What are the thoughts of the forum members on using a 1903A3 Springfield action for building a dangerous game rifle? If one was going to use the action, what calibers would best lend themselves to that action?

About the only caliber suitable for the 1903A3 without extremely expensive modification is the 9.3 x 62 Mauser.

A Springfield can be built for the same cartridges as a standard Mauser 98 - but an 03A3 is too coarsely machined and finished to be worth spending much money on.

Springfields are good actions, they are more costly to build up than mausers due to little to no aftermarket parts for them.

The 03a3 is rougher than an 03, if you are getting into them and don't have one yet go 03. If you have an 03a3 then don't despair. If you get into surface grinding, magazine cutoff boss recontouring and things like that you are getting way up there. For a real hunting rifle? No problema.

Since I have gone that route (not finished) I'll give you the first steps I went through.

purchase yourself 03' bolt and triggerguard/floorplate. this replaces the stamped magazine/triggerguard/floorplate of the 03a3 and the camshaft looking bolt. You can get a 2pos mod 70 style safety from Jim Wisner if you desire, or go Buehler if you are more comfortable with that style.

cartridge wise you can go 416 Taylor or 458 Winchester. The one I've got in works for my stepfather is 416 Taylor LN, everything identical to Taylor, will shoot same rounds, but has a longer neck which has a couple of benefits (I made a post a while back on it if you go that route you can do a search).

The springfields usually require a higher scope mounting relative to bore centerline than say a mod70, so stocking it if you go scoped you'll need to have fairly high mounted irons. of course synthetics for a springfield I think are impossible to find so you're looking at wood or laminate.

any way you cut it you're more money into a springfield for an oranges to oranges mauser. but then, how many guys with them do you see?

I hope you do it, we need more springfield customs being built (I have a nice action set aside for future and am trying to get money to have my 03 06 turned into a nice commemorative.

Red

oh, heck..
as a once rabid 1903 fan, I'll let you have the real skinny...

other than cost of parts, there's ZERO practical difference in making any 3.4" round in a springfield as there is in a mauser.

"coarser machined" .. sandblasted and packerized? yep.. and might fool a non-metalworker. . i haven't seen one any "worse" than an early 40s mauser.. and the worst 1903 i've ever seen, (national ordinance, btw .. which AINT military) was far far far better than a 43 or 44 (we won't talk about 45) mauser.

parts -
it is POSSIBLE to use a winchester model 70 safety, directly, if you require a 3 pos.

BUT --
every other style of safety (2 pos, buehler, slide, etc) is available for the 1903X as the mauser


Bottom metals/trigger guards..
any clever monkey can modify any 98 metal to fit a springfield.. it just aint hard.

any normal size/length (.532case and 3.4 length" standard round will fit just fine.

Oh, yeah, and every 1903, if the wing is cut on the stock, can be top feed or mag feed.. that's what that "thingie" is for... fill your mag, flip the lever, drop on in, close the bolt, and flip the lever back. (now some bright eyed poster is going to challenge that that mechanism can get you killed ... ummm, no, it's a BATTLERIFLE)

Now limitations..
I haven't tried to build any of the 3.65" rounds into one... as they would require quite a bit of mods... then again, so does a mauser.

Myself, I would start with a 1903a3, polish it, open the bolt face, address the rails and ramp ...

bottommetal would be a numrich 85$ hinged floor plate - should take more time to polish the action than the modify this to fit.

barrel could be anyones . but SHOULD be a nicer one

caliber... 416 t, 416 AR, 458 win, 458 ar, 470 AR ... all dgr rounds, all fit in the same envelope...

plenty of stocks available...

would leave the mil rear sight if I coldn't find a lyman...

necg sling and front....

the end...

jeffe

Know a PH in Zim that has one of the nicest 458Wins I've seen on a Remington 03. Built by someone in Zim I understand. Very nice job and my understanding is it's very reliable.

If the object of the exercise is to specifically build DGR on an 03A3 action, you likely won't experience any more difficulty than with a standard Mauser. If the exercise is strictly for your own enjoyment and appeal, that's not an issue either. The end product likely won't have sustaining value commensurate with the effort, however.

I am a true aficionado of Springfield actions, and would likley agree with 500grains that rounds based on the 30-06 are the best option. But I have built Springfields on the belted magnum case without significant problem.

As vigillinus posted, the 03A3's are kind of a crap shoot for attractive metal finish. Some of them are pretty coarse, and require lots of stoning, filing, and polishing to bring them up to an acceptable standard. That said, I do prefer the plain 03A3 cutoff housing over the scalloped affair on the 03. Just a personal thing.

Certainly not your DGR goal, but here are some pics of a 35 Whelen I completed on an 03A3 action. Not sure this is the standard you're looking for, but it does show what can be done with an 03A3 if you're on a budget.

GV

http://www.hunt101.com/img/304138-big.jpg
http://www.hunt101.com/img/304139-big.jpg
http://www.hunt101.com/img/304140-big.jpg
http://www.hunt101.com/img/304141-big.jpg

A .416 Taylor built on a 03A3 action, now that would be interesting. A nice compliment to my .416 Rem and .416 Rigby.

As to why an 03A3 action, how about classic design, how about durable, how about traditional, how about an American design, etc. It would be a piece of cake to start with some new action, but if you want to have something a little different, a classic, why not an 03A3 action?

GrandView,

Your rifle looks great (and I love the .35 Whelen, a tremendous cartridge). If you do not mind me asking, what did your project run all in?

Mike

grandview it looks like you went with an integral rear base, can you explain your setup please?

Red

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you do not mind me asking, what did your project run all in?

The stock was a semi-inlet club I bought off ebay. I did all the stock work, and stoning & polishing the action, reprofiled the trigger guard, and rust blued. ER Shaw did the barreling, bolt handle forging, and D&T for mounts. Buehler safety and Timney trigger were components I'd had for awhile.

Can't remember what I've got in the action, but if it's pegged at $125, I have less than $600 all in.

GV

quote:

Originally posted by Dago Red:
grandview it looks like you went with an integral rear base, can you explain your setup please?

The mount is an old Redfield Jr. one-piece for 03A3's I've had for ages. Rings are also Redfield.

GV

Sorry grandview, I was talking about the dovetail that the mount is on, was that there from the original sight? I don't remember what mine looked like when I first got it.

Red

quote:

Originally posted by Dago Red:
Sorry grandview, I was talking about the dovetail that the mount is on, was that there from the original sight? I don't remember what mine looked like when I first got it.

Red

Yes, that dovetail is present on the rear bridge of 03A3's. It's one of the "cosmetic" limitations of that receiver.

GV

Smith-Corona 03A3s are probably the best of the lot.

As for caliber, what sayth the group, .416 Taylor, .458 Win Mag or 9.3x64 Brenneke?

Personally I'd say 416 Taylor if you are going big bore. 458 would work, but I'd go Taylor and build a lighter rifle. I think it would be better for NA hunting too.

If you weren't going big bore (I know, 416 is borderline big bore, maybe just large medium bore) then I would go 338x06 or 35 whelen, less modification needed and very all around usable for here. You could go 375x458win which some like to call a 375 Taylor.

Red

I want something that falls more into the big bore category. The others you named are great cartridges, but I am looking for the best option in the .375H&H and bigger category. .416 Taylor certainly has a lot of appeal.

If you look at the cartridge selection question in terms of what's probably most practical in terms of availability and standardization, its hard to beat the 458 Win Mag...

But then again, I may be have a biased opinion. Though I'm a reloader and do not hold anything against them, I just don't like wildcats.

Take that for what its worth...

I have a Rock Island '03 in .458 Winchester, with an Atkinson barrel and it works just fine. I used to have a Springfield double-heat-treat with a Buhmiller barrel in .358 Norma Mag and it was one of the best all-around magazine repeater rifles I've ever owned.

What I'd probably build if I was gonna get a 3rd one and wanted a big bore, is a wildcat...a .358 Norma Mag or .416 Taylor, opened up to take .423" bullets. Why? Cause it would about equal or maybe better a bit the factory equivalent loads of the 10.75x68, which I always loved regardless that John Taylor didn't like it. (He never had today's bullets...)

Alberta I think I remember you mentioning yours before, any chance of posting some pics of it? I have not yet seen any pictures of any big bore springfields. I'd be appreciative.

Red