I was working out of town this week and visited a gun store with a dozen or so Springfield 03a3 rifles. He had Smith Corona and Remington. Most had the scant stock but I think one had a straight stock and one had a regular pistol grip stock.
I would like to get one but he was asking $850-1,000 and I hate spending that kind of money not knowing what I'm doing.
I know whole books have been written on the subject but I would appreciate any brief pointers.
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That is about going price for 03-A3 now days, unless a buddy sells one to you.
The C-stock (pistol grip) is probably +$200.
All Remington 03-A3 are good actions.
2-groove or 4-groove barrel doesn't really matter, both shoot CBs well as the other.
It would be nice if the gun dealer would let you drop in a dummy cartridge, with say 311284 seated out long. Hold the cartridge with your finger into the chamber. Drop a cleaning rod into the muzzle and mark at the muzzle with a piece of tape. The longest length will have the least worn throat (best for cb shooting).
Check for grind marks around the bolt select lever and action, also on the front of the bolt at the firing pin. If either looks like it has been ground or polished in those points, it has been a de-mil rifle, sold through CMP for $200. These were never made to put back into action and not near worth $850.
Higher prices are paid by collectors for certain matching parts and stock inspector marks. Don't worry about that stuff when looking for a shooter...................Dan
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In my opinion $850-1000 is way too much. I would rather put the money intp something like a Savage.
Jim
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Ken,
I've been looking at Springfields for about 6 months. One invaluable tool is an erosion gage. If the throat measures out at 1 to 1 1/2 or 2, it should be a good shooter. Any more than that, and you probably won't get good results with CBs. The gages are a cheap investment.
Deals can be found for $600 - $750 quite a lot. I saw one for $450 where the seller admited the TE was 4, which isn't a big deal, to me, because unfired, 2 groove barrels can be found for $100 - $150. 2 groove barrels shoot CBs extremely well. If you do shop barrels, watch out for SARCO 2 grooves cut to 4 groove “for accuracy". They're better barrels before they recut them.
I have to agree with cityboy. For 850-1000, you can get a Springfield with a new CMP C stock, a new or good barrel and possibly a Lyman 48C, or you can get a 60 year old rifle with a 60 year old stock, a shot out barrel, mismatched parts (as far as a true collector is concerned) that will end up a wall-hangar or a gun-safe queen.
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A remington 03-A3 with a nice two groove barrel is worth its weight in gold.
Correct nickel steels,correct heat treatment correct boring and rifling operations.
Two grooved barrels have been unjustly maligned,and are more easily found in unfired condition.(at least here,in Italy)
In my opinion a springfield rifle,used only with cast bullets will keep its value,or should increase its value with time.
Get one,and you'll discover that the piece has and gives a feeling that cheaper modern sporters have not got.
The older 03 with that nightmare of the Buffington sight ,with the battle sight regulated at 541 yards does not speak to me.
I hope my Rem US Model of '17 does not read this post,or it will take offence,he is jealous.
I have owned two original Colt ratguns,a long barreled and a short one.
Nine inch twist,52 grains Sierra Match boattails,good Win brass Vihtavuori 135 to the brim,
They shot better than any surplus gun I had at 300 meters,I sold them both,They did not speak to me.
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A decent 1903A3 can be had for $300- $600 in here in the Pacific NW.You will get a non matching MFG bolt, bit worn stock,but good shooter with decent bore for that price.A 1903 seems to bring about $100-200 more.I just sold my Springfield1903 for $350.i had it listed here first,but nobody seemed interested!!
George
"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!
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Well, I have looked at every 1903-A3 I could find on the gun auction sites and I went back to the store today. I believe I can get a much nicer rifle for the same money on gunbroker. The cantankerous old man that owns the store wouldn't budge on price.
I'll keep looking.
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I was looking at your's, George, real hard. Just the wrong time of year (Christmas).
Check AuctionArms.com, also, Ken. They have what they call “penny auctions” The price actually starts at 1 cent and it's a real auction, unlike the other sites.
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I was looking at your's, George, real hard. Just the wrong time of year (Christmas).
It was real shooter too.I shot it in a CBA match a year ago (with a Lyman 48 sight) and shot a 379-6X i think.Not bad considering I dont see irons as well as i used too now that i am 42.
george
"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!
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Ken, don't be too concerned about throat erosion if your buying one at auction. My 03-A4 has a big worn throat that shoots .312” and .314” bullets well. The Lyman 314299 and the Saeco 315 work good in it to fill the throat. I still got a couple of records from back in 2006 using a 170gr LBT bullet...................Dan
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That's good info, Dan. Like I said, I've been looking also. I'm looking for one with a Lyman 48 for modified sight class. Business is picking up so I'll be looking more seriously.
I don't know what it is George, but I'm 49 and having some eye sight problems but have been moving more and more to iron sights (and military rifles). More of a challenge, I guess.
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OK, here's one on GunsAmerica. LISTING # 925937417. It's a 1903A3 built from GI parts except the receiver, which was a commercial replacement. $395. Would it be legal in military matches?
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I'm not sure who all made commercial actions, but the ones I've seen are not pretty, but I guess function ok. I see no advantage of it, so I doubt if such action rifles would not be excluded for CBA match competition...............Dan
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I know of at least two National Ordnance 03A3s. All GI parts except the receiver. They shoot on par with the real McCoys, neither better nor worse. The receiver (investment cast) does not have a stripper clip slot, and they are not as slick as the real ones. We've allowed them in our mil bolt matches in Oklahoma as a replica. The value of these rifles is probably in the $200-$300 range.
Like Dan, I see no advantage. Put that money into a real one in decent condition.
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have you thought about CMP. I got one a few months back that was all Remington. The muzzle wear was under 0. I believe they still have some. They were $500.00 a pop.
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You guys got me to drag out my target sighted 03A3 this weekend. Shot some 311-467's over 19.0 5744 and shot 100-3x on a 100 yards Small Bore target today. Gotta love 'em! ~AMMOe
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OK, AMMOe. You just had to throw that in there. ;)
Sundog, the advantage of the National Ordnance receiver, at least to me, is that the collectors out there won't be interested in it and I can save enough money to actually buy one, instead of drooling over all the issue rifles going for $600-1000, and could get a 314299 mold to boot. As it is , I'll have to spend about $400 just to get my O3A3 legal for military matches (new barrel, front sight and a stock).
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you wouldn't need to spend all that much to make your 03-A3 legal for CBA military matches unless it currently has an aftermarket barrel on it.
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It had the last 4 inches of the barrel cut off, and 1/3 of the stock.
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I suspect it also has a scope on it since you say the barrel is shortened.
It would qualify for the modified scope class in the CBA Military shoots.
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I'll have to post a picture. It's sad. Hacked off barrel, chopped up stock, welded on front sight and a dovetail cut in the barrel for a buckhorn sight. $100.
For all of that, I can still rip off 5 rounds at 100 yds and hit 5 milk jugs faster than the guys with scoped rifles. The guy I got it from got his deer every year for 20 some years.
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Bill, that sounds like my first Springfield from way back. It was a project rifle for me. Back then I bought the stock, a new barrel, and stock parts at gun shows.
Springfields were specifically manufactured with strict action-bolt-barrel fit; all are the same. If you can find a complete used barrel, you can replace that yourself with an action wrench and barrel clamp-vice set up. I've never had an original barrel swap not headspace correctly on Springfields. Of course everything else is a bolt-on replacement also. Should be an enjoyable project to put it back original :) ..............Dan
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That's good information, Dan! I saw a “44 2 groove barrel, new in cosmoline for $110. I wondered about headspace because it had the front sight base installed. That and a stock and I'll be in business.
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I had a 2 groove installed on an A4 action a couple of months ago. The 2 groove had “short chambering” and need the reamer poked in fully.
I was reluctant to do that as the original chambering was a hair off center and I felt that trying to finish the chamber would result in an oval chamber.
So, I cut the bottom .010” (approx) off the bottom of a .30/06 FL die and I “call” my new cartridge a .30/05 as it's a hair short.
I have a new 2 groove barrel I'd sell you that has a rough mark partway down the barrel for $75 plus shipping if you would like it. The barrel was in the cosmoline when I bought it and is unfired.
It's just that I'm extremely picky on barrels as I'm looking for the one that will beat Wally.
I suspect a normal shooter wouldn't notice any difference. I needed a Hawkeye borescope to notice the rough spot. The rough spot is on the top of the lands, not on the bottom. The reamer picked up a chip when it was drilling the .300 hole.
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Ken, Watch GunBroker vigilantly. Less than a year ago, I bought an 03A3 there that was a former drill rifle. The guy I bought it from replaced the bolt, “un"welded the bolt release, and installed a beautiful, brand-spanking new old stock (12-43)2-groove barrel on it. The whole rig cost $450. He had fired less than 50, and probably WAY less, jacketed bullets through it. She LOVES cast bullets! I get misty-eyed just thinking about her sitting out there in the safe.
Deals like this don't come along every day, but they're not rare either. I just found an 03A3 on GunBroker that sold less than a week ago for $550 AND it had a Lyman 48 on it. These sights routinely sell on eBay for $100 or more. The thing is the guy had been listing it over and over for over a month before it finally sold. He had mis-spelled “Remington", so anyone looking specifically for a Remington 03A3 would have never found it.
You might try going to GunBroker and doing a “Smart Search” . Search for “03A3” or “1903A3” and search completed auctions. Occassionally for what ever reason one won't sell and you can possibly contact the seller. I'd also post a “WTB” (want to buy) on some of the Surplus Rifle forums. Also, when you search the gun auctions, use your imagination. I've gotten some really good buys just because the seller was inept when it came to listing/describing his item, mis-spelled words, etc. and no one could find it. If the lister doesn't know what he's selling, a Remington 1903A3 might be listed as a Remington 30-06 for example.
Right now at AuctionArms.com, there's a Smith-Corona with a Buy It Now price of $635. The stock is rough, but the rest of the rifle looks really nice.
As a last resort, Southern Ohio Guns has 03A3 drill rifles for well under $300. Of course they'd have to have the mag cutoff ungrounded, and a new bolt and barrel installed, but you'd have a really nice rifle after that.
Good luck,
35W
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