1903A3 for the Navy?

[BigBore44]

Guys need kind of a fast answer here. Did the navy or Springfield do a conversion for the 1903A3 in 308? If so was it a parade rifle? Dummy gun? Or was it a real conversion for actual use? My dad had found one at a gun show. Seller claims it was a military conversion with a steel sleeve in the receiver. He's wanting 600 cash. Seems fishy to me. But I know Jack about Springfields. Did a decent 25 minute search on Google and didn't really find anything.

I'll be at the Wannamaker in about 45 minutes. Could really use an answer in the next hour if possible.

Edit: I will continue to look on my way. But any help is much appreciated.

 

[Acera]

That is a good price on that rifle if it is in fairly decent shape.

IIRC they put a small steel piece in the chamber to convert M1 Garands to fire .308. That could be the same thing the seller is talking about.

I know a few people who would snap that up.


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[P5 Guy]

Buy the gun on condition not the story.

 

[eastbank]

a good friend has a original navy m-1 garand in 308 and i see no reason they would not have did the same thing with the springfield. just check it well as the inserts can come loose. eastbank.

 

[Sunray]

USN did the chamber insert thing to M1 Rifles. Never heard of '03A3's being done. No reason to do that to a bolt action. DP rifles are usually inoperative. However, the USN supposedly had some '03A3's on their boats to shoot mines.
The chamber inserts had a tendency to come out upon extraction too. In any case, like p5-guy says, buy the rifle not the story.

 

[BigBore44]

Want to thank everyone for their info. The rifle was indeed a drill rifle. I passed. The Wannamaker was absolutely flooded with 1903's and many Garands and M1Carbines. Overall a good show. Prices had not come down much at all. But such as life.