Springfield 1903A1 without a scope...

[SB15]

So my last post was about the Gibbs 1903 sniper...because it shot so well I went out and bought myself an original springfield. I dont know anything about the rifle so any comments would be great. I paid 700 dollars for it and for all I know it could have been assembled for someone recently. Either way the serial number is after the 800,000 so it's a shooter and it has been rebarreled as the date on the barrel is 3-30. No stamps on the stock and not sure what else to look for to make sure I paid the right price.

The gun after adjusting the sights is amazing. I have the first photo which is of the first 5 shots I made shooting from a lead sled at 100 meters making a small adjustment until the final bulls eye. The second photo is shooting the gun off of my range bag taking no longer than 5 seconds between shots. The other photos are of the gun...the barrel is pristine...like a mirror. I dont have any gauges, but from the way it shoots I dont need no stinkin' gauges!!!

Can anyone give me some feedback on the gun...did I do well price wise?

 

[mtlucas0311]

Nice looking rifle, and seems to shoot really well. I think you did pretty good for $700, not a steal but a good price if the barrel is that nice. It's not really a 1903A1 though. 1903A1's are rifles which were originally built at the arsenals with C stocks in the late 20's through the mid 30's (I think, don't hold me to that time frame). Yours has a "S" or scant stock, and the S/N dates it much to much earlier. It probably picked up the stock at the same time as the barrel, but it may have gone through multiple rebuild too.

 

[SB15]

Nice looking rifle, and seems to shoot really well. I think you did pretty good for $700, not a steal but a good price if the barrel is that nice. It's not really a 1903A1 though. 1903A1's are rifles which were originally built at the arsenals with C stocks in the late 20's through the mid 30's (I think, don't hold me to that time frame). Yours has a "S" or scant stock, and the S/N dates it much to much earlier. It probably picked up the stock at the same time as the barrel, but it may have gone through multiple rebuild too.

Thanks for the update! Hard to find people who can give a background on a gun like this. Either way it shoots great and I'm really happy with it. I'd like to by one of the Replica Unertl 8x scopes for it but noticed that I need to get another wood hangaurd to allow the scope to attache. Any idea where I can get something like that?

 

[kraigWY]

Go to the CMP Forums, Bolt Action Section, you'll find just about everything you want to know about your '03.

Get a copy of "The Model 1903 Springfield Rifle, and its variations" by Joe Poyer.

The Model 1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations, 4th Revised Edition: Joe Poyer: 9781882391301: Amazon.com: Books

Don't worry about the 1930 barrel. It could be old, but new, meaning not used after the rebuilt.

As to "cobbled together" guns, whats the problem? That's exactly what the army did in their rebuilding. Sounds like the way it shoots, you got a pick of the litter so don't worry about it.

I don't have an '03 but I do have a M1903a3 and A4.

I went with the 'A4 cause I'm Army, can't be shooting no Marine rifle. The Unertl has an advantage over my 2.5 Weaver but my 'A4 still shoots better then I do. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Now hunt up some CMP Vintage Springfield and Vintage Sniper Matches and let the rifle show you she still has it.

 

[BPaulk]

There will be a CMP shoot in Ok in the spring I read a thread about it a couple of weeks ago. Nice rifle.

 

[pmclaine]

I assume you are shooting the rifle using the leaf and peep or were those targets at 547 yards?

With the leaf folded the BZO is 547 yards. Most new 03 shooters move right to the battle sight (folded leaf) and wonder why they are shooting over the berm. The Marines used a taller front sight for a short while that made the BZO 200 yards with the battle sight.

Seldom is the leaf registered to the height of the front sight. If you are finding the marks on the leaf correlate with your range good for you. You register the sights by filing the front sight to your zero. If your front blade is too short already spares are available.

I bought a sight micrometer for sight adjustment and disregard the leaf/front sight relationship. Its an almost "required" tool for shooting the 03. It allows you to get repeatability and make 1/4 MOA adjustments in elevation. Creedmoor sells a replica that works great. You can find period "PJ OHare" sight micrometers usually in the $150 - $200 dollar range.

Adjusting windage still drives me nuts. Each line of windage is 4 MOA so a little goes a long way. I find it easier to hold wind.

Great rifle. Good shooting.

Post detailed pictures of your rifle at the CMP Forum or Culvers Shooting Page Forum and you will get plenty of feedback on your rifle.

 

[Dan M]

Nice 1930's rebuild... probably went back again during WW2. Any markings remaining on the stock?

The original barrel should have been around July 1918. They are a blast to shoot.

 

[SB15]

No Markings on the stock, but it is a beautiful piece of wood. Overall I'm very happy for the 700 dollar price.

 

[HD-Ghost]

As mentioned, the serial number puts your rifle in 1918. Being rebuilt in 1930 may make the barrel NM; check the muzzle crown at 6 o'clock for a sunburst/turtle looking stamp. The scant stock didn't come around till WWII. These were used quite a bit on 03-A4s, thus there were no cartouches. Glad it shoots well for you.

 

[Weird one]

Hey SB15, you can modify your own handguard. Look at pics of these rifles and just use that as your reference. Some of them had just enough wood removed to allow mounting and dis-mounting of the scope from the rings, others had almost all of the handguard cut off with only 1/2" to 3/4" showing in front of the rear sight base. I've done these with a surform then a file to true it all up finished with sandpaper and re oil. If you mess it up GPC and Sarco have more, last one I picked up for a rebuild was brand new... had to make it look old to match the rifle. As far as repro optics the one that Leatherwood makes isn't too bad. I have a couple of them and what I found out that made me happy was to chuck the bases that come with it and put on some real unertl bases and fit your scope to them. I also cut down the front ring tension spring so the tube would move a little smoother in the ring. I have one on an M-70 sniper build and another on a M1941. They are a little weird to bring the knobs to zero once the gun is at zero, not quite so clean as a real Unertl but with some patience they work. If you can swing it find Brophy's book of the Springfield, it will tell you everything that you wanted to know... even the stuff you were afraid to ask. And He was part of the Springfield development and head of Springfield Armory for a number of years so if anyone would know he would.