Can you shoot modern hunting ammo in a 1903 a3?
As been said, yes. And I agree with Vern, most of the ammunition warnings concern the Garand and its gas system. The only M1903A3’s that should not be shot under any conditions are the National Ordnance A3’s. These were cast receivers made in the 1960’s and they were junk. National Ordnance bought GI parts and built them around their receivers, they were sold new, I believe, up to the 1970’s. I bought one, did not know what it was. Headspace increased as I shot it because the receiver was soft.
All A3’s were made out of 8620 steel, same steels as the Garand, and the manufacturing technology was vastly improved over the WW1 rifles. Those single heat treat 03’s and double heat treat 03’s were made out of low grade steels that today, are so cheap and inferior, they are used for things like rebar and rail road
spikes. The alloy steels used in the A3’s are superior in all respects to the plain carbon steels used in 03’s.
How does the recoil compare to the Enfield or Mosin?
I think the M1903 in all its variations kicks more than either the SMLE, No 4 MkI, or Mosin. The P17 Enfield is a little heavier, but the stock drop restores the kick back to nasty. Hold the rifle firmly in your shoulder and drape your thumb over to the right side of the stock. If you wrap your thumb over the stock, it will bruise your lip during recoil.
what are the qualities of an accurate a3? (i.e 2 groove vs 4 groove)
I have both. It is my opinion that the war time barrels are exactly what you would expect for a war time rifle: made quick with big tolerances. Luck of the draw and sometimes people get an exceptional barrel, (seems everyone has a half MOA barrel!) but these barrels were not intended to be target barrels. Today’s Criterion barrels are vastly superior to these wartime 2 groove or 4 groove barrels. My best four groove A3 is around a two MOA affair. This is based on 20 shot groups, not the usual and useless three shot groups paraded around. My two groove A3 shoots cast bullets better than my 4 groove. None of my cast bullet groups are all that spectacular, because I have not put the time into it, but I think if you plan to shoot cast bullets, the two groove barrel is the better one to get.
What is a good price for a 1903 a3? I am looking for a shooter not a collector?
I don’t know and I don’t want to know. Every time I see one at a gun show, I realize that I can’t afford to replace what I got.