Springfield 1903 ?

[win38-55]

On Christmas I was given a Sporterized 1903 Springfield by my uncle.
The Serial number range is above the 800000 mark so the barrel is ok.
This one was made in 1918. The only problem I can see is that the stock is cracked at the wrist
of the stock. My Uncle said he shot it like this a few times, and it never seemed to crack any further.
I was thinking of loading some real light loads and trying them just to see if the crack gets any larger.
What should I do risk it, or just put a new stock on it and call it a day?
I just hate having to restock something I received as a gift. I like keeping things the way I got them.
I would also like to know which screw I need to remove to pull the stock of there are only 2.
One is in front of the magazine floor plate and the other is behind the trigger guard.
Any help or advise would be appreciated.

[2ndovc]

You will have to take both trigger guard screws out to remove the stock. The '03 comes apart very easily.

My Dad gave me my Grandfather's 03 for my 30th birthday. Didn't hunt with anything else for many years after that.
It is and always be my favorite rifle and go-to gun. Light and extremely accurate. We have a bunch of sporters but this one is special!


Have fun with yours. Great gift!

jb

[Malamute]

First off, don't shoot it until you fix the bedding of the stock. The reason it cracked is the tang is touching the wood, it should not touch there, the recoil lug under the front of the action should be taking the recoil. The wood needs to be relieved at the back, and probably bedded under the lug to help take the recoil. Check and see if the wood is cracked inside, where the recoil lug fits into the stock, that may be why it shifted back and touched at the tang, cracking that. If the gun was shot with the action screw loose, all those can happen. It's repairable by a decent bedding job, but shouldn't be shot again that way until repaired.

The crack may be repairable. The general idea is to get it to open up just enough to get some epoxy into the crack, then clamp it to cure. It's probably a good idea to get a stock pin to repair it also. They look like a long thin brass screw without a head, you predrill a slightly smaller hole crossways to the direction of the crack, run the pin in with a drill, cut off and dress it down to the level of the wood. When done, you see a small brass dot.

[awp101]

Malamute covered it pretty well so I'll just take this opportunity to show off my 03A3 sporter...


Here's the bigger, "little brother" M1917:

[Charles]

The stock can be repaired. But there is a right way and the wrong way to do it. I take it you are not familiar with stock repair. I would suggest you study up on the subject or entrust the repair to someone who knows how.

[Shrapnel]

They are a great varmint rifle...

[win38-55]

I took the gun stock off and it seems to be a fairly serious crack. I am really considering
buying a Boyds 1903 sporter stock for it. Just not to sure on how much work I might be
getting myself into anyone try one of there stocks?
I am not going to shoot it until it is repaired properly.

[1894c]

nice gift--worth re-stocking... :)

[Hobie]

When I was 12 we were visiting old family friends in WV. I was the oldest and made the leader of the pack of kids while the adults went out to a dinner party. Before they left the host dad handed me an 03-A3 and a box of ammo and told me to use it on the buck that might show up in an adjoining field. Imagine giving a 12-year old kid a rifle like that AND a box of ammo while he's babysitting. I don't think anyone would do that today. Made quite an impression on me as you can tell as it has been a few years since...

[Charles]

I started shooting centerfire matches with a National Match 03 Springfield when I was 16. I owned several 03s and 03A3s after than shooting many thousands of rounds though them. I have also built several 03 Sporters over the years, but never managed to hold on to any of the sporters or military rifles. They came and went.

Around 1983 a woman came into my office with a mint Smith Corona 03A3 and handed it to me saying: "My husband was on the way to the dumpster to toss this old rifle and I rescued it and thougt you could use it for parts or something, because I know you like guns.". I still have it and boy can it shoot.

About 6 years ago I was looking through my gun stuff and found a new S-C barrel, an 03 milled trigger guard and floor plate and a long slide Lyman 48 sight for the 03/03A3. It was then I decided to build one more Springfield rifle. I won't go into the details, but I built us a NRA Sporter clone. It shoots great. I won't get rid of either of my Springfields for sure and for certain

[Charles]

Here are a couple of pics of my NRA Springfield clone on it's maiden trip to the range. BTW.. I have a a good plain grade Bishop walnut stock from the 50s or 60s for the 03 hanging out in my shop. It is finished and ready to go. Your rifle will just drop in. It has a few shallow dings in it, but it is in good shape. It has plenty of wood on it, if you want to reshape it to suit your fancy. The price will be $50.00 plus whatever it takes to ship it to you. Let me know if you are interested.

[MrMurphy]

Win38,

Does yours have an ejection port in the left side receiver wall?


Some of the 1918 production models were set up for the Pedersen device, it'd be interesting if yours was one.



Hobie, I was born in '77 and by the time I was 12 (living in L.A no less, in the suburbs) my dad made it clear that the (loaded 24/7) Model 10 and Security-Six were there for use if needed to repel boarders while I was home alone or with my brother (2 years older).

If we lived in the country, your situation would have been well within limits, as several Mausers and others were handy.

Except in emergencies, we weren't allowed to touch them without asking permission. And we obeyed.

[Ben_Rumson]

win38-55 Good luck.. I'm sure you'll enjoy...
That's a dandy Charles...