1903A3 Bolt Problems

Check the headspace immediately.
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Between us, as in other reloaders etc. in our small community with common interest two of 'us' have 100+ Springfield 03 bolts of various configurations. Problem: Finding one that makes a difference. I am the only one of the community that can check the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face 'IMMEDIATELY!'.

F. Guffey
 
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HiBC, as stated several times before, my receiver is bad. There are gaps between the receiver and the bolt. This means I will need a new receiver to fix that, in addition to an new bolt to fix the cocking problem.

So if I understand you correctly, you're saying that the Criterion barrel will not work with the AIM receiver+bolt combo if the ring is refaced? Will putting the barrel on the receiver without refacing the receiver effect the functionality, or is it just so that it will look pretty?

It was having problems before I installed the Timney trigger. It's a FANTASTIC trigger; so much better than the original one!
 
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I sounds to me that you have already decided that the receiver is bad and that you need another action or another rifle. In that case, any discussion of what is wrong or how it could be fixed seems pointless. Lots of luck in finding what you want.

Jim
 
James K, correct. I didn't realize what was wrong with the rifle until after the thread was created. My bad. But nothing else would make sense. Sorry :(
 
So if I understand you correctly, you're saying that the Criterion barrel will not work with the AIM receiver+bolt combo if the ring is refaced? Will putting the barrel on the receiver without refacing the receiver effect the functionality, or is it just so that it will look pretty?

It was having problems before I installed the Timney trigger. It's a FANTASTIC trigger; so much better than the original one!
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Re-facing the receiver effect the function? Who is going to do the work? Re-facing the front receiver ring changes the function. Re-facing the shoulder at the end of the barrel threads changes function. If the barrel is not indexed the extractor will not allow the bolt to close. And re-facing the receiver or shoulder on the barrel changes the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face, most refer to that length as 'head space'.

F. Guffey
 
F. Guffey, I meant will it IMPROVE functionality. Yes, I know it will change the functionality. Let me put it this way: will the sink in the receiver face have a negative impact on the performance of the rifle?
 
This is a sporter, right, and you want it back to original military configuration, but you need a new action, and have been talking about replacing the barrel with a criterion, is this a good summary?

What you need to do at this point, if there is some significance to your rifle, is hang it on the wall, and go buy a original 1903A3, or one of the rebuilt drill rifles, like a Gibbs or James River. What you are talking about doing is rebuilding your rifle completely, there will be nothing left of it that was original. You certainly can do that if you want, but you will spend less money buying a complete rifle.

Find something like this: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=501267510

Or this: http://www.armslist.com/posts/4616195/southern-illinois-rifles-for-sale-trade--1903a3-smith-corona-

And you are done.
 
Emcon5, correct. Some cases might be cheaper, but I will already have some of the parts, such as the magazine/trigger guard and the firing assembly. Yes, it would be easier to buy another one. I thought about that, and I might just do it. But if it's any cheaper, I'll just rebuild it. I calculated the price of sights, stock, barrel, and receiver+bolt, and it comes out to no more than $550. Most of those parts are repros, but that doesn't bother me. It's not going to be a show gun, it's going to be a working gun. Add in shipping and gunsmith fees, it would probably cost less than $800. Not bad.

I'm not a big fan of bidding on Gun Broker, but I'll see what I can do.

Sarco has them for $595
http://www.e-sarcoinc.com/originalgi1903a3springfields.aspx
 
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will the sink in the receiver face have a negative impact on the performance of the rifle?
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Sink? As in cone? Negative impact, the cone is a bullet guide. Then there is the twilight zone: case heat protrusion and unsupported case head. I have read all kinds of horror stories. I have never found an 03 rifle with more than .090" case head protrusion when measured from the bottom of the extractor cut. I have 2 P14s with M1917 barrels one is chambered to 308 Norma mag and the other is a 30/06.

If you have a plan on eliminating the cone face work on a bullet guide.

F. Guffey
 
From HiBC:
As part of the initial demil,a tack weld was done to lock the barrel into the receiver.It was at 6 Oclock on the receiever ring face.A slight sink is visible on the receiver ring face at this point.I recommend facing the receiver ring true with a Brownell's mandrel.
Tat will mean a one thread setback if you get a Criterion 1903A3 barrel,as the indexing will be lost when you face the receiver ring.
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About your bot "catch " problems.Go to Timney's website.Look up your trigger.Click "More info",then "Instructions"
The trigger sear in a Timney is different than a military.Sometimes the cocking piece sear must be fitted to it.
Or try this.Put the safety on,unscrew the striker assembly from the bolt.
Place the magazine cutoff in the "off postion to get the follower out of the picture.Now cycle the bolt.If its free,hmm.Now put your bolt back together and pull the Timney out.Try cycling without the trigger in place.If you have lost the"catch"then the trigger is the problem.

Sometimes ham fisted idiots without proper tools and knowledge twist receivers pulling barrels out.

Many amateur stock replacements do not get the receiver height/mag box height/bedding right.Tightening the guard screws bends the receiver.
Someone else mentioned front guard screw.Actually,I'd look at the rear one.The originals were short,but its common to replace them with a longer aftermarket screw.The cocking piece sear hits the screw.

Occasionally an ejector can bind in its slot.

You say your rifle is scoped?Altered bolt handle?The heat can anneal the cocking cam Dry firing can cause the soft parts to batter.

I'm with James K,it is very unlikely the internal dia of that Rem receiever is worn out.

Gaps?Do you mean clearance around the safety lug as it passes through the bridge? Supposed to be a gap.Mine eyeballs about 1/32 in over the top of the lug.Same with the extractor claw.Its supposed to be clearance.

Scratches,filing?Yeah.Your "gunsmith" had the scope screws dragging on the bolt so he went in with a file and filled the screws back.
Tell me,when you spec'd out your receiver to decide it was scrap,what measuring tools did you use? what did you measure?
You have a plated bolt that has been tortured with a polishing wheel.What does the bolt measure?
Hint,you have two parts with a loose fit.One has been "polished".You picked the other one to be "woreout"?
On the receiver truing.Due to the tack weld,at 6 oclock on the receiver face,the metal is slightly shrunk.

The receiver ring face is the foundation the barrel shoulder rests on.If it is not flat and true,the barrel/receiver fit will be like a chair with a short leg.
I faced mine.On a mandrel between centers that Brownell's sell just for that job.You get a little change out of a $100 bill for the mandrel.About .003 cleaned it.But that creates a problem.
The Criterion (hopefully) pre-fit drop in barrel is timed to butt up against that shoulder.My index mark aligned with only inch pounds of torque.The barrel screws in a touch too far.
So I had to carefully take just the right amount of steel offthe barrel to set the barrel back one thread .It needs to tighten with the front sight cut straight up.I also had to deepen the chamber/re-headspace,recut the extractor notch and cone.

I do not have to pay to have this done,as I know how to do it myself.If you have to pay,better have some of those bills with Ben Franklin's pic on them.
My rifle works,shoots real good,and has a good enough military two stage I don't even want a Timney for it.
 
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HiBC, the scratches are around the gaps. And there is a much larger and uneven gap than 1/32". I didn't measure the receiver, I'm just going based on my "That doesn't look right" instincts. I don't think the receiver is worn out, I think some idiot filed it down for some reason.

I checked the rear receiver screw, and it's not causing any problems.

As for bolt diameter, I just checked them with my dial calipers. The skinnier part in the middle of the bolt (though that part probably doesn't matter so much) measured 0.783", and the two fatter parts both measured as low as 0.7940", though I had to work a lot to get that number. Most of the time I kept getting 0.7945". I don't know if that makes a difference or not in this case. What's the diameter of an A3 bolt? What do you get?
 
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Interesting.
My bolt was new,unissued,made by Browne and Sharpe.
My trusty vernier calipers show the bolt to have a couple of larger dia zones,the ones that locate the bolt in the receiver,that are .700.
Other portions of the bolt with more complex geometry are relieved for clearance to about .675.
I think you will find the nominal diameter of a large percentage of turnbolts to be .700.
 
Very interesting. Perhaps someone filed the receiver to make it fit, and filed down waaayyyy too much? Whoever had this rifle really buggered it up, I can tell you that.
 
Well, thanks for the help everyone. I won't have access to a computer for over a month starting tomorrow. I know it's difficult to diagnose a problem through a stubborn 1903-illiterate person who has no idea what they're talking about, but I'm sure you all could find out what's wrong in just 10 minutes of holding it :D
 
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