de-sporterize?

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fyrfytr

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Just throwing this out there, i've got an '03 Springfield that was sporterized. Whoever did it spent quite a few bucks on it I think. The metal is black, the bolt is polished, the trigger is very light, it has some kind of adjustable peep sight, and it's all in a beautiful Bishop stock. The problem is the stock. There is a chunk of wood missing from the top of the wrist and there is a crack that runs for several inches along the top of the wrist towards the butt. Since I noticed it I haven't shot it.

So my question is, what would be required besides the stock and hardware to return it to military configuration? Or should I just get another sporter stock to show off the time and effort someone put into it?

And here's some gratuitous photos of the weapon in question:

DSCN0573.jpg
DSCN0572.jpg
DSCN0576.jpg
DSCN0577.jpg
 
Returning it to military configuration would cost far more then the gun would be worth after you did it.

There is no going back after they drilled the receiver for the peep sight.

Was it me?

Thats a nice chunk of wood right there!
I would fix it.

The wrest split because of a poor inletting & bedding job.

It needs the recoil lug & action glass bedded and wood relieved behind the tang and possible the rear action screw so it isn't wedging the stock apart every shot.

The crack can probably be repaired with Hot Stuff CYA adhesive.
It will suck clear down to the bottom of the crack and set up instantly.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=13081/Product/HOT-STUFF-INSTANT-GLUE

I can't see the missing wood but I'm reasonably sure it can be fixed too.

rc
 
That’s a very nice looking rifle. From what I can see in the pictures, and if it was my rifle I would repair or replace the stock.

The reasons are:

1.The receiver has been drilled and tapped for the sight. This reduces future value as a “re-military”.

2.The receiver has been polished and blued and would need to be parkerized.

3.The bolt, striker, sleeve, and safety would need to be replaced.

4.The trigger and sear probably will need to be replaced as it probably has a commercial trigger.

5.The trigger guard has been thinned and will need to be replaced and most likely the follower.

6.The barrel will need to be replaced along with a rear sight base and front and rear sights.

7.Finally, you will need a stock along with hand guard, bands and swivels.

The cost to do this far outweighs any potential value the rifle has. The rifle as it is looks like a fine job was done on it. Repair or replace the stock and enjoy it for what it is, a very nice example of a sporterized 1903 Springfield.
 
Thanks, that's just the info I was looking for. I believe that the action was placed directly into the wood. I don't believe that there is any bedding done at all. Here's a photo of the missing wood and crack. The crack really doesn't look this distinct, it's amplified by the camera flash. Is this repairable?

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Yes, but not invisibly.
What the sporterizer did was to put the tang hard against the cut in the stock, throwing recoil against the wood where it is thin. Look at a GI Springfield and see there is a small even gap there so the recoil is taken up by the recoil lug.
 
what i would recommend doing is making it into a fake nra sporter since it already has the polished bolt & lyman 48 receiver sight.
great american gunstocks has the 1922 pattern & sarco or numrich sells the repro front band, just add a heavy checker buttplate.

i have two rifles that are done similar
nrasporter.jpg

i'm planning on rebarreling this one to 22 hornet and using a sedgley 22 hornet magazine i picked up mixed in with a bunch of winchester 54 22 hornet parts.
22hornetproject.jpg
 
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