1903 A3 question

[cottonmouth]

I just traded into an 03 Smith Corona. I pulled the stock off and found that the barrel is welded to the receiver, is this correct? I suspect it is not, or at least it doesn't look like it to me. The barrel is clean and the chamber looks good. Any 03 buffs that know please let me know, I'm wanting to shoot this old Nazi buster if it's safe. If this is not correct why would it be done?

J.B.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

No it's not correct and no it should never be shot.

 

[Freedomv]

Sorry to say, but this is not good. Some one has taken a reject barrel, that is to say one that has had the shoulder turned too far and will not screw into the reciever and tighten up in "time" with the reciever.
The barrel has been screwed in untill the front sight lines up perpendicular and then the barrel is welded to hold it in place.

I have seen these several times. Usually they were put togather by a firm calling itself "National Ordanace" or something like that out of Calif. I would check the head spacing to make sure that it is in tolerance. If it is I would assume that it would be safe to shoot, but I really would sell it as a wall hanger.

If the barrel is really close to tightening up (check by removing welds I would assume that they are just tack welds) You could use an epoxy such as lock tite to glue the barrel in place. A much better way than welding and you only need to heat the reciever and barrel to 300 degrees F. to break it loose.

Vern

 

[cottonmouth]

1903

Well that's about par for the course I play on! I just took the stock off again to give her another look. It's obvious to me now it's a patch job. But it's funny to me how well the finish on the barrel and receiver match. The barrel is marked SC with the bursting bomb below and 3 43 under that, I'm guessing it is all Smith Corona. I did figure that I only have $160.00 in the thing after the trade but that may be $160.00 too much.

J.B.

 

[Gator]

If its got a SC stock and bolt you can get your money back easy by selling those.

 

[alemonkey]

Would it be worth it to get a replacement barrel? Or is the receiver shot?

 

[cottonmouth]

The receiver is good, tight as any other bolt gun. I will get the headspace checked on it before I make up my mind on what to do with it.

J.B.

 

[glimmerman]

What you have there is a drill rifle someone bought and tried to make shootable by removeing the weld on the magazine cutoff, replaceing the bolt (drill rifle bolts were welded at the fireing pin hole or bolt face), replaced the rear site (were removed for drill purposes) and the front sight blade (same as rear sight). When they welded the barrel to the reciever all hopes of makeing this into a serviceable rifle again were lost as the heat treating on the reciever and barrel were degradaded beyond use. DO NOT TRY TO FIRE THIS RIFLE !!!!. The drill rifles where made for the purpose if drills only and saw some blank fireing use. Sell it (BUT NOT AS A FIREING RIFLE !!!!) or hang it on the wall.

 

[rcmodel]

+1

If the receiver has been welded on, it is no longer safe to fire.

But it's funny to me how well the finish on the barrel and receiver match.

It was re-parkerized at some point before or after the weld job.
Are the welds Parkerized?

rcmodel

 

[cottonmouth]

No, the weld is not parkerized and the barrel is marked 43 and the serial number shows to be from 43 also. I will most likely get with the guy I traded with and crawfish the deal.

J.B.