I pickek up a very prety old Remington 03 A3 today. I bought it with the intention of having a custom built 257 Roberts Ackly improved 40.
I have allways thought the springfield action is prety classy and I would hope a properly done custom using good parts should be a real classy and accurate rifle, Am I likly to be dissapointed ? ...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:
Am I likly to be dissapointed ?

Depends on what you're expecting. You can put a lot of money into an 03 A3 and when you're done it'll look like an 03 A3 with good blueing, nice wood, custom mounts, etc...

If you're looking for a "shooter" then sounds like you can have some fun with this one.

If you're looking for a full blown "custom rifle", i.e.: $4K-$5K, then I would say that there are better looking actions available that are more worthy of such an investment (mauser or M70)... BUT It's what you want that's imporant to you... not what I think.

Personally for a .257 Roberts derivative cartridge I'd pick a M-70 push feed action and they can be picked up for less than the cost of civilizing a Mil surp action.

Everybody should have at least one springfield sporter. Yes, it is inferior to the mauser (but so is everything else really), but it has a class of its own.

I have my stepfather's 257rob ai in the safe, it's an 03, but despite what people say an 03a3 can be a very nice rifle. His isn't fancy, but with a bit of work they can be made nice.

Red

Its kind of funny,
We all have different tastes, I have 1 custom mauser already and one on the way, and I have 5 or 6 model 70s 2 are pre 64 the rest classics, I got the 03A3 cause i think its a better looking action, than either of the other two, But thats just me...tj3006

I too, prefer the Springfield action in a custom rifle especially in a 257. I actually prefer it over a pre-64 model 70 if it is done right. I also have a few Mausers but only in non U.S. rounds such as 6.5X55, 275 Rigby and 9mm Mauser.

I agree with your statement 100%.
I have allways thought the springfield action is prety classy and I would hope a properly done custom using good parts should be a real classy and accurate rifle
(And NO, I don't think you will be disappointed.)

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:
I pickek up a very prety old Remington 03 A3 today. I bought it with the intention of having a custom built 257 Roberts Ackly improved 40.
I have allways thought the springfield action is prety classy and I would hope a properly done custom using good parts should be a real classy and accurate rifle, Am I likly to be dissapointed? ...tj3006

Hell no! If the work is done nicely, an 03/A3 action can be cleaned up and made into a very fine rifle indeed!

I built a .308 Norma Magnum on one (it had milled bottom metal) using the GI barrel (4-groove), and did all the polishing myself by hand with emery cloth, crocus cloth, then finishing up with tin oxide on wet rags. It shone like a mirror!!

Then I had the barrel turned down, rechambered to .308 Norma, slow-rust blued and restocked by Paul Jaeger of Jenkintown, PA, with French Walnut, steel buttplate & grip cap. It was left plain, (no engraving or carving) but with an engine-turned bolt. I have not seen nor handled any nicer, slicker-actioned plain unadorned bolt-action rifle of any make or model. For some reason, Springfields seem to me make up into lighter, easier-handling, more "streamlined" rifles than Mausers??

Despite the Springfield's faults, I'd do it again, even at today's gunsmithing prices!

Go for it!!

I hope its not an original 03A3. They are getting to be rather scarce and have a definate collector value that far outweighs their use to sporterize