Proving grounds from a gent who said it was a mann device base. I'll post pictures later

Col Brophy's book "The Springfield 1903 Rifles" has a chapter called "Pressure, Velocity and Accuracy Devices". It contains several period photos of machine rests.

On page 223 in a section called "Accuracy Tests" it has a reproduction of a test procedure including the equipment to be used. It states:

Rest "Woodworth: Type -
Mann Type "V" Block**
Rest, Recoil, Accuracy, Cal.30 Ordnance Drawing 49-6-40B

**For cal. .22 cartridges

Further down the procedure says:

"If however the basic Frankford Arsenal rest be available, then only the "V" blocks indicated are need to satisfy the requirement."

Block "V", Recoil, Cal. .30 Assembly Ordnance Drawing D-45100

The way I read it there was a "Woodworth Rest", and a "Frankford Arsenal Rest".

The "V" block fitted the rests interchangably (?). There may have been (2) different "V" blocks: one for .30 cal and one for .22 cal.

You might want to check out the Brophy book and Hatcher's books as well for photos and information.

Also, I believe you can get copies of obsolete Ordnance Drawings from the govt, maybe the National Archives and records Administration?

Good luck

[VMFn542bob]

Thanks for posting that info on Col Brophy's book. A Google search of images brought up those pictures but as you say, the quality of the pictures is too dark to see much detail. Maybe the actual book would be better. Two of the pictures I found and posted several years ago are in that book but (I think) I found them in the Springfield Museum on line. If I can't find Brophy's book among my friends I may buy a copy. Hatcher's Book is already on the internet as a huge PDF. There is not very much in it on the MANN.
Semper Fi - VMF(N)542Bob

Update 2/29/2014, 1:33pm MST
I have borrowed a copy of Lt. Col. Brophy's book, 4th printing. Most of the photos on the section cited by NMC_EXP are devoted to pressure testing and cradled 1903's clamped to a sled. Some pictures do show MANN barrels in a fixture but most of the MANN barrels pictured are not associated with a holding fixture.
Logdog - If you can provide a photo of your sled I can tell you if it is shown in the book. There are many versions of the Mann rifles in the book that I have never seen before.

[Logdog]

Site will not let me post, pics sent to Naval Aviator

[kraigwy]

NMC EXP

Thanks for posting about "Col Brophy's" book.

As soon as I read your post I went to Amazon and found it. I bought it for information on the Mann device and found it to be an excellent book on the Springfield. A great companion piece for my "The Book of the Springfield" by Cpt Edward Crossman.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For what it's worth, here is a picture of the cradle for the Mann in 45 ACP from Hatcher's "Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers"

It show how the device fits in the cradle.



I screwed the pooch on getting a Springfield Mann, thinking I had time. But I did get a Remington 700 5.56 Mann from the CMP Auction Site.

[Logdog]

I measured the sled across the clamps and came up with aprox 1.7 to 2" depending on what are the bearing surfaces. This corresponds roughly with what Bob has posted for measurements. I one of the guys who thought the devices would be around forever, so don't have one to compare with.