Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
Well one was passed on to me today for the low, low price of $0.00 since my kids are obsessed with WWII guns. Made in 8/44 and in great condition. 30-06. I know nothing of them. Thoughts? What to look for and know. Thanks.
1903a3 thoughts?
- Thread starter Saltwater60
- Start date
Vapor
.308 Win
It's dangerous. You need to turn it over to me for safe keeping.
kev74
20×102mm Vulcan
It's a great rifle!
The super early manufactured ones had some heat treat issues. Yours is fine.
Enjoy it!
FRANKIE
6.5 Creedmoor
Fantastic rifle
Don’t think there are any 1903a3’s with the heat treat issues.
Those were,
(Springfield M1903 pre 1918 manufacture)
All M1903a3’s are Remington or Smith Corona
Don’t think there are any 1903a3’s with the heat treat issues.
Those were,
(Springfield M1903 pre 1918 manufacture)
All M1903a3’s are Remington or Smith Corona
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FRANKIE
6.5 Creedmoor
That’s of course,
Well before Remington ended up on the corporate shit list
Well before Remington ended up on the corporate shit list
96coal449
.308 Win
Wood and steel, 30. .06, and Mauser action.
SCORE!!!
SCORE!!!
FRANKIE
6.5 Creedmoor
Anybody know what the going rate of a correct 1942 Smith Corona in excellent shape would go for?
round about? Got my eye on one.
round about? Got my eye on one.
Keyzard
.45 acp
I inherited one from my FIL. Build date Dec. '43. Great shooter, great condition, but somebody put it in a sporter stock.
Eventually I would like to find a correct stock for it.
Eventually I would like to find a correct stock for it.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
This has a brand new walnut Boyd’s stock on it. The riffle looks near flawless. A few spots where the blueing is rubbed off.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
I saw on gun broker about $1,500-$2,000 so your description would lend towards the higher end, but I just looked quick. Search the auctions there and that’s what I use for the going rate of firearms prices.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
So how is the kick on these. I have two kids that may want to shoot it, but they don’t like shoulder bruisers. I’m guessing they put a hurting on you, but it’s a heavy riffle so maybe not.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
Funny that’s the sales pitch I got.
Depends on how you shoot it. On the bench or prone you are going to feel it more than you would standing. Also the weight of the bullet will have a lot to do with the recoil. I shoot 125-135 grain bullets out of my Garand and it is pleasant enough to shoot all day. With 150s and 168s I have to put it down after about 24 rounds.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
My kids are scrawny so they will have to bench it with the weight. I’ll look for some light weight rounds. A lady I know inherited a Garand and has lots of ammo for it. I’ll see what she has.
Thanks. I want them to like it since it was technically given to them and not me.
Since it is a bolt gun you can get away with shooting 110 grain bullets out of iit, if you can find them or you may have to start loading for it.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
Not worth reloading for me. This will not be a frequent shooter. I have no desire to shoot this much if at all. It’s heavy and the ammo is expensive. If anything I’ll shoot my pistols, the .22lr’s I have or the AR I have. That’s what I enjoy. I also only have a 30 yard range so not much competition shooting this thing there. For skill my kids shoot targets and I trim the branches around the targets for them with the .22’s.
218bee
.44 mag
Always wanted to try one of these. Might be an option if you have some 32 Auto ammo laying around... $25 at Numrich
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
No kidding that is pretty cool. I don’t have that caliber, but very neat option. I thin .32 acp is costly these days, but it would be a great option for the kids to get the opportunity to use it if the 30-06 is too much for them. Thanks.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
I just watched this video and man is it an easy riffle to mess with. I’m appreciating it more after watching this video. Just gives the rundown of the operation and cleaning. My FIL didn’t explain it very well at all and routinely got mixed up.
Congratulations! Springfields have been going for a high premium price for years now. They ate good rifles accurate, good sights, excellent Mauser action (Mauser successfully sued the armory and received royalty payments on each rifle produced, even during the war!)
They suffer from the same over hyping that most American military arms do.
Just a hood, solid service bolt action rilfe.
Don't expect modern mass production rifle accuracy out of it.
If you have no use for it you'd get a good amount of money for it. In good condition well over 1k.
They suffer from the same over hyping that most American military arms do.
Just a hood, solid service bolt action rilfe.
Don't expect modern mass production rifle accuracy out of it.
If you have no use for it you'd get a good amount of money for it. In good condition well over 1k.
thegatman
.308 Win
The 1903-a3 did not have a heat treat issue. It was the 1903’s that had the issue. It was the low number Springfields. I think under 800,000 serial numbers.
M1903* http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/m1903.htm
thegatman
.308 Win
My Legion shoot them with live rounds about twice a year. It helps clean them out from the corrosive blanks we use. We clean them often. Great rifle and still can hit a target at 100 yards after all these years.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
I’d feel bad since it was given to me. It’s the cheaper version of it, not the Springfield. I don’t know honestly. I can post pictures of anyone cares. It has a new barrel and a cheaper stamped receiver he told me. I think it’s national ordinance receiver. Good bad?
I'm talking about the model nomenclature, Named after the now defunct national armory thartdeveloped it, Springfield Armory.
The full designation of the type is Springfield 1903 plus what ever follow on designation for what version- the A3 in this case. As is the case with most military small arms there were numerous manufacturers.
There isn't any reason to sell it if you don't want to.
They are fine, good shooting rifles chamberered in an easily obtained, albeit expensive, cartridge.
Bring it and a 1911 to the range and watch all the funds cream their pants.
Incidentally, in case you were wondering the discrepancy between the rifle model being a 1903 while the cartridge it uses being a 30-06 (.30 caliber of 1906) is due to the fact that the cartridge originally adopted in 1903, the 30-03, was tge same case but with a 220gr round nose bullet instead of the lighter spitzer bullets we are more familiar with.
FRANKIE
6.5 Creedmoor
As far as being “a shooter” your way better off with a replacement as far as the barrel than a shot out, bomb chambered wall hanger. Same goes for a healthy receiver. Most of those rifles, as most surplus rifles were all “Rearsenaled” at some point in there life. Except for the bring backs of course.
A "correct" one that hasn't been sporterized, or fucked with (plating, sanding the Furniture, swapping the Barrel, etc.) will easily go over $1K at Auction...A Smith-Corona with the S.C. marked barrel (that wasn't put on by some jackass with a Pipe Wrench) Proper Stock, sans some small parts, $1,500. on gunchoker or at the Show's.
