US 1903 springfield

[mooneydc]

My 03 Springfield. She has a like new bore and real slick action. I need to get the period sling and bayonet now.

 

[Winamac]

Just some FYI to pass along. If you are planning on shooting your 03 ? Are you aware there is a certain serial number range with these that it is not safe to shoot them. It has something to do with the lack of proper heat treating the metal... and they can blow up.

 

[mooneydc]

Just some FYI to pass along. If you are planning on shooting your 03 ? Are you aware there is a certain serial number range with these that it is not safe to shoot them. It has something to do with the lack of proper heat treating the metal... and they can blow up.

Yeah I'm well aware of the bad receiver serial numbers. Mine is well into the safe range to shoot. Thanks for the post and interest.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Beautiful old rifle, even if you did the photoshop flip on the first picture. Well, that or you have the only morphing ambidextrous rifle in the world.

 

[mooneydc]

Beautiful old rifle, even if you did the photoshop flip on the first picture. Well, that or you have the only morphing ambidextrous rifle in the world.

Oops yeah I just realized that as well. I did that on my M1 Garand photo I posted too. I hope I didn't start something there.

 

[halfmileharry]

I love these rifles. What are you going to clean the wood with?

 

[mooneydc]

I love these rifles. What are you going to clean the wood with?

I'm up in the air about refinishing it. Kind of like to keep it totally original but I have seen some absolute beautiful refinished presentation rifles that really catch the eye. If I end up refinishing it I'll repost pics of the work.

 

[halfmileharry]

I'm up in the air about refinishing it. Kind of like to keep it totally original but I have seen some absolute beautiful refinished presentation rifles that really catch the eye. If I end up refinishing it I'll repost pics of the work.

Clean? Not refinish. I took that for granted. Nice rifle btw. Congrats

 

[sloughfoot]

I hope you don't refinish it. I love it just as it is.

What period sling do you have in mind? The 1903 was the service rifle until 1942 at least. It was widely used with both the 1907 leather sling and the web sling well into WWII.

Did you know many soldiers came ashore at Normandy in 1944 with the 1903? It was the general issue rifle, and not just as the sniper rifle.

It was widely used in all theatres because there was never enough Garand rifles. That is why the iconic pictures of the Garand with bayonet stuck in the dirt to mark a grave never happened. The Garand was too valuable to waste like that.

Anyway, congratulations on your fine rifle. I hope you shoot it in some matches.

 

[mooneydc]

I hope you don't refinish it. I love it just as it is.

What period sling do you have in mind? The 1903 was the service rifle until 1942 at least. It was widely used with both the 1907 leather sling and the web sling well into WWII.

Did you know many soldiers came ashore at Normandy in 1944 with the 1903? It was the general issue rifle, and not just as the sniper rifle.

It was widely used in all theatres because there was never enough Garand rifles. That is why the iconic pictures of the Garand with bayonet stuck in the dirt to mark a grave never happened. The Garand was too valuable to waste like that.

Anyway, congratulations on your fine rifle. I hope you shoot it in some matches.

Yeah I'd love to take it to camp Perry and shoot it and my Garand.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

That's a beauty! An 03 or an 03A3 is on my "gotta get" list. Per cleaning the stock (if you want to clean it), I've had good luck with Murphy's Oil Soap to clean the stocks on my old milsurps. After that I generally just give them a few coats of boiled linseed oil.

 

[mooneydc]

I hope you don't refinish it. I love it just as it is.

What period sling do you have in mind? The 1903 was the service rifle until 1942 at least. It was widely used with both the 1907 leather sling and the web sling well into WWII.

Did you know many soldiers came ashore at Normandy in 1944 with the 1903? It was the general issue rifle, and not just as the sniper rifle.

It was widely used in all theatres because there was never enough Garand rifles. That is why the iconic pictures of the Garand with bayonet stuck in the dirt to mark a grave never happened. The Garand was too valuable to waste like that.

Anyway, congratulations on your fine rifle. I hope you shoot it in some matches.

I think I would like the web sling of the leather but It wouldn't matter really. The web sling would fit in period with the date of mine though.

 

[mooneydc]

That's a beauty! An 03 or an 03A3 is on my "gotta get" list. Per cleaning the stock (if you want to clean it), I've had good luck with Murphy's Oil Soap to clean the stocks on my old milsurps. After that I generally just give them a few coats of boiled linseed oil.

Yeah I still want to get a 30 carbine to help complete my US Military collection. I recently had a US Enfield 1917, but traded it for another rifle. It was in rough shape and I think I will eventually find another one in better condition. I thought after I did clean it I would use a couple of coats of tru oil.

 

[BogWalker]

Always wanted one myself as well. Definitely a must for any US firearms collector, along with the M1 Garand.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Always wanted one myself as well. Definitely a must for any US firearms collector, along with the M1 Garand.

Yep, an 03 or 03A3 would complete my trifecta...

 

[mooneydc]

Always wanted one myself as well. Definitely a must for any US firearms collector, along with the M1 Garand.

Yeah I have a Garand. I posted a pic of it too. It's a real shooter too. I wish I had a group of guys to go to Camp Perry with and shoot these old battle rifles.

 

[mooneydc]

Wow really clean M1. Has it been refinished and re-blued? I cant see the stainless end or it isn't showing in the pic.

 

[mooneydc]

Yep, an 03 or 03A3 would complete my trifecta...

I like the 03 over the 03a3 myself. I like the sites better and having everything being milled rather than stamped materials too. Don't take me wrong I came across a good deal on an 03a3 I'd be all over it but after handling both variants I like the early one over the later one.

 

[N_K_1984]

Dude, those are nice! An M1 and and M1 Carbine are both on my list of guns I want when I grow up!

...and Mooney, we're taking that 1903 out the next time I'm down. Just FYI.

 

[mooneydc]

Dude, those are nice! An M1 and and M1 Carbine are both on my list of guns I want when I grow up!

...and Mooney, we're taking that 1903 out the next time I'm down. Just FYI.

Yeah I know. I'll probably get some negative replies but I haven't shot my 03 yet and Ive had it in the safe for a long while now. I need to make myself reload some ammo for it.