tvfinak

Do any of your Remington 03s have the A3 style "flat" tang and are any lacking the "Scalloped" cutoff housing and instead have the A3 style one?

I would be interested in a side by side comparison of the different styles of tangs on your Remington 03s for future reference if you care to share them. I myself have never had a Remington 03 that didn't have a blind guard screw hole type tang so my knowledge of them is somewhat limited.

Many thanks

Steve, Welcome to the early 20th century world of bolt rifles. Nice rifle.

The bolt I have is swept back slightly and stamped R, as is the bolt sleeve. I take it this would indicate Remington manufacture?

I have a Remington 03 that is modified but basically original. It was done by Les Womack and has his distinctive forged low bolt handle with his trade mark stamp. Barrel has been cut to 16" and front sight remounted with a high Redfield Sourdough blade. Stock and handguard have been cut back to match and hardware remounted. It has a three position Model 70 style safety and a Timney trigger. It has a Lyman Alaskan 2 1/2 power scope in a Griffin & Howe detachable side mount. Original canvas military sling. I has a 1 1/8" compass inleted into the left cheek of buttstock. Inside the trap buttplate was an old Poliroid tube they used to furnish with the film to coat the prints. It is filled with kitchen matches. Supposed to have been made for an outdoor writer to use while fishing for salmon in Alaska. The serial number is 3035542. The rear tang is curved and the rear bolt hole is drilled thru but not tapped all the way thru. All the other features are standard,right hand reciever hole,double scalloped bolt release base and curved rear of rear ring. This was obviously a lendlease rifle as it is British proofed. Shoots 150gr factory loads like it was built for them.Nice handy rifle modified impeccably.

Gun 30264xxx looks just like any other 1903 receiver - scalloped cutoff front and rear, rounded tang top, blind rear tang screw hole, bolt stop detent, etc. Best I can tell it is identical to a late Rock Island SN 427xxx receiver I have EXCEPT the Remington has a gas hole on both side of the receiver ring. The second hole could have been added if it was reworked but I don't have the complete rifle to determine its history.

Gun 3184xxx has the rounded tang and the cutoff housing is scalloped in front and back. Th tang is drilled through as are all the gun mentioned here. No bolt detent either.

Gun 3299xxx has the flat tang and the cutoff housing is scalloped in the back only. It is also missing the circular cut in the top of the rear bridge that the 3184xxx gun has.

Gun 3360xxx is made just like a 03-A3 except for the rear bridge or receiver ring.

These are variations I just happened to have - there may be more!

quote:

Do any of your Remington 03s have the A3 style "flat" tang and are any lacking the "Scalloped" cutoff housing and instead have the A3 style one?

Most likely a Remington bolt.

Remington made several variation as they worked though the 03, 03-A3, and 03-A4 variations. The first was for the early 03s - it appears to be identical to a late Springfield Armory bolt with the bottom of the left lug having depressions for the bolt hold open. These are nicely finished and very strong bolts. The later bolts dropped the detnet notches, smooth body, and milled extractor collar.

quote:

The bolt I have is swept back slightly and stamped R, as is the bolt sleeve. I take it this would indicate Remington manufacture?

quote:

Originally posted by tvfinak:
Gun 3360xxx is made just like a 03-A3 except for the rear bridge or receiver ring.

This variation intrigues me. A while ago a thread was started about a Springfield custom built by Dorleac & Dorleac. Their text stated it was a 1903 Springfield. Viewing the action and it's features, I pronounced it a 1903A3.

Obvious flat tang, unscalloped cutoff housing, and missing gas hole on right side. However, the rear bridge always puzzled me. Is it possible this is a 1903 Remington (modified), of the same variation tvfinak describes on his action?



The above action goes through much refinement and subsequently becomes a very nice custom. It can be viewed in its development stages here:

http://www.dorleac-dorleac.com/pgs_eng/etapes.php?codec=C007

quote:

Originally posted by tvfinak:
Gun 30264xxx looks just like any other 1903 receiver - scalloped cutoff front and rear, rounded tang top, blind rear tang screw hole, bolt stop detent, etc. Best I can tell it is identical to a late Rock Island SN 427xxx receiver I have EXCEPT the Remington has a gas hole on both side of the receiver ring. The second hole could have been added if it was reworked but I don't have the complete rifle to determine its history.

Gun 3184xxx has the rounded tang and the cutoff housing is scalloped in front and back. Th tang is drilled through as are all the gun mentioned here. No bolt detent either.

Gun 3299xxx has the flat tang and the cutoff housing is scalloped in the back only. It is also missing the circular cut in the top of the rear bridge that the 3184xxx gun has.

Gun 3360xxx is made just like a 03-A3 except for the rear bridge or receiver ring.

These are variations I just happened to have - there may be more!

quote:

Do any of your Remington 03s have the A3 style "flat" tang and are any lacking the "Scalloped" cutoff housing and instead have the A3 style one?

Wow, thanks a million for that great info. 3299xxx sounds like a real combo treatment. I'd really appreciate pictures comparing these if possible. You are the first person I have ever gotten that much info from. Many thanks again.

Steve, the early straight up and down handle bolts are not as strong as later double heat treated, nickel steel, and Remington bolts. I am traveling, do not have access to my library, but my impression is that Hatcher compared the early and late bolts in a hydraulic press and the early locking lugs popped off long before the later lugs kind of squashed off. That said, again my impression is that the early 1903 troubles were with the receivers and not the bolts, the early bolts were strong enough. Some people on this forum, and also especially on the 1903 forum at www.jouster.com, have real expertise on this arcane point. My own view is that mainly for aesthetic reasons you should find an early Remington 1903 bolt, just to match it up with the Remington receiver. The chances are that headspace will be OK but you may have to try more than one. Mark

I'd like to have the 1903 type bolt rather than swept back "modified" that I have. I'm thinking about having a new bolt handle welded on that will duplicate or very closely match the original '03 type.

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
I has a 1 1/8" compass inleted into the left cheek of buttstock.

zim,

That is by far the funniest misuse of firearms nomenclature that I have read or heard in a long time.

I am not picking on you, but it's just that it's pretty damned funny.

quote:

Originally posted by GrandView:

quote:

Originally posted by waterrat:
JEEZ YOU GUYS !

As if i don't have enough projects underway now, now I have to canvas the lake for Springfields.

Every red-blooded American boy with an interest in rifles has to have a Springfield 30-06!

It is the American bolt action hunting rifle!

Still don't own a 30.06, waiting to find a nice Springfield Sporter myself. Came close last year, found a Sedgley but it's a bit beat up.

Grandview, what's the "Brophy" book you mentioned?

Thanks, Rob

Mark, thanks for the thoughtful comment.
Steve

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:

Grandview, what's the "Brophy" book you mentioned?

"The Springfield 1903 Rifles"

http://www.amazon.com/Springfield-1903-Rifles-William-Brophy/dp/0811708721

The action in question is the last model Remington 1903 - probably SN 330,000 plus. Best I can tell from looking at my identical action is that it is adentical to an 03-A3 except for the rear bridge and the marking of course.

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by tvfinak:
Gun 3360xxx is made just like a 03-A3 except for the rear bridge or receiver ring.


This variation intrigues me. A while ago a thread was started about a Springfield custom built by Dorleac & Dorleac. Their text stated it was a 1903 Springfield. Viewing the action and it's features, I pronounced it a 1903A3.

quote:

Originally posted by GrandView:

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:

Grandview, what's the "Brophy" book you mentioned?

"The Springfield 1903 Rifles"

http://www.amazon.com/Springfield-1903-Rifles-William-Brophy/dp/0811708721

Thanks, do you feel this is "The Bible" on Springfields? I see that Amazon has two other books on them, one by Poyer and one by Canfield.

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:

Thanks, do you feel this is "The Bible" on Springfields? I see that Amazon has two other books on them, one by Poyer and one by Canfield.

I believe it to be the best reference. If you were to only have one, this is the one I would recommend.

Thanks, just ordered a copy from Abebooks, used but functional.


Thanks, Rob