I have a Springfield '03 action that I want to build a rifle around. I've always liked the lines of the '03, except for that awkward looking bolt release flip lever.

Is there anyway to rework, replace or gussy-up the bolt release into something that looks better?

I don't think there is, you had better just sell me that 03! :-)

Red

Well, if you have to make it look like a mauser by putting on a bolt stop similar to it you can have that done.

This is one exercise in futility I have never understood though. The original bolt stop is combined with an ejector that requires no spring. Hence there is nothing to break and render it useless. If you change it to something similar to a Mauser or Enfield you make it a lesser design in my book.

One of the reasons I like Springfields is they are unique. The high rear bridge, safety lug, bolt stop, ejector and cone breeching all were designed to work with each other. The milled trigger guard has a more pleasing appearence than the Mauser 98 one does to my way of thinking also. I have a couple of Springfields that some have mistaken for a Winchester model 70 at first glance. Small wonder, the model 54 which eventually became the model 70 used many of the features found on the Springfield when it was first designed.

It's not something I would change either, belaw. The Mauser-type modification is costly, and won't do anything the original Springfield doesn't do well already. And I think it just looks weird on a Springfield.

Keep the little "warts" that were part of the Springfield package. The bolt stop and cocking knob among them.

GV

I have a 1903 barreled action that has been highly customized by someone that knew what they were doing. Notice I didn't say "sporterized" The cut out was highly modified, and quite elligant. I moved and I'm not sure where it is right now. If you will be patient I will find it and shoot a picture or two of it. I will email it to you. I am not swift enough to know how to post a picture on AR. That's life being low tech.

I think the '03 bolt stop is perfect the way it is and is one of the Springfield's best features. In fact it may be the only really good feature! Regards, Bill.

In fact it may be the only really good feature!

Bill

That is almost hitting below the belt.

Do you consider any other features of it at least good?

In all honesty, after giving it quite a bit of thought I can't come up with anything especially good but quite few OKs. The trigger guard is a nice shape. I kind of like square threads. Regards, Bill.

Bob Owen streamlined the bolt stop housing on some of his prewar custom rifles, removing the "steps". Changed it to a sort of torpedo shape.

And beyond the Torpedo shape- picking up from a Columbia Gun Co (Spokane,WA)idea caused by the problems with polishing the stepped boss blend to the main journal (spindle housing). Boat-tail. The DCM Springfields post WW II sometimes were nearly imposible to restore in that blend area because of repeated sand blasting, acid dips and re-parkerizing. The shaping of this probably took every bit as long to do, but once you start something that catches the fancy of a gun nut, you are doomed, doomed, doomed. I think I did 3 for Bob Owen, and for the first dozen or so that part of the boat-tail below the stock line faithfully followed the top part. This changed when one came back in the white from a stockmaker for bluing. I noticed that he did not try to faithfully inlet the shape much below the stock line. After that the bottom 1/2 merely had draft, that was far easier to inlet. The blade portion of the cut-off/bolt stop had the leading edge tilted back at about 10 degrees and the finger grooves were cross checked. I never liked the bolt stop because of what it did to the seating face of the left hand bolt lug. Springfield is alleged to have insured that there be 5 spare bolts in the supply system for each rifle issued, related to the indenting of the left lug by the harder bolt stop. If the bolt had a deeper case it would flake at the corner and this did damgage to the ejector. The company articifer /supply clerk was instructed to de- burr this part of the bolt,Often causing the ejector to become in-operative or intermittant by the process. Then and now I had a negative attitude about the floating ejector. I must generally agree with Bill Leeper, Although everybody ought to have at least one '03.