I have been contemplating making a 30-06 rifle to shoot nothing but cast bullets in for strictly shooting paper animals. My question is, do you think it would be safe to use a low number 1903 Springfield action for this purpose?

Also, most people I have talked to suggesst using a 1 in 12 inch twist barrel for cast bullets in the 30-06. Does anyone here have a theory on whether this is a good idea or not?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Many thanks

I have a low number springfield with a star gauge barrel in near mint condition , now here is the part that gets tricky my gunsmith which is older than the rifle tells me that the marines never scrapped these riles but did continue use them so where did the star gauge barrel come from since the low number springfields pre date these barrels . It must have been used in some sort of marksmanship program and was rebarreled by a goverment armoury . His recomundation to me is as follows since he nor anyone he knows has ever seen a springfield come apart shoot it with the following cautions no magnum calibers and no hot handloads . I personnaly can not make such a claim but will shoot mine anyday .

Sounds like you don't have an action yet? Thinking of getting a CMP low number one? Personally I would spend the extra money and get a high number one.

It is my understanding that only a few of the low number actions were actually "burnt". If that is so, I believe the bad ones probably have already failed in the 90 years they have been out there. According to Hatcher they broke them by using grease on the bullets of match cartridges. This got in the chamber and increased bolt thrust. Even so why take a chance just to save a few dollars?

Cast bullets, especially with shotgun powders can create pressures that are pretty high, see the large format Lyman manuals. Maybe some day you get a double charge and do actually take it apart. I would much rather have action that will not fragment under those circumstances.

I was gonna do the same thing myself. After I thought about it and read up on the subject, I came to the conclusion that a low numbered Springfield might come apart anywhere, anyplace, anytime. Also, after I kick the bucket, where's that rifle gonna eventually wind up? A future unknowing, uninformed owner might wind up getting hurt, or worse. IMO it's just not worth the risk.

Scott

Actually I do have a few actions to choose from already in my stash. I just thought I might use a low numbered one for this project that would not have already been messed with. I am planning to have a standard military front sight and a Lyman or Redfield receiver sight on it and nothing else done to it, save possibly a different barrel if I think a 1 in 12 inch twist is more optimum. If not I will use the standard 24 inch military barrel. All ther high number actions I have around have been drilled and tapped for scope mounts, hence I would rather use something else that has not had this done to it.

I know this whole thing probably sounds goofy to some folks, but it is just a project that I have wanted to do for a long time. It also may be a long time before I do it anyway, just trying to get all the parts lined up in casee I do decide to start it.

Julian Hatcher in his "Notebook" told of two low-numbered Springfield failures that are relevant to this discussion. Couldn't quite be classified as "blowups." The shooters were firing what Hatcher called "the old Guard cartridge," a .30-06 loaded with the normal 150 grain FMJ bullet with 9.1 grains of Bullseye powder for 1200 FPS. The pressure of these loads was said to be very low, but the pressure was very suddenly applied. Hatcher reported that the metal showed no stretching or distortion whatever. He said "when the user fired the guard cartridge, the pieces of the receiver simply fell to the floor as they might have done if it had been made of glass and had been struck with a hammer."

It is now a century since the first low number 1903s were made and in that period enough problems have arisen that IMO they should all be wall hangers if complete rifles or paperweights if actions only. If you have a Numrich .22LR conversion unit that might be a possible way to get some use out of one !!!