1903 Springfield 30-06

[Battis]

So, this is what I did. I went to the gun shop bright and early. They still have the 1903. But, I didn't buy it (not yet, anyways). I ended up trading a Mosin, a WSL .351 and a Swedish Mauser 6.5 for a brand new Rock Island 1911 .45.
Gun shops should have resident shrinks available.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Well, did you at least establish what the '03 is?

[Battis]

I'm still working on it. I have to go back today to get the 1911. The 1903 had a high serial number. I think the barrel date was 11 (1911). I want to see what I have left to trade for it before I go back.
I'm glad they didn't tested for ADD when I was young.

[Outpost75]

A 1911 barrel date with a high number receiver suggests a "parts" gun. I would scrutinize markings VERY carefully.

[txbirdman]

The date on the barrel has both month and year. My 1903 Remington's barrel is marked with RA 12 42 which I believe identifies it as a Remington barrel dated December 1942. Maybe you were looking at the month rather than the year.

[Battis]

The serial number is 1415770. The barrel is marked 2-11. Model is 1903.

[ShooterAZ]

It's also possible that it was re-barreled at an arsenal. Is there any cartouches on the stock? My Remington has the FJA stamp, but it also has a RIA/EB arsenal stamp on it. I'm not sure what they did to mine, as it still retains all the "R" marked parts and barrel date matches the SN.

[Battis]

The stock did have some stampings and I wish I took some pics but it was a busy gun shop. But, I plan on going back to check out the 1903 better.

[KenT7021]

Someone may have stamped a 1 on the receiver to make it look like a hi number rifle.The serial number should be centered on the other markings on the receiver ring.

[gnoahhh]

Someone may have stamped a 1 on the receiver to make it look like a hi number rifle.The serial number should be centered on the other markings on the receiver ring.

Bingo. That, or the "2-11" barrel date is a lightly struck "2-41". Ask the gunshop guys to get out their .30-06 headspace gauges too, to make sure that isn't another issue to trip you up if you plan to shoot it.

The low number '03 that I shoot regularly with light cast loads is an early-war USMC rebuild, low number receiver + later double heat treat bolt, complete with Hatcher hole. That salient feature is the only reason I use it.

National Ordnance cast receivers = ticking time bombs in my opinion. If I were king I would dump them all in the Marianas Trench.

[Larry Gibson]

Earliest known evidence of probable SEE and the crux of the problem?

Attachment 247392

[Bob Busetti]

Me too!!!

[Baltimoreed]

I also have a growing military rifle collection. Started with a bag-o-garand parts from a friend so I bought the missing pieces and assembled into a nice Garand, then an 1873 Winchester musket, a 1899 Constabulary Krag, a sporterized ‘03 Springfield that I remilitarized, a minty 1896 Krag rifle and a uberti 1866 musket. Also have a norinco 1897 trench gun and a Model 12 Winchester trench that I put together last year.Attachment 247863
Attachment 247862

[Baltimoreed]

Attachment 247880
If you’re looking a project, look for a cheap sporter with an undrilled recvr and put it back right. My 1930’s 1903 has a 21 inch bbl but you’d have to look hard to tell. The stock was reshaped from a sanded on scant stock. Cut the grasping grooves on my mini mill. Handy ‘carbine’?

[wildphilhickup]

I found me an 1884 Springfield rifle, 45-70 Trapdoor, at a gun show in Oklahoma in 2014 for $650. The gun was from an estate sale, that's the story. My research has found that it was never issued. Other than some aging, rifle appears unfired.

[Eddie1971]

The low number thing again. I had a SA low number I used for years and just got an RIA LN recently. Original barrel and bolt, was re stocked and had front sight hood added in WW2. I shoot mine with starting loads with 150 grain heads that replicate original loads. Its up to you.

[Rany A]

Your rifle has an aftermarket cast receiver and was assembled with milsurp parts by a firm in California. Quality varies from acceptable to downright scary. The serial number range associated with 'low number' receivers is irrelevant to your National Ordnance receiver.

This is correct, these guns were built from very affordable surplus parts and could be stamped, SantaFe Arms, Golden State Arms or Nat'l Ordnance, they were all investment cast receivers. There has been great controversy about the quality/ safety of them. Samples submitted for proof testing did well but others throughout production behaved like hand grenades. They are prohibited from any CMP competition. On a side note, the owner of the company, facing several law suits, hung himself in a motel room.
In regards to the low number question the OP had, the generic reference of "low number" actions is 800,000 (Springfield, not sure where the 785,000 mentioned earlier came from) but they didn't heat treat their actions in numeric sequence. Springfield also did not record the exact number that they started (like Rock Island did) only that it began in Feb 1918. They would load a couple thousand actions and batch treat them. When this was revealed it was found that some actions under 800,000 probably got the double heat treat but some over 800,000 did not. This is why the CMP did not allow a Springfield action under 810,000 in competition. There is no way to know without damaging testing and this not to be confused with earlier batches that were also burned during heat treat.

[randyrat]

I have a Nation Ordnance 1903A3- sportorized, paid $100 for it..I had it tested by a very qualified gun smith. The gun smith tested the hardness and head spacing, all seamed fine but recommended using the Receiver for a boat anchor.

He also said a steady diet of cast bullet loads are fine, but would not recommend extended use of heavy factory loads..
My next project, strip this gun down and sell off the parts and destroy the receiver.

It sports a nice new/old 1943 RI 2 groove barrel and original rear site, butt plate, trigger assembly parts and the stock could make good fire wood. I had the barrel put on before I did the research..

I'm not sure if the bolt is OK or not? Maybe some of the parts are good?

[Larry Gibson]

The gun smith tested the hardness and head spacing, all seamed fine but recommended using the Receiver for a boat anchor.

Seems he contradicted himself.........have heard the exact same thing said (boat anchor) about Arisakas, MNs and even of M700s and Ruger M77s from died in the wool M70 fans........

If the hardness and headspacing seemed fine then why destroy it? Granted the fit and finish of the NA receiver isn't as nice as SA M1903s but that doesn't mean it's unsafe, especially for cast loads(?). Come to think of it many think LSN M1903 are only good for boat anchors also.......

Not suggesting or recommending anything, just asking is all. Feel free to disregard my questions and do with as you please.

[Hamish]

I have a Nation Ordnance 1903A3- sportorized, paid $100 for it..I had it tested by a very qualified gun smith. The gun smith tested the hardness and head spacing, all seamed fine but recommended using the Receiver for a boat anchor.

He also said a steady diet of cast bullet loads are fine, but would not recommend extended use of heavy factory loads..
My next project, strip this gun down and sell off the parts and destroy the receiver.

It sports a nice new/old 1943 RI 2 groove barrel and original rear site, butt plate, trigger assembly parts and the stock could make good fire wood. I had the barrel put on before I did the research..

I'm not sure if the bolt is OK or not? Maybe some of the parts are good?

The myth of the dangerous National Ordinance receivers is total cow manure. There are a bunch of long time, respected CB members who have been regularly shooting NO receivers for decades, using everything from low pressure cast loads to full house jacketed.

Go looking for information long enough and any failure you find is directly attributable to reloading failure. (double powder, etc.). I have never found an instance of an actual NO owner with a failure due to shoddy casting.

ANY used firearm should be checked over, especially for headspace. You just can convince me that starting with a rifle that checks out and shooting mid range cast loads could ever stretch or break the NO or any other reputable firearm.