Another 1903

[JSH]

Looked at an old sporter,1903 Springfield, this past week. 2 groove barrel, drilled and tapped receiver, old steel tube 7x red field, has a rear sight base on it but the sight has yet to be found. Stock has a Herters butt pad and from looking at the wood I would guess it to be a Herters. Monte Carlo type stock, check piece has a crack in it and another one by the tang. Didn't look like anything I have ever seen Fajen or Bishop offer on a rifle.
I have a dang weak spot for these old sporters especially if the price is right.
I am waiting on the owner to price it, may or may not come home with me.
Have another sporter, 8mm-06, dies cost what I gave for the rifle. It needs sent off and turned into a 35 Whelan.
Picked up a commercial Mauser marked 30 Luft, basically a 30-338, this was prior to the 300WM, then it had been rechambered by them a while later to 300WM. Cabelas was scared to death of it, and so it was priced accordingly.
I just hate to see these old rifles turned into truck guns and abused.

 

[yodogsandman]

I tend to want to "save" all the old Mausers I see, if useable. Old Springfields are normally too prized by the owners for me.

 

[Intheshop]

They sound very interesting.I like studying the sporter craze and seeing the total opposite's in engineering and elegance...that sporterized military rifles exude.Some are priceless studies in art meets metal/wood.Others,butchered wasted attempts.

Curious though about abusing truck guns.Mine,get shot more than anything in the safe.And considering "cold brrl" first shots,usually the most accurate?

 

[smokeywolf]

With few exceptions, I prefer to see the old military rifles in their original military dress.

I have a very nice Garand that was sporterized by my father back in the '50s. I've also seen some really fine restocking done by our very own Ben.

 

[JSH]

The 8mm-06 is often mistaken for an early Weatherby at a distance.
I had a Krag that had a full length stock put on it, European or German influence I would guess.
Then the last 03 I picked up was a train wreck. Stock looked to have been inleted by a one toothed beaver. Then finished off with a dull broken bladed pocket knife owned by a one armed man missing a thumb. The barrel action was a mess. The original rear sight sleeve had a scope base welded to it. The tidy sum of $40 was paid for it and they all thought it humorous that I was taking that turd home. My intentions were to put it back together as issued. After a year of chasing parts and then not liking the out come, sold the barreled action to a gent that just had to have it. Then sold all of my accumulated pieces parts and screws and a new stock. Took that money and bought another shooter and still had money left over to buy several molds to try in the old gal.
That was my initial venture into milsurps. FYI the reason I don't shoot my dads 1903 is because of the collector value. I have the original crate with packing material and ALL of the paper work that goes with it. I turned down several offers from a collector friend of mine. I have loaned it to him to use in his 1903 display at a couple of gun shows.
Then I got on the K31 kick. Wish I had bought more at $89.95
Then it was a 6.5 swede, then a couple of Krags, 03A3 then a M39 Finn Nagant. Does the madness never stop? I don't have much adult supervision, lol.
All have cleaned up well and been fed nothing but a diet of cast.
I love the 03's.
The K31 I thought was the best shooter,it is fickle to load for.
The 6.5x55 I found while on a search for a 7x57 Mauser. I was really hesitant about buying it,let alone casting for it. It is scary at 100m. So much for all the hub bub for reloading for it.
The Krag is as good as the 03, no better no worse.
Then I tripped over the Finn by accident. It is the ugliest,heaviest of the lot. I would have to pick this one over the K31 in the accuracy department. Not by much though. It is more reloader friendly and not near as picky. 311299 or the old RG 4 and it will surprise many. The thing is it shouldn't shoot! Throat and first 12-16"'of barrel slugs at .310ish, muzzle is .314+!
I too much prefer military dress.
When I say truck gun that is what I mean. Guys around here are pretty rough on them. I know of one gent that left his under the tool box in the bed of his truck for over a year. Got covered up by hay and baler twine, he thought some one had stolen it. What a mess!