Sporter Springfield 1903 info

tactical lever, just IMHO, but if that is an original military front sight. There are a couple of places out of the US, such as Sarco International, who have replacement options, concerning width and height at decent prices.

The military barrels on these were all the same length, once the 30-06 cartridge was established to be the one they would be going with.

"emergency backup" is a recipe for disaster when something as critical as "sights" aren't addressed to suit what you're used to or your eyes are capable of focusing on in my experience. Usually when they're needed quickly, the time it takes to acquire them properly, is enough time for the target to wander or run off.

If you find "someone" willing to attempt the D&T project, make sure to warn them about the surface hardness on that receiver. It is hard enough to dull most HSS drill bits or pilot drills.

There are all sorts of descriptions on the net on how to "soften" the steel in specific areas to make drilling and tapping easier.

From the sounds of it, it's restorable. 1903s, early or late are desirable for restoration, when they haven't been buggered. Your rifle is worth at least $450 as is, if it has a decent bore to a restorer, looking for a shooter grade rifle for club matches.

Sell it and get something you will not be reluctant to use under any condition.
 
An original M1903 barrel would have the date (month/yr) and the "Flaming Bomb" stamped just behind the front sight. No bomb means rebarrel after it left the military inventory.
I was under the impression that '03's were blued (receiver and barrel) and A3's were Parkerized but I could be wrong
Sounds like you have an A3 barrel on an 03 receiver
 
Joe Amorosi said:
An original M1903 barrel would have the date (month/yr) and the "Flaming Bomb" stamped just behind the front sight. No bomb means rebarrel after it left the military inventory.
I was under the impression that '03's were blued (receiver and barrel) and A3's were Parkerized but I could be wrong
Sounds like you have an A3 barrel on an 03 receiver
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Late in ww1 and onward, they were all phosphates, and earlier guns got parked at refurb.
 
bearhunter said:
tactical lever, just IMHO, but if that is an original military front sight. There are a couple of places out of the US, such as Sarco International, who have replacement options, concerning width and height at decent prices.

The military barrels on these were all the same length, once the 30-06 cartridge was established to be the one they would be going with.

"emergency backup" is a recipe for disaster when something as critical as "sights" aren't addressed to suit what you're used to or your eyes are capable of focusing on in my experience. Usually when they're needed quickly, the time it takes to acquire them properly, is enough time for the target to wander or run off.

If you find "someone" willing to attempt the D&T project, make sure to warn them about the surface hardness on that receiver. It is hard enough to dull most HSS drill bits or pilot drills.

There are all sorts of descriptions on the net on how to "soften" the steel in specific areas to make drilling and tapping easier.

From the sounds of it, it's restorable. 1903s, early or late are desirable for restoration, when they haven't been buggered. Your rifle is worth at least $450 as is, if it has a decent bore to a restorer, looking for a shooter grade rifle for club matches.

Sell it and get something you will not be reluctant to use under any condition.
Click to expand...
This. Once tapped, you’ve made a sub-$200 rifle instead of a viable restoration candidate.
 
Claven2 said:
Late in ww1 and onward, they were all phosphates, and earlier guns got parked at refurb.
Click to expand...
I bought a lot of 20 O3A3 NOS barrels appx 25 years ago and all of them had phosphate type finishes. They're all gone now, good barrels.

Most of them had the tenons cut off and were rechambered for 7.62x51 Palma Match. All of them shot very well.
 
See a number right at the muzzle, and some stamping halfway down the barrel. Doesn't look like original sights, and perhaps the barrel is bobbed?
 

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I agree with tiriaq, the barrel has been shortened, the only substantial value in now in the receiver group.

If you get it drilled and tapped, you won't be losing much value, but will still have an excellent platform for a hunting rifle.
 
In my view, offer to trade it to someone with a receiver already d&t. They might want to keep their full length barrel and you can put your barrel on the other receiver.

once a receiver is drilled, it’s never going to be untouched again.
 
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Claven2 said:
Or see if someone will trade you a .30-06 sporting rifle for your gun, if that's what you are after. lots of tradex mausers are around that are worth about the same amount and are set up for scopes.
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I already have a 30-06 sporter. And yes, Intersurplus or GNG, are good sources for good old Mausers.

I got the rifle as part of a package deal from a friend. Kind of thrown in you could say. Profiting off it seems wrong, and I'd like to keep it around.

Maybe if the the rifle was closer to original it'd be worth trying to put back, but seems like I'd be going a bit backwards turning off a barrel and possibly cracking a receiver and then it really is worth nothing.

Figured I could make it a lot better looking and more useable if I just went to a full sporter.
 
Putting that rifle back to it's original state would be a labor of love or personal interest. There's no profit to be made on such a build, unless you do all the work yourself and have access to cheap parts.

You won't be doing any harm to maintaining historical history one way or the other.
 
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