spartacus2002
Member
Is there a company out there that will rebarrel a Springfield 1903 or 1903A3 in .308/7.62? I'd like to have a Springfield for a bolt-action target rifle, but I have too much 7.62 accumulated to want to buy 30-06.
Rebarrel 1903A3 in .308?
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LC '92
Member
Anybody that barrels rifles can barrel an 03 or 03-A3 to .308. This should make a really neat shooter. Ask them to preserve the original barrel and you can screw it back in if you ever want to restore it to original.
George S.
Member
It might be cheaper to buy a bolt rifle already chambered in .308. The CZ550 should go for around $500-550 and it may cost much more than that to get an .03 or 03A3, a new barrel and have a 'smith do the work.
LC '92
Member
The advantages of using an 03 or 03-A3 Springfield for a target rifle over a modern bolt gun are many. Either of the Springfields have excellent, quickly adjustable rear sights. The Springfields hold 5 rounds in the magazine, a needed feature in rapid fire events and the Springfields are cut with stripper clip guides for rapid reloads during rapid fire.
I shoot both a 1903 Springfield and a modified model 70 Winchester in .308 for target work. (CMP Highpower) The Winchester had to be drilled and tapped for a rear sight, it had to be fitted with a stripper clip guide, the receiver opened on a mill for the strippers to work correctly, and the magazine box extended and follower replaced to allow 5 rounds to be loaded. These are the minimum requirements needed to get the Winchester on the target shooting line.
The Springfield was ready to run right out of the box from the CMP.
My Springfield is not nearly as accurate as the Winchester and is used for more informal target work. In no way can it compete with the Winchester in competition but it can hold its own against any of the pre M-16 US military rifles. I would love to have a Springield 03 in 7.62 NATO...
I shoot both a 1903 Springfield and a modified model 70 Winchester in .308 for target work. (CMP Highpower) The Winchester had to be drilled and tapped for a rear sight, it had to be fitted with a stripper clip guide, the receiver opened on a mill for the strippers to work correctly, and the magazine box extended and follower replaced to allow 5 rounds to be loaded. These are the minimum requirements needed to get the Winchester on the target shooting line.
The Springfield was ready to run right out of the box from the CMP.
My Springfield is not nearly as accurate as the Winchester and is used for more informal target work. In no way can it compete with the Winchester in competition but it can hold its own against any of the pre M-16 US military rifles. I would love to have a Springield 03 in 7.62 NATO...
mustanger98
Member
I don't have the links right off, but there's a guy on a couple of my other boards who had Clayton and West Texas Ordnance build him a '03 1920's national match type with a Lyman #48 rear sight in a .308/7.62mm. I saw pictures of it and it's really nice.
You'll need to have a shortened magazine follower and spacer installed so as to prevent feeding problems and to prevent some unknowing person from trying to load a stripper of '06.
I'm not past doing up something like that myself.
You know, time to time, I mention what I read from Elmer Keith- he wrote plenty of times about how he had '03's re-done in different calibers and had aperture rear sights mounted. Some of those went to Camp Perry with him and his National Guard units, some went hunting with him, and some evolved into commercial production Weatherby Magnums.
You'll need to have a shortened magazine follower and spacer installed so as to prevent feeding problems and to prevent some unknowing person from trying to load a stripper of '06.
I'm not past doing up something like that myself.
You know, time to time, I mention what I read from Elmer Keith- he wrote plenty of times about how he had '03's re-done in different calibers and had aperture rear sights mounted. Some of those went to Camp Perry with him and his National Guard units, some went hunting with him, and some evolved into commercial production Weatherby Magnums.
nbkky71
Member
There's also National Match Armory
http://www.nationalmatcharmory.com
http://www.nationalmatcharmory.com
You are going to pay someone how much money to rebarrel a perfectly good collectable rifle so that you can save money on buying another type of cartridge ?
I should stay out of conversations such as this because I always get myself into trouble, but: I am guessing you don't own the rifle since you mention that it can be EITHER a 1903 or a 1903A3 ?
So, if you get the rifle from the CMP thats $400, then pay ?? I am looking at a catalog right now and a guess might be around $400 for the barrel work (barrel (decent-not great barrel), and installation not counting any kind of finish).
This doesn't sound like a good deal to me.
However, I have seen 1903 actions for sale in shotgun news and the CMP might even have some. So, you might drop the cost by $100-$200, so you would only have $600-$800 tied up in this venture.
But, if that is your dream rifle, why not ?
I should stay out of conversations such as this because I always get myself into trouble, but: I am guessing you don't own the rifle since you mention that it can be EITHER a 1903 or a 1903A3 ?
So, if you get the rifle from the CMP thats $400, then pay ?? I am looking at a catalog right now and a guess might be around $400 for the barrel work (barrel (decent-not great barrel), and installation not counting any kind of finish).
This doesn't sound like a good deal to me.
However, I have seen 1903 actions for sale in shotgun news and the CMP might even have some. So, you might drop the cost by $100-$200, so you would only have $600-$800 tied up in this venture.
But, if that is your dream rifle, why not ?
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