Well I'm building an as-new representative Remington 1943 refurb of an inter-war Springfield M1903, but finding as-new 1903 wood is, well, impossible these days - so we work with the 03A3 post-war replacement stocks that are readily available.
Of course, those stocks work well just as they are, but to make them look the part better, you can cheat a little and plug the 03A3 receiver ring inletting.
Of course, we also use all milled M1903 parts vs the later stamped parts as RA would have re-used the milled bits if they were serviceable.
For those who don't know, Remington overhauled a LOT of M1903's from Government inventory apart from making new rifles.
It's best to inlet the stock to best fit your receiver BEFORE you do these plugs.
On SOME 1903A3 stocks, the rear trigger guard inletting is too deep for best accuracy/bedding practises. This because the stamped bottom metal is less-sensitive to bedding and basically beds on the action pillar, while milled bottom metal gives better results if properly bedded. On many stocks, this step is not necessary - it depends how good the factory inletting was.
Here we epoxy in a black walnut shim, then using inletting black we inlet the trigger guard down until the rear tendon is flush to the stock wrist.
Next we glue black walnut plugs into the ring inletting - once they dry they will be dressed to the stock's contour and inletting.
Bear in mind when inletting the wood, you are aiming for about 5lbs of upward stock pressure on the barrel tip, full contact on the base of the receiver, at the recoil lug, along the rear tang rounds and on the bottom of the rear tang where it contacts the pillar. You want a couple thou clearance between the barrel and the front barrel band as well
Of course, those stocks work well just as they are, but to make them look the part better, you can cheat a little and plug the 03A3 receiver ring inletting.
Of course, we also use all milled M1903 parts vs the later stamped parts as RA would have re-used the milled bits if they were serviceable.
For those who don't know, Remington overhauled a LOT of M1903's from Government inventory apart from making new rifles.
It's best to inlet the stock to best fit your receiver BEFORE you do these plugs.
On SOME 1903A3 stocks, the rear trigger guard inletting is too deep for best accuracy/bedding practises. This because the stamped bottom metal is less-sensitive to bedding and basically beds on the action pillar, while milled bottom metal gives better results if properly bedded. On many stocks, this step is not necessary - it depends how good the factory inletting was.
Here we epoxy in a black walnut shim, then using inletting black we inlet the trigger guard down until the rear tendon is flush to the stock wrist.
Next we glue black walnut plugs into the ring inletting - once they dry they will be dressed to the stock's contour and inletting.
Bear in mind when inletting the wood, you are aiming for about 5lbs of upward stock pressure on the barrel tip, full contact on the base of the receiver, at the recoil lug, along the rear tang rounds and on the bottom of the rear tang where it contacts the pillar. You want a couple thou clearance between the barrel and the front barrel band as well
