My new toy...

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ryanu

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Well I have recently bought a sporterized:( Smith-Corona 03-A3 off a guy for 200 bucks. The stock in in good shape but has some minor scraches in it but I plan on refinishing it. The barrel and all the steel on it is 100%. This gun shoots 2 nch groups at 75 yards with the aprature sight on it, wich is not bad at all concidering that it is the first time I ever fired this rifle. I plan on putting a Nikon prostaff scope with the BDC on it and just make it a deer rifle.

So what do yall think of my find?

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Mooseman, I was hoping someone here would know. I think its some sort of handle. the rifle is alot more balanced when I hold it by that siver thingy. Thank god it comes off though.
 
That is old-school good lookin'! I bet your 2" groups would get a lot better with a little more range time. Learning a real set of irons is different than fooling around with a buckhorn. I'm going through the same thing right now with my rifle.

Most people would have wasted twice what you spent buying a new rifle that's not even half as good as yours. You got a hell of a deal.
 
Its a handstop/sling mount. For use when shooting from a slung unsupported position in competition. With the aperture sights and monte carlo stock I'd say the gun was orginally set up for High Power competitions.
 
well I think I will just keep the open sights and use it as a deer rifle. I will still refinish the stock though, it will be a good after hunting deason project to keep me busy. I still might buy a scope and a mount for it though, just in case I ever go some place I will have to shoot over 200 yards.

If I do decide to scope it what scope should i get? I am a bit cheap so 150 give or take a few bucks.
 
also the only reason I want a scope is because I cant see anything clearly, hell i can hardly see anything at all past 90 yards with the peep sight.

i am thinking of a weaver K6 or someting like that.
 
Try one of the new Redfields, American made, same factory as Leuopold, life time guarantee, probably the best bang for your buck.
I love shooting my Springfield with apeture sights, nice find.
 
Elite with rainguard IF you hunt in wet conditions? Bushnell Elite's are nice scopes and rainguard does work in that it helps a lot with lens fogging. Still need lens covers to keep actual rain off it.

Nikon is also pretty nice - I have 2.

But, I also have a bunch of steel tube Weavers and they are hell for strong. They are also "old school" and go with the gun like bread with butter :)

And yeah, with that hand stop and the micrometer peeps, that thing saw some serious range time :)
 
My friend once found an original Smith Corona in a wall and he sporterized it. Learned that was bad when he sold it.
 
You got a steal, the sights are likely worth more than $200.00. I'd be willing to bet it has a NM bbl on it too. BTW, essayons is right about the "silver thingy", it is a handstop (used in HP comp. to retain a consistent grasp on the rifle from shot to shot), the lever on it allows it to be easily positioned to where the shooter finds it comfortable.

I wouldn't dare scope it, as it is set up pretty well as it stands now, and a rifle of this caliber is deserving of better optics than $150.00 will typically get you. A little practice and you should be able to get sub-MOA groups out of it without too much difficulty (barring that the bbl being shot out).

:)
 
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Whats a NM bbl? How do I tell if it is?

I will put a cheap scope on it for now. I have bad eyes wich makes the peep too hard to use. I plan on doing this gun up and hopefuly take it to alaska to hunt moose with it one day if i ever get the money lol.
 
Whats a NM bbl?
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National Match barrel. Should be indicated by the letters "NM" stamped on the bbl, and IIRC some, if not all were star-gaged (indicated by a star at the muzzle).

I will put a cheap scope on it for now.
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Well you could sell the sights for a bit more cash to put into optics. Those are some mighty nice sights...might be enough to put you into a Zeiss Conquest or at the very least a Sightron S-II-Big Sky, Bushnell Elite-4200, or Nikon Monarch, with the added cash you want to spend. Keep the magnification on the light side for better glass quality and greater FOV for hunting.

:)
 
I may as well sell them sence they are no use to me... What should i ask for them?
 
There are no markings on the bbl. Just a > about a inch away from the reciver.
 
I may as well sell them sence they are no use to me... What should i ask for them?
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I don't rightly know, but they look to be nicer than the average Lyman's model 48 peep you often see on '03s...are there any markings on the receiver sight or globe (preferably both)?

:)
 
the front and rear sights are both redfield International match. is says so right on the side of them :D
 
the front and rear sights are both redfield International match. is says so right on the side of them
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They were worth about $30.00...in the '50s. I'd price 'em at at least 5 times that. They are excellent sights, and are highly sought after.

:)
 
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