My Step father served in the Korean war. He was sent to Japan as a part of the post WW2 occupation of Japan. He has some great stories! He shot on the Navy pistol team and loves military guns. Later, when he was first married he got a 1903 springfield bolt action with the full lenth military stock. One day he went off out of town for work and when he came home his brother in law had a surprise waiting for him. In good faith, his brother in law had cut off my step fathers' Springfield stock and sporterized it for hunting. He had done a crappy job of it as well. Well, my step Dad is in his 70's now and it had bothered him all these years but with raising his kids and working and all he has never done any thing to restore his gun. Because I am the "gun guy" in the family he always tells me how he needs to fix that old 1903. What is the best way to do that, retaining any value the gun has and putting it back to it's original condition?
A sad story of a 1903 springfield.
- Thread starter deanl
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Just get a replacement stock for it. Search the net, and you'll likely find a period stock. Most all of these guns were re-arsenaled at one point, so it's not unusual for a remington to have a springfield stock...etc. At worst, I think boyds still makes a new walnut military replacement stock for it. Rub it down with some BLO and/or tung oil and you'll bring a smile to Pop's face!
10X
Member
If the only thing done was to mess up the stock, that can easily be fixed. As suggested by others stocks are available. Hopefully, nothing else was done to alter the 1903.
You can do a great service for your step father by replacing the stock.
You can do a great service for your step father by replacing the stock.
Jim Watson
Member
Boyd makes a repro stock, or you might be able to find an original takeoff.
If the gun was blued, it can be re - Parkerized.
If it was set up for a scope with holes drilled and tapped and the bolt bent; well plug screws are not very obvious and bolts are available.
If the barrel was sawn off. Sorry, but that is going to make it a real labor (and expense) of love.
If the gun was blued, it can be re - Parkerized.
If it was set up for a scope with holes drilled and tapped and the bolt bent; well plug screws are not very obvious and bolts are available.
If the barrel was sawn off. Sorry, but that is going to make it a real labor (and expense) of love.
aka108
Member
Try Numrich, think they have all you will need to restore. Seems like they have NOS stocks.
Dumpster Baby
Member
My inherited 1903A3 was sporterized by Bubba, only he polished and blued it, too. The only thing not done was drilling and tapping for a scope. Mine can't be restored without removing the rest of the already faint markings, and not at a reasonable price.
shuvelrider
Member
Check " The Sportsmans Guide " catolog, he puts out a catalog for military stuff and shooting. I've seen stock sets in there before for the 1903, also for other things that go bang. Also " Cheaper Then Dirt " shooting supplies. Look them up on google.
MilsurpShooter
Member
No stocks on Sportsmansguide, I'll keep an eye out but they do have this if you need it
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=92107
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=92107
Selfdfenz
Member
You may need some screws, barrels bands what not that you might find here:
http://www.sarcoinc.com/springfields.html
Unfortunately I'm no expert on the subject but you seem to be getting good intel from others. Too bad he didn't hang on to the pieces from back in the day...or did he?
Best of luck,
S-
http://www.sarcoinc.com/springfields.html
Unfortunately I'm no expert on the subject but you seem to be getting good intel from others. Too bad he didn't hang on to the pieces from back in the day...or did he?
Best of luck,
S-
birdshot8's
Member
i have a sporterized 1903. action is all that is left of the original. great gun. never loses it's zero, and smooth action. i inherited this gun in the 60's, shot the barrel out as a teenager, used a lot of wwII surplus, w/o cleaning, rebarreled with a douglas hvy barrel in 3006. broke the stock at the wrist trying to pin down a rattler in the 80s. this gun has a lot of good memories.
BigGunsMoreFun
Member
Your dad is a very nice guy
If that would have been me, and I'm known for my easy manner and being a Southern Gentleman, I'd have beat that idiot to within an inch of his life for Bubbafying my gun without my permission.
:banghead:
Don't mess with my family, my friends, my guns or my livelihood unless your want a good old Georgia ass whooping from me.
Your dad must be a very nice and patient man. He's a better man than I in respect to this.
Good luck finding a replacement stock. There are plenty around. I'm sure you can find one with a little searching.
Molon Labe,
Joe
If that would have been me, and I'm known for my easy manner and being a Southern Gentleman, I'd have beat that idiot to within an inch of his life for Bubbafying my gun without my permission.
:banghead:Don't mess with my family, my friends, my guns or my livelihood unless your want a good old Georgia ass whooping from me.
Your dad must be a very nice and patient man. He's a better man than I in respect to this.
Good luck finding a replacement stock. There are plenty around. I'm sure you can find one with a little searching.
Molon Labe,
Joe
strangelittleman
Member
Try Numrich's as well. I found a set of replacement barrel bands & upper forearm for my 1903A3 last year.
mljdeckard
Member
I always try to steer people to Brownell's, they gave me a 15% discount for being military.
So far all I can see that he did was the stock. I am glad!!! My Step Dad is a very nice guy and gets run over some times. This is one of them. Thank you for all the responses. This is a great place to get help and advice. Lots of good people.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Cosmoline
Member
Great story! All we are missing is a pic of the old man with the old rifle!
Funderb
Member
hell check ebay!
they were on last night. I might have made them too big and the attachments were taken off. I hope I fixed it. Not great pictures but you get the idea. I also found out he got this gunback when he was only 16 years old for hunting and then trained on a gun just like it in boot camp when he entered the Navy. Boot camp was much different then. They would rush you through and kick you out to the battlefield. The war was going ya know...
shuvelrider
Member
I saw your pics just fine today and remeber your original post, nice job getting that 03 back into proper condition. Hopefully you reload so you can make some mild loads for your step-dad to shoot it for old memories. I shoot an 03A3 and a Mod of 1917. I,m not a violent person but take that cut up stock and beat the other relation with it or send it to him for a Christmas present.
Jim Watson
Member
And a Mk I, to boot.
Do you know the significance of that marking and the little ejection port on the left side?
This is a rifle made for the Pedersen Device but too late in WW I to get into the field. They scrapped the semi auto conversion equipment but left the rifles in service.
http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/pipsqueak_pistol.htm
Do you know the significance of that marking and the little ejection port on the left side?
This is a rifle made for the Pedersen Device but too late in WW I to get into the field. They scrapped the semi auto conversion equipment but left the rifles in service.
http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/pipsqueak_pistol.htm
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