1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

[ArcticLight]

This got broached but lets have a new topic here.

Got pics of the appropriate safeties for the 03 and the 03A3???

I have my original 03 bolt t hat my dad had modified for hunting but thinking the safety on it is not original.

And I have a bolt that I put together from numrich.com over the course of a few months as parts became available - this bolt is brand new, never fired...

This is the safety on the new unfired bolt:

Is this correct and what is meant by scalloped?

The bolt on the left is what I've had on the rifle for 30 years, the bolt on the right is a NEW bolt:

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

Arctic - there is a difference between the safety and the safety lug on the bolt body (not trying to teach you to suck eggs here).

According to my reading, on pre 1944 bolts the safety lug was "scallop cut" - basically rectangular in plan view but with an inverse curve approximately half way along the length of the lug with the high side towards the rear and curving down to the same level as the extractor at the front.

Here's a view of one from the top:

From 1944 the shape was changed to just a simple rectangular block....like this:

I wouldn't be surprised if there were variations on the safety itself.....but I've not opened that can of worms myself....not yet anyway!

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

ah Gotcha...

I had not known about the rectangular...

I'm good then:

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

Now that said look at the safety lever on the top pic of mine - it's totally different, thinking it's aftermarket...

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

I've had a look at the books by Brophy and Poyer. There were slight variations in the safety locks, but couldn't see any sign of anything that looks like the one on the left in your pic.

 

[bcw1284]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

This is on a bolt from a 1903a1, but I used it on my a4 project:

IIRC, both of my 03's have this style lug, though the other action is in a box someplace and I don't feel like digging it out.

I don't think that it would alter the structure of a bolt to much to modify yours, since the surface which would take stress in an explosion is still full height and quite thick. IF you decide to do it, just do the machining in baby steps so as not to impart a lot of heat.

FYI- the short end of this "ramped" lug should be about the same height as the claw extractor.

 

[Just Jim]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

Hello Artic-

As I'm sure you know, the safety on your '03 has been substituted for a "low scope" safety. I've installed a few of these over the years.

The earliest ones I remember were made by Maynard Buehler. They were popular whether you used a scope or not, as they were much faster and required less motion to disengage than the original design.

Cheers... Jim

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

Thanks! I"ll check in to it - this bolt will stay with the old hunting stock just in case I ever decide....LOL (To sell ? LOL)

 

[Parallax]

Re: 1903/03a3 BOLT and SAFETY Questions

Some also refer to the bolt shroud differences between the Remington and Smith Corona ... the Smith Corona is said to be scalloped. See photo. By the time many of these rifles were surplused they had become mixmasters.