What would be a good load for this rifle? Bullet, powder, etc. The rifle is an NRA Match Rifle so I'm not to worried about it blowing up with a comparable round to what was used. I have read that a 150gr bullet was used but no idea on a comparable powder. Thanks Kelly

almost all reloading manuals confine themselves to SAAMI specs for loads. Any 150 grain load found in a (branded) loading manual should be safe for that rifle.

The loads fired in the M1903 and in the Garand were by today’s standards, rather mild. Understand there was absolutely no reason to try to magnetize these rifles: the 03 kicks too much as it is. And the load was developed when smokeless powder was a recent technology. I believe that most early 30-06 military loads were in the upper 40,000 psi range, whereas today, commercial ammo is loaded to 60,000 psi.

I have fired in my match 30-06 Garand, thousands of 168 Sierra, 47.0 grs IMR 4895 LC cases, WLR (or now CCI#34) OAL LT. 3.30. This gives a velocity of 2650 fps, and is comparable to LC match ammunition. Below is chronograph data where I shot American GI ammo and compared a 150 grain load I developed for my Garands. Commerical ammo with 150 grain bullets chronograph closer to 2900 fps, whereas the GI load is less than 2700 fps.

So, I recommend you keep your loads below current “SAMMI†specs. As you know, your rifle was a “single heat treat†receiver. If the receiver was not burnt during forging (and it was forging temperatures that were not controlled) then your receiver is as about safe as any early 20th century firearm with poor design features. The 03 action was just not as safe as a M98, and the metal your rifle, and the double heat treat receivers, were made from would qualify as suitable for rebar. I have looked up similar material uses on MatWeb, and this is a true statement. So don’t hot load it.


This was shot in a 30-06 with a 26†Wilson Match Barrel.

150 gr FMJBT TW 56 Ball 24 Mar 04 T= 70 ° F

Ave Vel = 2680
Std Dev = 29
ES 78
Low 2620
High 2698
N = 6

150 gr Sierra Match HPBT 47.5 IMR 4895 CCI#34 WWII cases OAL 3.290"
24 Mar 04 T= 70 ° F

Ave Vel = 2722 Group Size
Std Dev = 24 Excellent accuracy
ES 76 mild load
Low 2673
High 2749
N = 10

Thanks for the info. If I keep the loads down around 2600-2700 fps I will be fine.

quote:

Originally posted by nash22:
What would be a good load for this rifle? Bullet, powder, etc. The rifle is an NRA Match Rifle so I'm not to worried about it blowing up with a comparable round to what was used. I have read that a 150gr bullet was used but no idea on a comparable powder. Thanks Kelly

The National Match load used in the Springfield was a handloaded version of the M1 bullet load developed by Colonel Townsend Whelen, et al, when he commanded Frankford Arsenal back in the 1920's. It consisted of a 172-173-grain FMJ boattail bullet at an instrumental velocity of around 2640 FPS at 78 feet from the muzzle. These rounds were loaded with +- 50 grains of IMR 4895 powder or a similar propellant (however much of that lot that it took to produce the required velocity at 50,000 PSI or less.......)

There is no reason why you could not use a load equivalent to the M2 Ball cartridge, which uses a 150-grain flatbase bullet at an instrumental velocity of 2740 FPS using 50 grains of IMR 4895..... But, I prefer a load with the Sierra 168-grain Match King bullet and 47 grains of IMR 4064. Accurate and mild!

I would be careful with that 50.0 gr. of IMR-4895 and 150 gr. bullet. With a recent can of IMR-4895 made by IMR and NOT Du Pont, my once pet load of 49.0 gr. and a 150 gr. Sierra Pro-Hunter blew primers and locked up the bolt on my rifle. The load was originally worked up in that very same rifle. I had to cut back to 47.0 gr. before pressure problems stopped. Just a word to the wise.
Paul B.

Low serial number '03 Springfield rifles were reported to have heat treating, metal problems.
Best advice for these rifles is to "hang it on the wall", or sell it to a collector. Then buy a high number gun.
For info from the "experts" surf over to
http://www.odcmp.com
search for information on the "low"number springfield rifles.

muck

Some might be curious as to which one I have. According to the collectors book I have it is a Match, Cal. .30 M1922 24" heavy barrel, front sight stud integral with barrel, scope blocks on 6" centers on barrel. Kelly

quote:

Originally posted by muck:
Low serial number '03 Springfield rifles were reported to have heat treating, metal problems.
Best advice for these rifles is to "hang it on the wall", or sell it to a collector. Then buy a high number gun.

The heat treating issues with some of these guns is well documented but to say that they should not be shot or used with commercial ammunition is the same as saying that one should not get on a commercial air liner because some have crashed over the years.

The safety issues with these Springfields have been far far overstated.

Also to say that metalurgy in them days was a blind art seems to have not fallen on the 1917 enfields. Many of whom are now sporting 458 Lott, .375 H&H, .416 Rem Mag, 404 Jeffery, and other big bores. Yes they have been used for very high intensity rounds such as the 7MM STW and 300 Weatherby as well. Further 1908 Brazillion and 1909 Argie Mausers have also been used for such cartridges as well.

Hanging that Springfield on the wall makes sense only if that was the intention when you bought it.....Personally, I'd buy a box of ammo for it and take it to the range to sight it in for deer season.

I sure did not plan on hanging it on the wall. It's just a tad heavy to be hunting with, but I sure plan on taking it to the range once I do some reloading. Thanks Kelly

quote:

Originally posted by Paul B:
I would be careful with that 50.0 gr. of IMR-4895 and 150 gr. bullet. With a recent can of IMR-4895 made by IMR and NOT Du Pont, my once pet load of 49.0 gr. and a 150 gr. Sierra Pro-Hunter blew primers and locked up the bolt on my rifle. Just a word to the wise.
Paul B.

Yep! Whenever you merely change lots of the allegedly same powder, it is always a good idea to work up the load again. Even more true if the new can was made by a different outfit than the previous one......

quote:

Low serial number '03 Springfield rifles were reported to have heat treating, metal problems.

This is certainly true, and the failures of the early 1903's was considered enough of a problem for Army Ordnance to replace "below 800,000 receivers" with "high number" ones whenever a 1903 came into the armoury for rebuild or other maintenance. However, since the heat-treatment of the receivers did not change until 1918, the '03's in use up to and during WWI were the "low-number" kind!

However, if you look at the figures in Hatcher's Notebook, you will note that failures of low-numbered Springfields in actual service was very rare. In fact, it was such a seldom occurrance that Ordnance never did recall all low-numbered rifles for refit with a new receiver! (Too bad! Had they done so, this subject woud be moot, merely an interesting historical footnote today!) So obviously, the Army did not consider this to be a particularly significant problem.

Fellas, I know this is the Reloading forum....but, as an option, you can still buy issue ammo for that 03 through CMP. I don't have the price, but it is very reasonable. That's what I'm shooting in both my Garand and 03A3....

Good info on the Garand load, though. Thanks....

MKane160

I have a custom low# springfield, mine was made in 1905. (most likly a 30,03)It is now chamberd for the .257 Roberts, and I try to keep my loads around 50,000 cup.
As I undersatnd the problem ,was that springfield and Rock island did not install tempeture gages in there facilities untill apx 800,000 springfields and 200,000 Rock Islands were built. The common practace was for a worker to heat the reciever to a certain color to gage the tempeture, This method would work well enough if the abiant tempature in the room was consistant, but it was not. Many low numberd 03s were used by marines on guadelcanal, and worked fine. it has been a long time since I herd of one failing, mabye all the bad ones have blown by now ? Likly there are a few out there that should not be shot.
I must disagree with the assesment the 98 is a stronger action. Both are plenty strong but the lug on a springfield bolt are not split for the ejector as on the 98.
I love both actions but the mauser in my opinion makes a better hunting rifle, just beacuse of the bolt release...tj3006

Nash; When you said your rifle was a match rifle, I assumed it was a rifle built around the 03 action and used by a match shooter. You will occasionally find "match" rifles built for competition with custom barrels, custom stocks, etc.

However, your description makes it sound as though you own an original military built match rifle. If this is true, then your rifle is highly collectable. I would recommend that you under no condition shoot it, or do anything that would add finish wear or put a tiny dent in the stock. You would do far better to sell it for thousands (no joke!) and buy a nice new rifle to shoot. Any wear to the gun will reduce its value, you may be firing $100 bullets, when the reduction in value is taken in account.