Swede m38 or maybe a Spring 1903

SwifTst

SwifTst

Regular
Rating - 97%
32   1   0
Location
Port Perry
Hey what's happenin Gunnutz? So for the past few weeks I've been thinking about picking up a nice shooter grade milsurp bolt action. I've narrowed it down to a Swede m38, or a 1903.

I've shot neither, but I hear the m38's are pretty accurate and fun to shoot. I prefer the shorter barrel as opposed to the 29 inch barrel I think it is.
I also hear the 1903 is a real hoot to shoot as well. Ahh decisions decisions lol
Money isn't really an issue, and I'll probably pick up a cheap Lee loader for eith caliber.

I just want to hear peoples input on these two rifles in terms of accuracy, availability, reliability, pros cons etc. before I make any decision. So far it looks like 1903's are hard to come by. But then again I haven't seen many Swede M38 shorter barrels either. Or it could just be that I haven't really had the time to look.

Thanks in advance guys :)

Pictures welcome here!
 
I shot a friend's Swede M38 once and it was very accurate with his hand loads. Light, easy to handle, and nice sights. The recoil was also mild.

I have yet to shoot a 1903, that is one milsurp I have not seen at any ranges I have been to.
 
Yeah, I haven't heard anything bad about M38's yet. And I haven't heard much of anything about 1903's lol except that they're a beaut to shoot and own.
 
Claven2 said:
The only issue with the 1903 is finding a decent one - good luck with that.
Click to expand...

Claven has hit the 1903 button right on!

The selection of any decent 1903's in Canada is very limited, and there is often more than one issue with each rifle.
Stock problems, receiver and component pitting, damaged barrels, etc.....tough picking on '03's and '03'A3's both!
 
Swedes is boring. Dey alvays shoots da center outta da target!:D UFF DA

Oh by the way if you get an 03, also get a shoulder pad! Thjey will definetly get your attention when you squeeze the trigger
 
SwifTst said:
hmm sounds like they're more rare than I thought...
Click to expand...

Naw ;) , it's just that Americans really love their milsurps...:(...think about us Canucks & Longbranch rifles :canadaFlag: , only x 1,000 !......:wave:

John Sukey said:
Swedes is boring. Dey alvays shoots da center outta da target!:D UFF DA

Oh by the way if you get an 03, also get a shoulder pad! Thjey will definetly get your attention when you squeeze the trigger
Click to expand...

You betta believe it......:redface:
 
I will soon have a beautiful M1903, though I had to build it myself from parts - lol. I scrapped two incomplete low-number spotters and had to order parts from a lot of places, but my 1920's SA with "new old stock" RA barrel is off at parkerizing now. Will post pics when done.

Building might be the only way to get a nice one of these up here in Canada - sadly.

Not sure why importers only brought them in as beat-to-hell Chinese and Korean surplus. Maybe they figure they aren't as popular as the M1?
 
Claven2 said:
I will soon have a beautiful M1903, though I had to build it myself from parts - lol. I scrapped two incomplete low-number spotters and had to order parts from a lot of places, but my 1920's SA with "new old stock" RA barrel is off at parkerizing now. Will post pics when done.

Building might be the only way to get a nice one of these up here in Canada - sadly.

Not sure why importers only brought them in as beat-to-hell Chinese and Korean surplus. Maybe they figure they aren't as popular as the M1?
Click to expand...

Is the receiver low-numbered ?.....:redface:
 
A 1920s rifle will be a high-number Springfield for sure.

Only two plants (Springfield and Rock Island) made the low-number rifles and both plants were shut down as soon as the problem was identified. Neither plant was allowed to re-open until the new double-heat-treatment had been developed. Both plants turned out high-number rifles at top speed for the last few months of the Great War.

There is a whole chapter on the goings-on in Hatcher's Notebook. Hatcher was the main investigator of the problem, so he is the Oracle on this. Chapter 1.

Also see the chapter on "Receiver Steels and Heat Treatment".
.
 
Claven2 said:
The only issue with the 1903 is finding a decent one - good luck with that.
Click to expand...

Hi Ron,

Yes, they can be found.
Last winter at the EOHC, except for two shooters( Andy and Lou) they both went unnoticed...... You were not there on that occasion.

I shot the A3 in military class and the A1-Unertl in open class.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=684075&highlight=EOHC&page=5

Oh, and they sure can shoot too!!!!

The third sister do also shoot like there's no tomorrow.
003-5.jpg
[/IMG]
004-5.jpg
[/IMG]
005-5.jpg
[/IMG]
006-4.jpg
[/IMG]

The A4 is part of last block of Remington made sniper rifles with K marked stock and 4 groove original prick marked barrel.
The Alaskan is civy version, original supply(?), hard to say.

Bring yours to next winter shoot.

BB
 
Last edited:
Boom-Boom said:
Hi Ron,

Yes, they can be found.
Last winter at the EOHC, except for two shooters( Andy and Lou) they both went unnoticed...... You were not there on that occasion.

I shot the A3 in military class and the A1-Unertl in open class.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=684075&highlight=EOHC&page=5

Oh, and they sure can shoot too!!!!

The third sister do also shoot like there's no tomorrow.
003-5.jpg
[/IMG]
004-5.jpg
[/IMG]
005-5.jpg
[/IMG]
006-4.jpg
[/IMG]

The A4 is part of last block of Remington made sniper rifles with K marked stock and 4 groove original prick marked barrel.
The Alaskan is civy version, original supply(?), hard to say.

Bring yours to next winter shoot.

BB
Click to expand...

Would you be interested in selling the blondy in the middle? :D
 
@Smellie:

It took some doing, but I got a really nice low-miles 1928 SA receiver from a fellow CGN-er that had an 03A3 bolt in it.

I replaced the bolt with a 1919-made swept-handle double-heat treat L8 bolt I robbed out of a single-heat treat low-number SA sporterized rifle which had a bobbed RA 1942 barrel on it.

I got the bottom metal, follower, mag spring and a few other parts along with a nice rear sight base from a drilled and tapped barrelled action I picked up elsewhere, also a low-number SA action. That one was too far gone so I scrapped it.

I still have a nice SA low-number action that I may eventually build a .22 on.

I also own a complete low-number 1909 SA-made 1903 with a 1918 barrel on it (wartime refurb) that I don't shoot because the bore is rather worn and it's a low-number receiver. Although most SHT receivers are likely fine, my face is worth more than the associated risk. It's a nice-looking WW1 rifle though and fills a hole in my rack.

The one I am building will be perfect though. It's properly inlet, proper stock fit at receiver and muzzle, and a brand new barrel with nice tight headspace.

When it's done, I'll likely have a number of spare parts I may offer on the EE to get someone else started in a build. When you accumulate bits for a total build from a bare receiver, you inevitably end up with 1.5 guns worth of "stuff", particularly after you scrap a couple bubbas. :)

The hardest part is getting a bbl. I could't find a 1903 barrel, but I had a new-in-wrap 1943 Remington 4-groove 1903A3 barrel on-hand, so I converted it. Converting a 2-groove is cheesy, but convering a 4-groove results in a proper RA 1903 barrel as Remington used the same blanks for both varieties prior to switching to 2-groove for the 03A3's. Before anyone asks, yes, it's properly converted with original transverse and longitudinal fixing pins drilled in the mill and inserted to an interference fit. The front sight base came from my parts drawer off a long-scrapped 1903 barrel that was shot-out.

I'll post when it's done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom