1903 help

[McKenzie]

I scored a Springfield Armory 1903 at an auction Saturday. It is missing what ever goes into the bottom of the barrel band and the front sling swivel. The sight is a little dinged as well. BUT, the barrel is a pristine two groove and the trigger, after quite a bit of take up, breaks very sweetly.

Is there a Web site, or other source, that has info on the 1903? I need to find out what I have to find to get her back to original.

[Michael Petrov]

http://www.jouster.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9

[Shiloh]

Parts for it:

http://www.e-gunparts.com/productsch...NGFIELD%201903

http://www.ssfirearms.com/

There are others.

Shiloh

[pietro]

I only hope, for your sake, it's serial number is over the 800,000 mark that denotes the end of the dangerous "low-numbered Springfields".

.

[Char-Gar]

If it is an 03 (and not an 03A3) with a two groove barrel, it has been rebarreled.

[McKenzie]

Nope, it is a low numbered receiver. In the 22XXX range. It has indeed been re-barreled with a Rock Island Armory barrel stamped 1-19. It has also had the stock refinished and some of the stamps on it are barely legible.

Yes, I know about them having a potential for an improper heat treatment below the 800,000 serial number. All things considered, I'm not sure that I'm too worried about it.

According to Hatcher, the real problems seem to have begun with 1904 production, and this one is 1903 made. When you look at the real odds of it going boom, it's more likely I'd be killed driving to Denver. I do that regularly.

I think reasonable cast loads shouldn't present too grave a danger. I may keep my eye open for a high number receiver and change it out at some point.

[Bob S]

It has indeed been re-barreled with a Rock Island Armory barrel stamped 1-19.

That barrel will have four grooves. Two-groove barrels were not authorized until 1942, and Rock Island didn't make any.

As Chargar said, there were no two-groove barrels made for the M1903. You may find a M1903 with a two groove barrel, but if you remove the rear sight base, you'll find out that it was an 03A3 barrel that was modified by some civilian, like me. I fit up a lot of DCM 98 cent two-groove 03A3 barrels to 03's for poor fellow undergraduate students in the 60's. I'm sure I was not the only one doing this ...

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Try milsurps.com as they have a regular section on the 1903/03A3 and some real knowledgeable people who will help you. For parts try GunpartsCorp.com in W.Hurley N.Y. 2 groove barrels were strictly WWII production and they shot just as well as the 4 groovers anyway. As for low numbered RIA's and SA's, you are correct in that statistically you are safer than driving to Denver or anywhere. LLS