Well, being the sucker I am for the 1903 Springfield, I recently added another orphan to the house. This one is a Remington 1903 -- not the A3 -- built late in 1942 and wearing an RA 12/42 barrel. The sporter stock it came with was a nightmare, with a pot-metal panther inletted into the right butt. This I will fill with bondo, then the whole stock is getting the DIY textured paint and black spider web treatment.
Here's that thread:
http://forums.accuratereloadin...1080861/m/5581087202
Hoping the stock comes out something like Craigster's.
The bore on this rifle is lightly pitted, so I will see how it shoots, and if it is not up to snuff, I will have JES rebore it to .338-06.
With the Lyman peep rear, I will have a poor man's .318 ...
Whoever did the sporter work on this was not the greater metalsmith in the clubhouse, as witness the bolt weld. I will either attempt to clean it up with files and emery, or just find another bolt.
My understanding is the 1942 Remington 1903s were pretty well made, so I think this one deserves new life.
Will have headspace checked before I shoot it.

Nice...love the old Springfields. Take a look at what Sedgely and Griffin & Howe did with them in their day.

Jon, yes, I have the late Michael Petrov's find book ...

I love a old spring field my self.

I,m witcha Bill, love the old Springfield, seen some beautiful custom rifles on that action. One day I am going to build myself a Springfield with a schnable forend low comb stock in some rare calibers. may have the action cut and shortened for a 250-3000 since I know a guy about 75 miles down the road that's real handy at that kind of work.

Ray, I'm thinking a 7X57 would also be a nice Springfield flavor, another hoary old cartridge that just keeps tipping them over ...

Bill:

I have a Rem 1903 in mil-spec configuration and the somewhat beaten-up stock has the infamous "red stripe" across the top handguard.

That means it was a Lend-Lease rifle we sent to the Brits in early 1942. Serial # is a low 302****, receiver made 12/41 (probably as, or just after, Pearl H. got bombed), and the barrel is stamped 2/42. Here's an old pic:



These low-numbered Rem 1903s, if still in stock military garb, command a premium among 1903 collectors, some of whom hang out on the Milsurps.com boards.

Just FYI ... how low is your serial # ?

Nick, mine is near the end, late 1942, 331 ...

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Nick, mine is near the end, late 1942, 331 ...

Thanks, Bill. Enjoy your project.

For what it's worth, although the stock on my red stripe looks like crap, the rifle itself shoots very tight, once you get the hang of the old-school Springfield ladder peep. I got a bronze with it at Camp Perry in the Springfield match a few years back.

There won't be any flys on it keeping it in 30.06.

I have a nice 03-A3 custom in an unusual caliber with a Schnabel foreend (though the stock appears to be a nice piece of Beech). Bolt handle has been neatly forged and is hallmarked on the bolt root with Les Womacks stamp. Butplate is a Neidner checkered steel with widows peak. Trigger is a Timney and bottom metal is standard 03 steel that has been customized. Has a barrel band front swivel that is custom. Front sight is a long redfield sourdough on a Lyman banded ramp. Scope is a 7/8" Texan in a well installed G&H side mount. Rear sight is a Williams adjustable island type.
The unusual things about it is it was built by A&M Rifle Co. and the caliber is 458Win with a 16 !/2" barrel. Only other 458 on an 03 I have ever seen is owned by a PH friend in Zimbabwe. I can't understand why the 03 action has not been used more on 458's as it seems to be a perfect fit and they build into a very nice rifle.

I've been putting some thought lately into building a nice stalking type rifle on a Springfield platform. I haven't made my mind up on caliber but the wood will come from Chris at Walnut Grove. This thread could put a serious dent in my wallet.

If any of you men are interested in a Springfield action please contact me at:
Eharren@Comcast.net

Zim, your .458 has to really bark with a barrel that short. It would make a great brown bear gun.

It lets you know it's been fired both in noise and in recoil. I use a slipover leather type recoil pad that lessens it a little but it will certainly get your attention. I am deaf in my left ear so I just take out my aid and wear ear muffs and that makes it bearable. Hunting I would probably not realize the noise. But talk about fast handling it certainly is. I would have loved to have used it in Africa.

Zim
Please post a picture of that really short Springfield that you've posted before. The one where the original wood and all was shortened, I love that rifle.

Bill
You should build a 400 Whelen on that Springfield. Thats what I did and here's a shot of it.

Snellstrom - I no longer have the site all my photos were stored in so am unable to do it,sorry. Probably should look around for another host to keep them just have never done it. I'm not very proficient with PC's. I have never been able to understand why posting photos has to be so difficult in any case,

You could email me that picture and I'll post it for you.
Better yet you could just send me that rifle and I promise to give it a goood home and feed it only the best ammo and clean it every night.
Just a thought.....

I have a brand new never mounted 2-groove Springfield 03-A3barrel, and also a 4-groove that is apparently an early 03-A3 barrel that has never been mounted. I took the 2-groove out of the cosmoline, and the 4-groove is in its original shipping tube. Neither of them are mounted because my 03, although showing slight barrel pitting, shoots into 1.5" or so with peep sights and my 03-A3 2-groove with scope shoots better than that. I also have a Lyman 48S long-slide (105) with the intention of making a bull gun, but never got around to it.

Clarence

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
Bill
You should build a 400 Whelen on that Springfield. Thats what I did and here's a shot of it.

Beautiful. Aside from wanting a G&H side mount I like it. Who made the stock?

quote:

Who made the stock?

The stock is a bit of a mystery. I bought it new from a game warden who said he got it from Cabelas I never knew the maker, Kevin Weaver (weaverrifles.com) bedded it and painted it for me. It's a good fit for the rifle, size and layout.

Love that stock, too. Sorry to hear it is a mystery. Very fine looking rifle, Snellstrom.