I just acquired a custom rifle that was built on a 1903 Springfield action and barrel. I was just checking to make sure this can handle modern load data and powders? Hey and if anyone would like to share their accurate recipes for their 1903 I would sure appreciate it. Thanks.
Can a 1903 Springfield action/barrel handle modern loads?
- Thread starter Chaparral
- Start date
In principle, yes. In practice there seem to a be few low serial number Springfields with improper heat treating that can shatter, which has been demonstrated by striking them with a hammer and shattering resulting. On the other hand, a good many of them are just fine. I've forgotten the exact serial number where the heat treating method was changed to eliminate this possibility. Anything over about 800,000 from Springfield Armory and over about 300,000 from Rock Island Arsenal are the approximate numbers usually given, and below which there is a chance of running into a problematic one. Enough people think the whole heat treatment thing was exaggerated for CYA purposes and shoot the old ones anyway without problems that it seems the chance of getting a bad one isn't high. But if I ran into one that hadn't clearly been fired a lot already, I would be inclined to have it inspected by x-ray. But that's just me.
Jim Watson
New member
And some people think that any "low number" or "case hardened" or "single heat treat" 1903 is a time bomb.
What is your make and serial number?
What is your make and serial number?
I use H4895 (47.0 grn) under a 150 gr Speer Hot Cor and a CCI 200 primer.
Mine will shoot a 10 shot group of 3/8" at 100 yds with that load.
My Dad thought the barrel was shot out until we happened onto that load.
Here is a good read on the subject.
http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/
Mine will shoot a 10 shot group of 3/8" at 100 yds with that load.
My Dad thought the barrel was shot out until we happened onto that load.
Here is a good read on the subject.
http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/
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My sporterized 03-A3 is a high S/N, 336----, apparently made in Jan 1943. It will handle "modern" loads just fine, but, I don't load to max. It now resides in Idaho, with my 7x57 Mauser. A superbly accurate rifle that 03-A3 is. FWIW, there are no markings on the barrel, at all. S/N and "Remington" are stamped on top of the receiver, front. I believe it is a four groove barrel.
Jim Watson
New member
All 03A3s (and Remington 03s) are "high number" having been made during WWII long after the heat treat controversies. Barrels were typically stamped for manufacturer and date just behind the front sight. Was your barrel shortened, turned, or drawfiled in the sporterizing process?
Jim, I'm not sure what "drawfiled" means. It has a 22" barrel, don't believe it was turned.
One time at the range, a fella wanted to look at said rifle. Didn't know the guy, but, he gave it a good, close look and mentioned "this barrel looks to be a Denver armory match barrel". Not sure how he came to that conclusion, as there isn't a mark on that barrel.
But, it is a shooter. Not sure about Denver armory either. What do you think?
One time at the range, a fella wanted to look at said rifle. Didn't know the guy, but, he gave it a good, close look and mentioned "this barrel looks to be a Denver armory match barrel". Not sure how he came to that conclusion, as there isn't a mark on that barrel.
But, it is a shooter. Not sure about Denver armory either. What do you think?
I purchased a Rock Island 1903 in Victoria, TX years ago. I ask the dealer to convince me the barrel had rifling; if the barrel had the hint of rifling I would purchase it, As always it was hot and humid, he worked up a sweat while worked on the barrel for close to two hours.
And then finally there appeared a hint of rifling; while waiting I was told by everyone in the shop about the Perils of the 03; and I wondered how can a rifle be shoot to the point caked carbon has reduced the diameter of the barrel to the point there are no rifling's visible. And then I wondered how much pressure is created when a .308 bullet is shot out of a .297 barrel.
Nothing changed when I finally got home, Friends told me everything they knew about the 03. It was not easy but when finished cleaning the inside of the barrel the rifling's looked new.
Do I worry? NO! Did the extra pressure have an effect on the receiver? Had the receiver stretched I would have formed cases to fit to off set the length of the chamber. And then there is the claim the receivers were brittle. I load the rifle like it was any other 30/06, I do not use reduce loads, I do not grease my bullets and I have nothing to prove with heavy loads.
F. Guffey
And then finally there appeared a hint of rifling; while waiting I was told by everyone in the shop about the Perils of the 03; and I wondered how can a rifle be shoot to the point caked carbon has reduced the diameter of the barrel to the point there are no rifling's visible. And then I wondered how much pressure is created when a .308 bullet is shot out of a .297 barrel.
Nothing changed when I finally got home, Friends told me everything they knew about the 03. It was not easy but when finished cleaning the inside of the barrel the rifling's looked new.
Do I worry? NO! Did the extra pressure have an effect on the receiver? Had the receiver stretched I would have formed cases to fit to off set the length of the chamber. And then there is the claim the receivers were brittle. I load the rifle like it was any other 30/06, I do not use reduce loads, I do not grease my bullets and I have nothing to prove with heavy loads.
F. Guffey
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Jim Watson
New member
Rifletom, if it has a 22" barrel, it has been cut off from the GI 24" (or replaced), losing the date and make. Never heard of Denver Armory, it does not Wiki as anything but a National Guard base and a gun store.
I have a Guffey. I once pronounced a .30-06 sporter barrel as rusted by not cleaning after surplus "corrosive" ammo. Turned out it was dried oil imbedded with house dust making the bore look rough. A cleaning patch would not touch it, but a shot fired blew the crud out revealing a pristine bore. Took me a while to live down that little piece of expertise. l
I have a Guffey. I once pronounced a .30-06 sporter barrel as rusted by not cleaning after surplus "corrosive" ammo. Turned out it was dried oil imbedded with house dust making the bore look rough. A cleaning patch would not touch it, but a shot fired blew the crud out revealing a pristine bore. Took me a while to live down that little piece of expertise. l
Jim, I'll call my friend in Idaho, to have him measure the barrel just to be sure. I may have been thinking of my Ruger MK II, which does have a 22" barrel. Also, I'll have him look at the barrel for any markings I may have missed. Seems I'm forgetting something about that barrel.
Great I will give this one a try. Thx!
#3102***. Unsure of the make. The barrel has no markings at all. I tried to upload pictures but I rec'd a message saying something is wrong.
#3102*** Unsure of who made the barrel. Sure wish I could upload some pics. Very pretty rifle. The only markings I see on the gun is a stamp in the wood saying"Morton". And on the recoil pad it says Morton Gun Works Wichita Falls, Texas.
Jim, just got off the phone from Idaho. Well, Dave's memory is better than,but, he was with me in '85 when I got that rifle. The gunsmith said it's a Douglas match grade, two groove barrel @ 22". Where Denver came from, well, who knows. BTW, contour med/heavy. no markings at all. Clean barrel. Hopefully, that helps.
Chaparral,
Copy your photo file to a second name and then edit it to have width of no more than 800-1000 pixels. That will ensure everyone can see it on their screen. InfranView is free and will do that. Then at the bottom of the post click on Go Advanced. Once there, scroll down to Manage Attachments and click on that. In the manager, click on one of the Browse buttons and go select your file. When you have it selected, click the upload button. At that point there will be a thumbnail at the bottom of your post anyone can click on to view the image. If you want the image to appear in the body of the text, right click on the icon and click to copy the image location. Then click where you want it in the post either click the postcard/photo icon at the top of the composition window and past that into it, or directly type the image tag [IMG] and the close image tag [/IMG]and past the copied location between them. Either way will cause your photo to display in the body of the post as well as leave the thumbnail at the bottom.
Rifletom,
I didn't realize Douglas ever made two-groovers. They're supposed to be the best with cast bullets. I'll have to go look at Douglas's site again.
Copy your photo file to a second name and then edit it to have width of no more than 800-1000 pixels. That will ensure everyone can see it on their screen. InfranView is free and will do that. Then at the bottom of the post click on Go Advanced. Once there, scroll down to Manage Attachments and click on that. In the manager, click on one of the Browse buttons and go select your file. When you have it selected, click the upload button. At that point there will be a thumbnail at the bottom of your post anyone can click on to view the image. If you want the image to appear in the body of the text, right click on the icon and click to copy the image location. Then click where you want it in the post either click the postcard/photo icon at the top of the composition window and past that into it, or directly type the image tag [IMG] and the close image tag [/IMG]and past the copied location between them. Either way will cause your photo to display in the body of the post as well as leave the thumbnail at the bottom.
Rifletom,
I didn't realize Douglas ever made two-groovers. They're supposed to be the best with cast bullets. I'll have to go look at Douglas's site again.
Don Fischer
New member
I have a custom 1903 and no markings of any kind on it except number 2710 on the right side of the reciever over the chamber and 30-06 on the left side of the barrel. May be something under the scope base but I've never had it off. Only thing I've ever shot in it is 180gr Hornady interloc, WLR primer and IMR 4064 for powder. stay just under an inch all day.
"...barrel has no markings..." Means it's likely a commercial barrel. Military stamps everything. The S/N isn't on the barrel anyway. It's on the receiver ring. So is the 'maker'. Mind you, like Don says, if there's a scope that info may be covered. S/N usually are not though. That'd be highly illegal.
IMR4064 with any bullet weight, gives more consistent accuracy than either 4895. However, the military ammo a 1903(vs an '03A3) used 150 grain bullet at 2700 FPS. Most commercial .30-06 hunting ammo runs at that velocity. So do most reloading manuals.
IMR4064 with any bullet weight, gives more consistent accuracy than either 4895. However, the military ammo a 1903(vs an '03A3) used 150 grain bullet at 2700 FPS. Most commercial .30-06 hunting ammo runs at that velocity. So do most reloading manuals.