Lets back up a minute:
What's wrong with the Springfield 1903A3..............Mix masters. Lets talk about Mix-Masters.
Just about all 1903s, have been rebuilt by the Army over the years. Most, several times. They don't rebuild Remington's with Remington Parts, and Smith Corona's with SC parts. They rebuild 1903s with 1903 parts regardless of who the contractor was.
Remington contract out their parts, Smith Corona contracts out their parts. The 1903 were designed, like most military rifles to be plug an play, meaning the parts are interchangeable.
Sarco 1903a3s may be parts guns. So were the 1903a3's sold by the CMP (when they had them)
The real question is, SO WHAT, they are M1903a3's.
Are M1903a3s shootable? Are they accurate?
The answer is YES. They are on the average the most accurate military rifles ever made.
We can all say my Model 19xx or surplus YY, is the most accurate. It shoots X moa ever time. We all have opinions what what's the most accurate. So to set aside prejudges how do we know.
Look at head to head match results. The CMP conducts GSM Matches. G=Garands, S = Springfields and M= all other military rifles used before 1954. Including the M1917s, Krags, Mausers, Swedes, Swiss, etc etc.
In the CMP Games awards are presented to individuals shooting min scores in the games. There are cut off scores for the Garand, Springfield, and Military matches. To keep things fair, their are different cut off scores for the different rifles simply because the scores are higher for different classes.
The Cut off scores are Higher for the Springfields then they are for the Military rifles, they are even higher then the Garands.
One only needs to check the winning (or overall average) scores at the CMP games to see which category has the higher scores.
Looking at this, you cannot dispute that the Springfields are, on the average, more accurate.
The Army uses a Mann Device to test their ammo. The Mann is a heavy super match barrel put on an action and fired from a v-type rest. The action used for the Mann of course is chosen for its accuracy.
They are Springfield actions, Not Enfields, Swiss, Swedes, Mausers, but Springfields. They made manns in '06, 308, 30 Carbine, 45 ACP, 22 Hornet using Springfield actions. (I do have a Mann in 5.56 that was made on a Remington Action, but the majority of calibers used by the Army are tested in Mann's using a Springfield action.
All versions of the Springfields, 1903, 1903a1, and 1903a3s, are accurate. Its just in my opinion the M1903a3's are easier to shoot accurately because of the sights. The 'A3's have a rear peep, and longer sight radius.
Saco and others buy surplus parts and build their rifles. They function, and they shoot. They are Springfield's. Mix master or not, (just like the Army's Springfield's)
When I built my M1903a4, someone on these forums gave me the action and a bag of parts. I got a few different parts, a surplus barrel (from Sarco), a Stock from CMP and at a small gun shop a Weaver K 2.5 and I built my M1903a4 from parts. Its a faux or mixmaster, call it what you want, its a M1903a4. All CMP legal parts, that I put together like putting together any kit.
Sighted it in, took it to Cody for a CMP GSM Vintage sniper rifle, used handloaded 168 A-max bullets and won a Bronze medal the first time I shot it.
If one doesn't like Springfield's, don't buy one, but if you're looking for a surplus military shooter. You wont go wrong with the Springfields, Mix Master or Not.
I said that the Springfields are on the average the most accurate surplus rifle ever made, I'm going to go one step further. I'm going to say they are the most accurate military rifles made, surplus or modern.
I'm not talking about match M14s or Garands, I'm talking as issued Arms Room Guns. If you take 5 surplus Springfields and 5 M16a3s or M4s from the arms room and go head to head, you'll find the Springfields will win.
Some are going to chime in and say I'm prejudges toward the Springfield. I'll beat them to it, I am. So don't take my word for this, don't take anyone's word. Look at the scores fired at the matches listed on the CMP's website. I think they bare me out.
