James River 1903A4

ArmedGinger

ArmedGinger

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I was wondering people's views on these rifles? Looking at the ones Wanstalls sell and they seem pretty interesting with new Criterion barrels. Makes it sound like their accuracy should be pretty decent at least?

Their price is a little high it seems though at just shy of $2400 after taxes and shipping.
 
The Criterion barrels are on par with US GI barrels. Assuming that the rifle is properly bedded and that the scope is OK you should expect accuracy around 1.5 MOA with quality handloads. There have been a couple of real 03A4s sold on the EE recently for $4000-$4500.
 
About the same category as a Mitchell's Mauser for the K98. Looks pretty, modern day rifle pimping for profit, refurbed.

It's only Original once....but not from Mitchell's or James River.

Depends what you want...shooter or collectable.
 
Coyote Ugly said:
About the same category as a Mitchell's Mauser for the K98. Looks pretty, modern day rifle pimping for profit, refurbed.

It's only Original once....but not from Mitchell's or James River.

Depends what you want...shooter or collectable.
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looking for a shooter that I can also take hunting.

I like the milsurp rifles and prefer them with scopes.
 
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Check my review from 2013. I keep finding little fiddly things that shouldn't be there. I have three JRA Springfields and they all needed work on the stock because the bolt handle touched the stock. Also, my USMC 1942 didn't have a Criterion barrel, but a wartime dated GI barrel. It doesn't shoot as well as the 03A4 repro, but I haven't shot it as much. With tweaking, my 03A4 shoots quite well with my cast bullet loads. My 03A3 functions well and now seems OK, but with those sights and my elderly eyes, I can't give a true opinion. On one of my 03's, the cut in the stock for the bolt handle was off a bit so the bolt handle didn't ride in the centre of the notch and required some surgery.
OTOH, I've had two of their M1 rifles and they were well fitted. One functioned well from the start, and the other wouldn't cycle until I had run two clips through it. Then it functioned reliably. This was with my M1 cast bullet load, which is lighter than factory.
 
I can't believe how much the price has went up on them. I bought mine 2 years ago for $1500. I'm quite happy with it. Looks great, definitely a fine shooter. I think it's a great option for someone who wants to experience this weapon without the $4500 price tag for a original.
 
Fargone4sure said:
I can't believe how much the price has went up on them. I bought mine 2 years ago for $1500. I'm quite happy with it. Looks great, definitely a fine shooter. I think it's a great option for someone who wants to experience this weapon without the $4500 price tag for a original.
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I've been reading through a lot of the reviews on them. Most seem pretty happy with them and many guys in the US are praising the Criterion barrels.

Interesting to read that many people in Canada don't like them.

That is the kicker though, an original is going to run you $4000-$5000. How long would it take and how much would it cost to source all the parts to build a replica A4 oneself?
 
To build one is the sum of the parts plus shop labour to install a barrel and drill and tap an 03A3 receiver for a scope. In doing so the value of the original receiver is lost by reason of the D&T job. You would be lucky to get away with the price of the JRA rifle when you consider the current exchange rates plus finding a suitable scope (Chinese repro, Weaver 330, or Lyman Alaskan). Its tough to locate an 03A3 receiver to build on. You can check the GPC website and add up the list of the required parts. At one time GPC was selling the repro Chinese scopes as well as mounts and rings. Sarco sells a lot of M1903 parts and accessories as well.

I've installed Criterion barrels on Garands and found that they shoot about the same as a NOS GI barrel.

An M1903 or 03A3 Springfield with a sound barrel, proper stock bedding and tight sights can be expected to shoot to 2 MOA with quality handloads. Many will do better.

The original 03A4 was a pretty good sniper rifle considering the state of the art 75 years ago. Its biggest shortcoming was the flimsy M73B1 (modified Weaver 330) scope. The Lyman Alaskan was originally specified for the rifle, but Lyman couldn't deliver the required numbers so the Weaver was used as a poor substitute.
 
so the non scoped versions, what value-----------i won a james river made 1903a3 from creedmoor arms a cpl years back ..............same barrel / restored ect ect........ is its value jumped as well?
 
NB.nagantsniper said:
so the non scoped versions, what value-----------i won a james river made 1903a3 from creedmoor arms a cpl years back ..............same barrel / restored ect ect........ is its value jumped as well?
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Again value depends on condition and originality. You need to pay attention to bore condition on the M1903s. Quite a few came in from Korea and Taiwan where they were heavily used and exhibit severely worn/pitted bores and counterboring. New GI replacement barrels can be found for $400 or so. From watching the EE Springfields seem to go in the $800-$1200 range. If you are looking at a re-barrel job I wouldn't go beyond $500, assuming that they other parts are serviceable. We've seen a couple of real 03A4s sell for $4000-$4500.
 
Coyote Ugly said:
About the same category as a Mitchell's Mauser for the K98. Looks pretty, modern day rifle pimping for profit, refurbed.

It's only Original once....but not from Mitchell's or James River.

Depends what you want...shooter or collectable.
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I'd have to disagree. Mitchell's has been thought, by some, to be producing outright fakes - adding things like totenkampfs to K98's or selling run of the mill Yugo M48's as being WW2 german rifles.

JRA is making a copy on an original receiver and using mostly original parts - they are not trying to hide that.
 
One thing I forgot to mention, is that the 03A4 copy jams on the penultimate round. The trigger guard isn't inletted enough, about 1/16 inch. When a round is fired with just one round in the magazine, the follower is jammed by the recoil, into the gap between the magazine box and receiver. I have to drop the floor plate to clear it. It doesn't happen with dummy rounds. It takes the recoil to jam it. I'll have to inlet the trigger guard a hair more. This excess gap is very pronounced in a 98 Mauser that I'm fitting up with a Boyd's stock.
 
This JRA 1903A4 is one of my favorite rifle and my only ought-six...

It love 220 gr ammo and is very precise with it... JP.

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ArmedGinger said:
No thanks I love my optics too much.

I can shoot with irons fine but I like being able to shoot "precisely"
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Tell ya what, you come out with your scoped James River 1903, I'll shoot some old milsurp (1917, Garand, K31, M98, one of them) with irons.... 100 yards benched, 5 rounds and the smallest group gets to take home the other guys rifle....
 
Hitzy said:
Tell ya what, you come out with your scoped James River 1903, I'll shoot some old milsurp (1917, Garand, K31, M98, one of them) with irons.... 100 yards benched, 5 rounds and the smallest group gets to take home the other guys rifle....
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I'll tell you what lets do it at 400 yards lol
 
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