1903-A3 questions

[fridlo]

Folks --

I've been wanting a 30-06, and have been looking at a long-ago-sporterized 03-A3. Although it has no collector value, it looks very nice. I find it attractive because it's a near-Mauser lockup, and parts would be easy to find. It has 2-groove rifling. Are there advantages or disadvantages to 2-groove rifling over 4-groove or other riflings? Any other caveats on 03-A3's?

Thanks, Fridlo
[email protected]

 

[Jim Watson]

Two groove rifling was devised to increase production rates and reduce costs for military rifles in a day when rifling was cut one groove at a time. It is no less accurate than four groove as far as a military or hunting rifle goes. Might be a little more durable over thousands of shots but it would be hard to tell on an individual basis. (I have a target rifle with three groove barrel and it shoots very well.)

 

[ball3006]

If the price is right.....

buy it........One thing though, make sure the receiver is a GI receiver and not a knockoff.....chris3

 

[MarshallDodge]

I just sold my sporterized 03A3. I don't remember how many grooves it had but with a basic recipe reload it would shoot sub-moa groups at 100 yards.

 

[fridlo]

Re: If the price is right ...

Ball 3006 --

So, how can I tell if it is a GI receiver or a "knockoff"?

Fridlo

 

[Sunray]

"...near-Mauser lockup..." Not surprising considering it's a modified Mauser action.
"...advantages or disadvantages to 2-groove rifling over 4-groove..." Nope. The two groove rifling was introduced as a war time cost and time saving measure. There's no difference in accuracy.
"...a "knockoff"?..." National Ordnance did have some receivers made in the 60's. If it has 'Natl Ord' on the receiver, it's one of them. There are far more "sporterized" '03A3's around than National Ordnance copies. Go here and do a search for the serial number. It'll tell you when the receiver was made. You'll need to know if it's a Springfield, Smith Corona or Remington manufacture though. http://armscollectors.com/sn/usmildates.htm

 

[Vern Humphrey]

So, how can I tell if it is a GI receiver or a "knockoff"?

If it says Remington or Smith-Corona on the receiver ring, it's genuine. If not, don't touch it with a 10-foot pole.

 

[azhunter12]

Marshall, how much did you get for your 1903 a3? My dad has one and I think he said he paid something like $125. AZhunter

 

[MarshallDodge]

I got $200 for it and could have gotten more but I sold it back to the original owner who is a friend. Around here they typically go for 250-350.
It had a nice monte carlo stock and a sweet Timney trigger.
I really wanted to keep it but I have not shot it in 4 years, I have two original A3's, and I just bought the LR308 so my chances of shooting it are pretty slim.

 

[fridlo]

03-A3 Questions

Vern --

On top of the receiver is:

US
REMINGTON
MODEL 03-A#
S/N XXXXXX

Is that what you're referring to as "on the receiver ring"?

Thanks, Fridlo

 

[30Cal]

That's USGI.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That's it.

Think of the receiver as two rings, connected by two parallel bars. The front ring is the Receiver Ring. The rear (where the rear sight is mounted on the '03A3) is the Receiver Bridge. The connecting bars are the rails.