Hey all--
I am looking seriously at an old custom .358 Norma built by Ackley on an 03 Springfield action (advertised on this forum.) I'm a bit of an Ackley fan--I'm on my second Handbook and have 2 AI calibers that I'm quite fond of and the idea of owning a rifle put together by the master himself in a .358 Norma really appeals to me. Question is...what about that action? I'm a big fan of the 98 and its derivitives of course but were the 03's of similar quality? Is a rifle based on it capable of withstanding the high pressures and hard use that I tend to inevitably subject my rifles to? Does the action have any intrinsic quirks that I should be aware of? Finally, I'd like to somehow link the piece to Ackley. Did he stamp or otherwise document his custom work in any way that I could prove that it came out of his shop? This is, by the way, not intended to question the veracity of the seller's description of the piece in any way--he seems from our initial corespondence to be a super guy. It would just add something to the piece for me if I could look at, say, a sig. stamp on the action and know definitively that it came out of that workshop. Anyway--thanks for any input you can offer.

In my opinion, the springfield action is slicker and doesn't bind as much as a 98 action, but IMHO the 98 is a stronger action. Both actions are controlled feed, but the in the mauser the rim of the case must slide up under the extractor or it will jam, while in the springfield it will snap over the rim of the case. I like the ejector in the Springfield better than the mauser, as well as the bolt stop control.
Also in SA Springfields, you must not use an action with a serial numer below 825,000. I can't recall the breakpoint for Rock Island actions, but the point is the actions are brittle and dangerous to fire.

I hope this helps.

I�ve heard:

you should watch out for re heat treated actions

the two piece firing pin is potentially dangerous

Just what I�ve read. I never shot one.

H

Get it, don't hessitate. I have several springfields, 300 winmag, 358 win, 30-06, 257 roberts, 257x300wsm, etc... and don't worry about the action, if it's over 1,000,000. if it's lower, well... BUT,
here's the big issue guys, that we frequesntly miss.
if it's an A3, then the heat treat is a NON ISSUE, as that only applies to 1903, a1, a2. no a3 or a4 are anything but HARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARD to drill
jeffe

Snowcat: 1903's, in my opinion, are second only to pre-64 Model 70's for building a fine, light, classic,custom sporting rifle. I'm also a big fan of the M98. I just find the '03 more aesthetically pleasing.

An solid SA receiver above serial number 800,000 is safe for practically any chambering. If you find a Rock Island, the number is 286,000.

Griffin and Howe wouldn't have used the Springfield as a basis for elegant custom guns if they had any reservation about it's strength.

In over 30 years of shooting, I personally have never seen, nor have I spoken with another shooter that has personally seen a blowup.

Springfields make great sporting arms. Just make sure you choose a high-numbered action. The so-called "double-heat-treated" ones are the strongest of all Springfields. I had a .308 Norma built on an extensively "civilized" 03-A3, which was been stocked by Paul Jaeger of Jenkintown PA in French walnut. It had an adustable, side-safety trigger. It fed, extracted, and ejected as smoothly as a Mannlicher-Schoenauer (which will even feed EMPTY brass from its' rotary magazine!!) This .308 Norma 03-A3 (24" GI tube, turned down) would produce 3150 FPS with 180-grain Nosler Partiton bullets at well under maximuim charges of H4831. However, to reduce recoil,(it had a Niedner steel buttplate!!), I used 68 grains of IMR 4350 and the Nosler Partition 200-grain bullet in it. This combo gave 2800 FPS, was very accurate, and "mild". IMO, the .308 Norma (or .30/.338) is what Winchester SHOULD have introduced, instead of the short-necked freak they came out with instead!! I have always believed the .358 Norma would be another outstanding killer, but for Polar and Brown bears!!

A poor attempt to copy the Mauser 98.

Right on Bear Claw, the '03 is a poor attempt at a 98. Why use a copy when you can have the original? A two piece firing pin indeed!

Have lots of both. Love 'em all.

A poor attempt at the 98 Mauser? Lets see an easier to replace firing pin than the 98, the action is lighter and smoother than the average military 98, an action you can uncock without dry firing the piece, an action that consistently kicked ass at Wimbleton for years, no I'd say an improvement on the 98 Mauser. A far prettier action in my view also.

They are both damn good actions. Probably more GOOD Springfield actions running around than there are M-98s simply because as the war ground along the Germans got to where they were slinging a lot of the 98s together with their eyes closed. I've owned several rifles using both these actions and like them equally well. I doubt Ackley would have built the rifle in the first place if he had any qualms about the action used.

If it's in good shape, I would get it. There's no law that says you have to take it out and try to blow the thing up with hotter and hotter loads. Load it like the thing is supposed to be loaded and live happily ever after.

The Springfield is based on the Mauser patent so the actions are both kissing cousins at least. This is kind of like asking if you should get the black dog or the brown dog. Same song, second verse in my book.