1903 A3 Remington

[hps1]

Mark up one more for the 30-06, even if it does "use too much powder and bigger bullet than necessary for "small" deer." Nice buck, NB!
Regards,
hps

 

[Iggy]

Had one that raised hell with the coyotes out on the ranch for about 20 years.

 

[hps1]

I find my sporterized 03A3 very easy to tune as long as I keep my expectations in check and remember that it’s a 70 year old military rifle, not a custom target rifle and it’s only purpose in life is to slay deer

Nothing wrong with a good high number 03 or any A3 as the foundation of a good sporter or even target rifle within reason.

When I was shooting HP competition, I was going through a 30-06 target barrel in my Mod. 70 every 16 months or so @ somewhere near $500 a pop. Had a couple of the old takeoff's under the bench and, since my barrels were all 26" minimum had a brainstorm. The barrels looked like new forward of the throat but somewhere near 7500 rounds started throwing fliers. I shot a lot more practice rounds than I did in matches, and a plan to save my target barrel for matches began to take shape.

I also had an A3 with a rough barrel that shot well but coppered badly so spoke to a gunsmith who said he would cut off whatever necessary, rethread to the Springfield and rechamber for $40.

Smallbore shooters routinely cut off and rechamber; why not centerfire? Everyone I asked figured I could get another 2500 or so rounds out of the old barrels, so I ordered a target stock blank and went to work on it while the old barrel and action was @ the gunsmith. Wanted it to feel/fit as close to my mod. 70 as possible.

Came back about 3" shorter than original but was close enough for practice, most of which was offhand and a little prone & sitting rapid fire. Accuracy was on a par with the model 70 with a couple of differences. The recycled barrel was still shooting very well @ 1500 rounds when I had to quit position shooting due to arthritis.

^ Pre-64 Mod. 70 Win. W/sights ^ ^ 1903A3 W/O Sights ^
ETA: The Redfield Internation sights interchange between both rifles.
Rather than spend a lot of time on the original trigger, I dropped a Timney in it and it was good to go. The A3 action is not nearly as smooth as my old Mod. 70, but the 70 has over 20,000 rounds through it plus probably 3-4 times that number of "dry fired" rounds so it is very smoooooth!

I quickly learned that my shot would be one ring out from my call on offhand due to the slower lock time of the 03, but since I never shoot the 03 in matches, that's not an issue. A stronger FP spring and cutting off the cocking knob to lighten striker assy. would get the lock time close to the 70, but I didn't feel it was worth the effort for a practice rifle (did not affect POI on more stable positions).

Gotta love the 1903's.

Regards,
hps

 

[TIMC]

Here’s mine 1943, I can say it is a tack driver. I’m running 150 grain Winchester power point bullets pushed by 50.0 grains of H4895. She will almost put 3 rounds in the same hole at 100 yards when I’m doing my part.

 

[mustanger98]

My error was addressed above. However, there was this comment:

"No 1903A3 is a low number with improper heat treatment. However, some are restored drill rifles which is a whole nother issue."

Anyway, everyone knows you reloaders load everything with compressed pistol-powder loads anyway

I reload, but not like that, and consider it funny in this context.

 

[fpgt72]

Nothing wrong with a good high number 03 or any A3 as the foundation of a good sporter or even target rifle within reason.

When I was shooting HP competition, I was going through a 30-06 target barrel in my Mod. 70 every 16 months or so @ somewhere near $500 a pop. Had a couple of the old takeoff's under the bench and, since my barrels were all 26" minimum had a brainstorm. The barrels looked like new forward of the throat but somewhere near 7500 rounds started throwing fliers. I shot a lot more practice rounds than I did in matches, and a plan to save my target barrel for matches began to take shape.

I also had an A3 with a rough barrel that shot well but coppered badly so spoke to a gunsmith who said he would cut off whatever necessary, rethread to the Springfield and rechamber for $40.

Smallbore shooters routinely cut off and rechamber; why not centerfire? Everyone I asked figured I could get another 2500 or so rounds out of the old barrels, so I ordered a target stock blank and went to work on it while the old barrel and action was @ the gunsmith. Wanted it to feel/fit as close to my mod. 70 as possible.

Came back about 3" shorter than original but was close enough for practice, most of which was offhand and a little prone & sitting rapid fire. Accuracy was on a par with the model 70 with a couple of differences. The recycled barrel was still shooting very well @ 1500 rounds when I had to quit position shooting due to arthritis.
View attachment 839516View attachment 839517
^ Pre-64 Mod. 70 Win. W/sights ^ ^ 1903A3 W/O Sights ^
ETA: The Redfield Internation sights interchange between both rifles.
Rather than spend a lot of time on the original trigger, I dropped a Timney in it and it was good to go. The A3 action is not nearly as smooth as my old Mod. 70, but the 70 has over 20,000 rounds through it plus probably 3-4 times that number of "dry fired" rounds so it is very smoooooth!

I quickly learned that my shot would be one ring out from my call on offhand due to the slower lock time of the 03, but since I never shoot the 03 in matches, that's not an issue. A stronger FP spring and cutting off the cocking knob to lighten striker assy. would get the lock time close to the 70, but I didn't feel it was worth the effort for a practice rifle (did not affect POI on more stable positions).

Gotta love the 1903's.

Regards,
hps

If.....in 2019 your are taking a "good high number 03 or A3 and using it as a foundation of a good sporter" you should have your @$$ removed. This is not 1950 any longer and these things do not cost $25....and that was a bit of money back in 1950.

I will leave it at that.

 

[fpgt72]

My error was addressed above. However, there was this comment:

"No 1903A3 is a low number with improper heat treatment. However, some are restored drill rifles which is a whole nother issue."

Anyway, everyone knows you reloaders load everything with compressed pistol-powder loads anyway

I start that question in the reloading section of several gun sites I visit once and a while to try to learn why people do that.

Trail boss seems to be the go to powder for everything.....and I just don't get it.

 

[hps1]

If.....in 2019 your are taking a "good high number 03 or A3 and using it as a foundation of a good sporter" you should have your @$$ removed. This is not 1950 any longer and these things do not cost $25....and that was a bit of money back in 1950.

I will leave it at that.

Well, sir, that is your opinion, and as they say, opinions are like "@$$es" and we all have one. I'll keep mine, thank you.

Now, if you refer to "destroying" a 1903 in original, as issued condition to sporterize, I would have to agree with you, however, there are many 03's (& 98 Mausers) floating around which have already been Bubba'd that are just waiting to be rescued. Forgive me for not making that clear. It is the latter to which I refer, and I stand by my statement that there is little wrong with the 03 action as a basis for a modern sporter other than the slightly slower lock time alluded to above.

Oh, if you paid 25 bucks for an 03 in 1950, you may have paid too much. In the mid to late '50's the DCM (forerunner of CMP) offered these rifles to NRA members. First offering was $30, when they did not sell them all, they were offered later for $12.50 IIRC. My first was new in cosmoline and 2nd was a new Remington 2 groove in sealed tinfoil sleeve. Alas, those days are gone forever.

By the way, a very interesting study of the development of the 03, Hatcher's Notebook, by Gen. Julian Hatcher is an excellent reference.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ha...Q1rc6h--6-HO4iT_BS8CWM2X3D5mhjxoC5esQAvD_BwE#

Will close with a bit of eye candy; the 1935 vintage 1903 in a C stock, complete with an original Mod. 1905 wooden handled bayonet which I mentioned above. It remains unfired, just as when I found it in 1983.

Darn, all this Springfield talk; think I'll dig back to the back of my safe and give 'er another coat of oil.

Regards,
hps

 

[boom boom]

I start that question in the reloading section of several gun sites I visit once and a while to try to learn why people do that.

Trail boss seems to be the go to powder for everything.....and I just don't get it.

One is that Hodgdon's has a pretty good marketing department.

Two, Accurate/Western, which has a good powder for it, 5744, not so much. https://www.ammoland.com/2017/07/accurate-5744-powder-review-accurate-arms/

Three, a lot of folks in Cowboy Shooting got used to using it so there was an established base of demand for it.

Four, a lot of traditional rifle powders are not that good with mouse fart type reduced loads

Five, some of those old rifles have a dubious past, especially some of those old battle rifles, and it is generally prudent to keep loads down but people still want to shoot them. Trailboss (or other similar powders) is one way to do that versus problematic cartridge adaptors or rebarreling to something like a .22LR and destroying collector value.

 

[boom boom]

Nothing wrong with a good high number 03 or any A3 as the foundation of a good sporter or even target rifle within reason.

When I was shooting HP competition, I was going through a 30-06 target barrel in my Mod. 70 every 16 months or so @ somewhere near $500 a pop. Had a couple of the old takeoff's under the bench and, since my barrels were all 26" minimum had a brainstorm. The barrels looked like new forward of the throat but somewhere near 7500 rounds started throwing fliers. I shot a lot more practice rounds than I did in matches, and a plan to save my target barrel for matches began to take shape.

I also had an A3 with a rough barrel that shot well but coppered badly so spoke to a gunsmith who said he would cut off whatever necessary, rethread to the Springfield and rechamber for $40.

Smallbore shooters routinely cut off and rechamber; why not centerfire? Everyone I asked figured I could get another 2500 or so rounds out of the old barrels, so I ordered a target stock blank and went to work on it while the old barrel and action was @ the gunsmith. Wanted it to feel/fit as close to my mod. 70 as possible.

Came back about 3" shorter than original but was close enough for practice, most of which was offhand and a little prone & sitting rapid fire. Accuracy was on a par with the model 70 with a couple of differences. The recycled barrel was still shooting very well @ 1500 rounds when I had to quit position shooting due to arthritis.
View attachment 839516View attachment 839517
^ Pre-64 Mod. 70 Win. W/sights ^ ^ 1903A3 W/O Sights ^
ETA: The Redfield Internation sights interchange between both rifles.
Rather than spend a lot of time on the original trigger, I dropped a Timney in it and it was good to go. The A3 action is not nearly as smooth as my old Mod. 70, but the 70 has over 20,000 rounds through it plus probably 3-4 times that number of "dry fired" rounds so it is very smoooooth!

I quickly learned that my shot would be one ring out from my call on offhand due to the slower lock time of the 03, but since I never shoot the 03 in matches, that's not an issue. A stronger FP spring and cutting off the cocking knob to lighten striker assy. would get the lock time close to the 70, but I didn't feel it was worth the effort for a practice rifle (did not affect POI on more stable positions).

Gotta love the 1903's.

Regards,
hps

hps, if you don't mind sharing. Out of curiousity, how did your gunsmith handle the coned barrel when he set back the barrel for your Springfield? I know on the 1917 Rifle, at least, a few folks have removed the cone entirely when requalifying the barrel arguing that the original P14 design did the same thing and report that a coned barrel was not needed. Was wondering if your guy did that when setting old barrel back or simply using a lathe to duplicate the cone after setback.

 

[hps1]

Four, a lot of traditional rifle powders are not that good with mouse fart type reduced loads

Five, some of those old rifles have a dubious past, especially some of those old battle rifles, and it is generally prudent to keep loads down but people still want to shoot them. Trailboss (or other similar powders) is one way to do that versus problematic cartridge adaptors or rebarreling to something like a .22LR and destroying collector value.

^^^
A load suggested by Sierra tech 30 years ago: 17.5 gr. Unique behind 168 gr. SMK and lit by Fed. BR primers resulted in one hole groups @ 100 yds. from prone position in my match rifle (not original Springfield barrel).

Our club held 100 yd. reduced NRA matches monthly, but never shot it in a match because it was so slow group opened way up in a varying cross wind. Bet it would have been the berries for a rapid fire string on a dead calm day, though.

Regards,
hps

 

[hps1]

He just duplicated the springfield cone on his lathe.

Had a great lgs back then; unfortunately he has since retired.
I shared a set of International sights between my Mod 70 & the practice rifle and, not surprisingly, the barrel was not indexed exactly the same as it had been on the Mod 70, so I asked if he could turn the barrel back (unscrew) just a tad to get it closer to zero on my sights. Don't know if it was luck or skill, probably a combination of the two, but when I got it back it was only a minute or two off from my #1 rifle!

Rifle feeds perfectly and have had no issues whatsoever.

Regards,
hps

 

[Nature Boy]

Oh, if you paid 25 bucks for an 03 in 1950, you may have paid too much. In the mid to late '50's the DCM (forerunner of CMP) offered these rifles to NRA members. First offering was $30, when they did not sell them all, they were offered later for $12.50 IIRC. My first was new in cosmoline and 2nd was a new Remington 2 groove in sealed tinfoil sleeve. Alas, those days are gone forever.

To support what you're saying, my dad says he paid $15 for his (which is the one I have now) and started the sporterization project in the late 50's that he never finished. I finished it for him a few years ago and he gave it to me

 

[tark]

Sometimes you cant beat a good LOW number 03! Still trying to talk the boss into taking this beauty out of the case so I can get my mitts on it

 

[boom boom]

Sometimes you cant beat a good LOW number 03! Still trying to talk the boss into taking this beauty out of the case so I can get my mitts on it

Does it still have the rod bayonet and is in .30-03?

 

[hps1]

To support what you're saying, my dad says he paid $15 for his (which is the one I have now) and started the sporterization project in the late 50's that he never finished. I finished it for him a few years ago and he gave it to me

Nice job! Back in the '50's there were so many mil surps around that no one ever thought the supply would dry up and many, many were sporterized.

My Remington 2 groove met a similar fate. I dropped it in a $12 Bishop stock blank and it went to Ft Polk as my hunting rifle.

While TDY on the post AMU, we travelled to Ft Hood for the TSRA state service rifle matches one week and 4th Army matches the next. One of those matches had a 300 meter offhand any/any match (Any rifle/any sights) on Saturday.

Our team CO left it up to individual team members as to whether they entered or not, but ammo was available to do so. One teammate said he was tired of shooting the M1; if he had another rifle, he'd love to shoot.

I jokingly offered him the use of the A3, which still wore the original sights. Surprisingly, he took me up on the offer. He later said, there were a number of really fancy scoped schuetzen rifles on the line and as he walked up with the little Springfield on a sling, caught a bunch of flak from other competitors. One comment in particular was, "Hey boy, whatcha gonna do with that rifle, go rabbit hunting?" At the end of the day, he took either 2nd or 3rd (I can't remember for sure) place, came back and told me he was going to buy that rifle. I resisted, as I had no plans to sell it, but he finally made an offer I couldn't refuse.

Just one more fond memory of an A3 I once owned.

Regards,
hps

 

[hps1]

Sometimes you cant beat a good LOW number 03! Still trying to talk the boss into taking this beauty out of the case so I can get my mitts on it

WOW! that one looks brand new.

 

[GooseGestapo]

My 03A3, bought it from CMP. Took it to range on my way home. Load was Federal brass, CCI 34 primers, Hornady 155gr A-max over 48.0gr H4895.
1943 Springfield, 03A3, Rem w/2groove bbl. 0.5 te, 0.0me. First shot left, 1click right correction. It’ll shoot!

 

[hps1]

Sorry, double tap

 

[hps1]

My 03A3, bought it from CMP. Took it to range on my way home. Load was Federal brass, CCI 34 primers, Hornady 155gr A-max over 48.0gr H4895.
1943 Springfield, 03A3, Rem w/2groove bbl. 0.5 te, 0.0me. First shot left, 1click right correction. It’ll shoot!

47 gr 4895 behind 150 gr. bullet = M2 ball ballistics. Good shooting!

Regards,
hps

 

[tark]

Does it still have the rod bayonet and is in .30-03?

It is all original, never fired, and was taken from the production line straight to the museum at the Rock Island Arsenal. It has the pig sticker bayonet and it is a 30-03. A collector would grade the gun at 100%.

#1 is the gun in the middle.

WOW! that one looks brand new.

It is. See the above comments.

 

[hps1]

It is all original, never fired, and was taken from the production line straight to the museum at the Rock Island Arsenal. It has the pig sticker bayonet and it is a 30-03. A collector would grade the gun at 100%.

#1 is the gun in the middle.

It is. See the above comments.

I think I'm in love! Is that the NRA museum @ Fairfax?
Thanks for sharing!

Regards,
hps

 

[boom boom]

I think I'm in love! Is that the NRA museum @ Fairfax?
Thanks for sharing!

Regards,
hps

Tark has a gig at the Rock Island Armory museum--if you look up past threads, he gets to handle all sorts of rare objects and now and then he shares pictures so we can envy him.

 

[hps1]

Tark has a gig at the Rock Island Armory museum--if you look up past threads, he gets to handle all sorts of rare objects and now and then he shares pictures so we can envy him.

Ahhh, mission accomplished! I have only had the opportunity to visit NRA museum once several years back, took lots of pictures but I knew I would have remembered that display. Thanks, BB.

Regards,
hps

 

[boom boom]

Ahhh, mission accomplished! I have only had the opportunity to visit NRA museum once several years back, took lots of pictures but I knew I would have remembered that display. Thanks, BB.

Regards,
hps

I have not been to the Rock Island Armory museum but hope to go sometime when I am in the area. I have been to the Springfield Armory museum and it is magnificent if you like military arms. There is also Dr. Seuss museum curiously enough just a few blocks from Springfield Armory and Norman Rockwell's museum is a few miles away in Stockbridge, MA.