Have a 1903-A3 action and a long winter

My mind is tossing around a few ideas for a new rifle project built around a 1903A3 action (rem) I have laying around...

338-06
35 Whelen Ackely Improved
375 Whelen Ackely improved...

Anyone have any interesting barrels ?????

I've always admired the 338-06. Never had one, but in comparing it with the 35 Whelen AI and the 375 Whelen AI and even with the round I went with, the 9.3x62, the 338-06 came out ahead as far as being more ballistically efficient. In addition, I believe there maybe a better bullet choice with the .338.

I know my 9.3 has a very limited choice, but it's probably closer to the 35 Whelen AI ballistically.

338-06 or 35 whelen

You can't lose. Pick one and go with it. You won't be sorry.

I used to have a 358 Norma Mag which I loved.
Now I have a 350 Rem Mag, which is OK but suffers from no being able to seat the bullets long.

30-06????

You can't beat them with a Hickey Stick!

I don't care who ya are! :D

rc

Hey Float Pilot, forgot that you're up in AK. So, I'd lean a little towards the 35 whelen, or the AI version , or if you've really got a wild hair - 9.3x62.

Probably better to stick with the Whelen just because I'm sure you could at least get 30-06 brass (for fire forming of course) if availability was a problem for the other choices way up yonder in the frozen tundra :)

I just got a Rem 700 classic in 35 Whelen from my dad for Christmas. From my limited experience and from others I've talked with about the head space "issues" associated with the whelen, I really don't think it's an issue at all. I think it just gives us gun nuts something else to gab about quite honestly.

But... Take what I say with a grain of salt... I'm just a rifle looney from Texas. ;)

30-06????

You can't beat them with a Hickey Stick

I already have 5 rifles in 30-06, a 300 win mag, a 350 Rem Mag, 416 Taylor, 45-80 and a 458 Win...
Don't get me started on the rifles of smaller calibers...

I am getting long in the tooth and will be thinning the herd...

What's the verdict ?

Here is the route I went considering I already had a .308 Garand.

Last year I inherited a 1903-A3 after my grandfather passed away. By the time I got the rifle it had been sporterized. All the was left was the receiver and even the rear sight base had been ground off.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb134/babarsac/DSCF0034.jpg

Needless to say something had to be done with this poor rifle so I removed all the commercial parts parts leaving pretty much just the receiver. I added:

-New Criterion barrel in .308 (I have lots of 308)
-Surplus USGI stock
-USGI stock hardware from Numrich\Old West Scrounger\CMP Forum
-Redfield 1-piece mount and rings
-Older Weaver scope

I had a shop down in Richmond parkerize the whole thing and cut the notch for a bent bolt. What I ended up with was a sort of faux 1903-A4 considering I couldn't replace the rear sight.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb134/babarsac/20120907_194631.jpg

you don't have a 308 on the list

you don't have a 308 on the list

I have an M-1A Bush Model buried around here someplace. In fact I will probably sell the darn thing since I have not fired it in 10 years. My 6.5x55mm (plus 7x57mms) are more accurate and my 30-06s have more thump.
I used to have a bull barrel Remington target rifle in 308... but it was traded off for something or another....

Right now I am wheeling and dealing with a guy a couple hundred miles north of me who has a couple of barrels.... On is bored to .375,,,,,,,, so a 375-06 Ackley Improved might be a thought... I know where there is a set of dies for it....

If you decide to do a 375AI i have a reamer you can borrow

Have you considered the .308 Norma magnum? I have an older 03 conversion that basically equals my .338 win mag. Great rifle!! Just a thought.

Badasp118

I had thought about the 308 Norma mag... Which is about the same as the 300 Win Mag...

Then I started thinking about another 358 Norma Mag since it is better for Alaska... Of course with the magnums you loose magazine capacity... And after 5 decades hunting up here,,, I have come to believe that a magnum belt on a cartridge is a good way to have feeding problems while in a stressful situation.

My suggestion is to chamber it in 35 Whelen.

It would be nice to build it like Griffin and Howe would have a back in the day.

http://www.hallowellco.com/gh-1461-right-sm.jpg

Yah Sure,,,, that is pretty sexy....

I have an 03 A4 barrel that has been chambered to 308 Norma Mag, it is full length with a brake, the barrel was removed when when the receiver was discovered to be an A4, the rifle has been returned to ‘period correct’ for the serial number. I do not have a Springfield action I am willing to give up. M1917s? that is different.

F. Guffey

I think I will go with a 338-06 on this one....

I am just about finished with another project rifle which is chambered for 375 Ruger.
So considering all the other cartridges I have, the 338-06 fits better into the only empty spot left....

The 338/06 is a dandy cartridge if bigger game is on your plate. I have one on a 98 Mauser action with a full length magwell. Using 180-200 garin bullets for medium sized game and 210 partitions for everything else gives you a powerful but still controllable medium range hunting rifle.

I rebarreled mine to a 270 winchester in 1980.

With the price of WWll military rifles today, why not leave it or return it to original and reap the big bucks?

I built a Mauser 98 338/06 several years ago. Recoil is between a 30/06 and 300Win mag while pushing a heavier, bigger diameter bullet which was my goal. I don't shoot it since elk hunting has gone out of my budget.