Springfield 03 Restoration Q's
- Thread starter granite
- Start date
A rebuild would have had any possible mix of stock and milled or stamped parts. If it were me, I would use the '44 1903 bbl and build it up with milled parts and any stock you like, perhaps a Marstar C-stock (?).
I did just this recently (thread is here somewhere) but I went with a Remington S stock because I had one already. I had a scant too, but sold it here on the EE to someone who was looking for one. If I had to buy a new stock tho, the C is pretty tempting.
I did just this recently (thread is here somewhere) but I went with a Remington S stock because I had one already. I had a scant too, but sold it here on the EE to someone who was looking for one. If I had to buy a new stock tho, the C is pretty tempting.
A 1944 rebuild of an M1903 would have featured the use of mostly milled parts, altho the odd stamped piece, such as a buttplate, lower sling swivel, and possibly a lower band and mag follower might have been used. A 1944 dated M1903 barrel would be entirely correct. I bought a WW2 rebuilt M1903 with a nice SA 8-44 barrel, "S'" style stock, and all milled parts 40 yrs ago before anybody gave a rats patoot about MILSURP restorations. I still have the rifle after having it re-parked in a military rebuild facility about 35 yrs ago. Other than swapping in a NS marked bolt, which is correct for the receiver and which tightened up the headspace a tad, and a cartouched scant stock, it remains as I first got it
Scant style stocks were used quite extensively on both M1903 and 03A3 rebuilds done by US arsenals. If you have a proper 4 groove M1903 barrel use it instead of an 03A3 barrel. The 03A3 replacement barrels were mostly 2 groove and aren't appropriate for an M1903. Besides, it is a real nut roll to fit a M1903 rear sight sleeve to an 03A3 barrel.
I've done 2 builds on Remington M1903 receivers in the past year and used all milled parts, except for one buttplate on them. Both have NOS M1903 barrels, an SA 44 and a HS44. One has a new scant stock and the other has an "S" style straight grip stock. The later Remington M1903 rifles did use a number of stamped vs milled parts, incl the early style stamped trigger guard, buttplate, lower band and swivel, mag follower, lower sling swivel and stacking swivel as were used on the follow-on 03A3 rifles.
I have a couple more M1903 rebuilds in the hopper after re-parking the receivers this summer. One is a late Remington action, so I may elect to use some of the stamped parts mentioned on it. The other is a 1918 Springfield which will be fitted with all milled parts and a scant stock. Both rifles will be fitted with NOS 1944 dated M1903 barrels made by SA or HS.
Either a scant or a "C" style pistol grip stock are best for a shooter. The straight grip "S" stocks have a very short pull and your thumb knuckle on top of the small of the stock will often bop you in the snout when firing from a prone position. This is why a lot of old M1903 shooters would rest their thumb along the side of the small of the stock, instead of over it as is the usual habit. Soldiers tended to be smaller 100 yrs ago, but those old "S" stocks look like they were designed for a race of dwarves!
Scant style stocks were used quite extensively on both M1903 and 03A3 rebuilds done by US arsenals. If you have a proper 4 groove M1903 barrel use it instead of an 03A3 barrel. The 03A3 replacement barrels were mostly 2 groove and aren't appropriate for an M1903. Besides, it is a real nut roll to fit a M1903 rear sight sleeve to an 03A3 barrel.
I've done 2 builds on Remington M1903 receivers in the past year and used all milled parts, except for one buttplate on them. Both have NOS M1903 barrels, an SA 44 and a HS44. One has a new scant stock and the other has an "S" style straight grip stock. The later Remington M1903 rifles did use a number of stamped vs milled parts, incl the early style stamped trigger guard, buttplate, lower band and swivel, mag follower, lower sling swivel and stacking swivel as were used on the follow-on 03A3 rifles.
I have a couple more M1903 rebuilds in the hopper after re-parking the receivers this summer. One is a late Remington action, so I may elect to use some of the stamped parts mentioned on it. The other is a 1918 Springfield which will be fitted with all milled parts and a scant stock. Both rifles will be fitted with NOS 1944 dated M1903 barrels made by SA or HS.
Either a scant or a "C" style pistol grip stock are best for a shooter. The straight grip "S" stocks have a very short pull and your thumb knuckle on top of the small of the stock will often bop you in the snout when firing from a prone position. This is why a lot of old M1903 shooters would rest their thumb along the side of the small of the stock, instead of over it as is the usual habit. Soldiers tended to be smaller 100 yrs ago, but those old "S" stocks look like they were designed for a race of dwarves!
There are a truly bewildering array of bolt markings used by Springfield, Rock Island and various WW2 contractors over the 40 plus years that these rifles were in service. One good source of info is MILSURPs.com. Go to the Springfield forum and check Vi Shooter's webpage for a whole hockey sock of bolt markings. A wide variety of bolts were used on rebuilt rifles or as replacements.
Your "L" marked bolt with a punch mark on the bottom of the handle is a Springfield Armory bolt. You can rule out the "R" marked bolts as they were made by Remington for both Remington produced '03s and 03A3s. A bolt with an "X" on top of the handle is a Smith-Corona 03A3 bolt. Other common contractor produced bolts are stamped "BF", "B&S", "CC", "REM8620" and "HO". A lot of these have a square, rather than tapered, safety lug and were intended for the 03A3. They will work in any Springfield, but were not made by Springfield Armory. Things to look for in adddition to markings, which are too numerous to list are:
-a swept back bolt handle, rather than a straight handle, indicates a 1918 and later bolt. These are made of the improved double heat treated steel, and later nickle steel. A nickle steel bolt will have "NS" stamped on top of the bolt handle.
- a Springfield or Rock Island M1903 bolt will have 2 indentations on the bottom of the split locking lug . These are made for the bolt stop to engage. Late WW2 replacement bolts made by Springfield didn't have these indentations as the bolt stops were removed from rifles as non-essential at a certain point in time.
NOS M1903 barrels are running around $350 a pop. NOS 03A3 barrels are more common and seem to go for a bit less.
One thing about fitting an M1903 or 03A3 bolt; in addition to checking headspace and even lug bearings, there must be some clearance between the rear face of the safety lug and the corresponding face of the receiver. If there isn't the safety lug will relieve contact on the rear of the locking lugs and will act as a single recoil lug-not a good thing.
On the topic of Springfields, I'll put in a shameless plug for needing a sound, not drilled and tapped or pitted, 03A3 action, receiver, sporter or whatever. Barrel not needed.
Your "L" marked bolt with a punch mark on the bottom of the handle is a Springfield Armory bolt. You can rule out the "R" marked bolts as they were made by Remington for both Remington produced '03s and 03A3s. A bolt with an "X" on top of the handle is a Smith-Corona 03A3 bolt. Other common contractor produced bolts are stamped "BF", "B&S", "CC", "REM8620" and "HO". A lot of these have a square, rather than tapered, safety lug and were intended for the 03A3. They will work in any Springfield, but were not made by Springfield Armory. Things to look for in adddition to markings, which are too numerous to list are:
-a swept back bolt handle, rather than a straight handle, indicates a 1918 and later bolt. These are made of the improved double heat treated steel, and later nickle steel. A nickle steel bolt will have "NS" stamped on top of the bolt handle.
- a Springfield or Rock Island M1903 bolt will have 2 indentations on the bottom of the split locking lug . These are made for the bolt stop to engage. Late WW2 replacement bolts made by Springfield didn't have these indentations as the bolt stops were removed from rifles as non-essential at a certain point in time.
NOS M1903 barrels are running around $350 a pop. NOS 03A3 barrels are more common and seem to go for a bit less.
One thing about fitting an M1903 or 03A3 bolt; in addition to checking headspace and even lug bearings, there must be some clearance between the rear face of the safety lug and the corresponding face of the receiver. If there isn't the safety lug will relieve contact on the rear of the locking lugs and will act as a single recoil lug-not a good thing.
On the topic of Springfields, I'll put in a shameless plug for needing a sound, not drilled and tapped or pitted, 03A3 action, receiver, sporter or whatever. Barrel not needed.
So, I have a straight handled bolt, with indentations on underside of lug, punch mark on root of handle underneath it, with what looks like a G J on the bottom of the thrid lug and no NS - early SA - correct?
The SA with dot and L has a swept back bolt, no indentations under lug, no NS. Late SA?
Last is R on root, swept back, not NS marked, no indentations.
Shround is marked R on both I have, so I am betting all guts are Rem.
Would the late SA be best to use or the R? Which is safest I guess is the next question
Receiver is 851###, made in 1918 and double heat treated from my readings. I found a used 03 semi pistol grip stock in good shape, so just need metal and HG.
The "R" marked bolt is Remington made during WW2. You need to confirm the markings on the other 2 bolts;
1. The bolt with the curved handle and "L" and "dot" markings. Is there another letter or number character besides the "L"? Where is the the "L" marked-on top of the bolt handle root or on the bottom?
2. The bolt with the straight handle and "GJ" on the bottom of the safety lug. These markings don't track with the data tables. You need to confirm what they are as there are other number/letter codes, but no "GJ".
Your receiver is the improved/stronger/less brittle double heat treated variety made in 1918.
Your first bolt looks to be a WW1 single heat treat bolt. The second is Remington 03A3 bolt. The third is a 1919 to early 1920's (or therabouts) double heat treat bolt, but does not look to be a nickle-steel bolt.
If building a 1903, I would use that third bolt.
If building a 1903, I would use that third bolt.
The straight handled bolt with the markings on the bottom of the safety lug is pre-1918 vintage of the early heat treatment variety. I wouldn't use this bolt for a rifle which will be shot.
The curved handled bolt with the "L"/"." on the bottom of the bolt handle root has the "L" marking associated with a double -heat treated bolt fom approx 1920. This being the case, I'm puzzled that it doesn't have the 2 indentations for the bolt stop on the bottom of the split locking lug. If this bolt is the one shown in your last 2 pics, it appears to have the profile of a less finely finished WW2 era replacement bolt. It's appearance, plus the lack of bolt stop indentations on the split lug, suggests a WW2 replacement bolt. This would be the preferred bolt to use in a 1918 vintage restoration with a WW2 replacement barrel.
The "R" marked Remington 03A3 bolt is a strong one and would work in any M1903 or 03A3, but these were normally found in 03A3s only.
The curved handled bolt with the "L"/"." on the bottom of the bolt handle root has the "L" marking associated with a double -heat treated bolt fom approx 1920. This being the case, I'm puzzled that it doesn't have the 2 indentations for the bolt stop on the bottom of the split locking lug. If this bolt is the one shown in your last 2 pics, it appears to have the profile of a less finely finished WW2 era replacement bolt. It's appearance, plus the lack of bolt stop indentations on the split lug, suggests a WW2 replacement bolt. This would be the preferred bolt to use in a 1918 vintage restoration with a WW2 replacement barrel.
The "R" marked Remington 03A3 bolt is a strong one and would work in any M1903 or 03A3, but these were normally found in 03A3s only.
