?s about my 03A3

[randyrat]

I picked up an 1903A3(Natl ORD) good price, anyways.....it need parts i would like to bring it back home or make it almost original, at least looking original. I need a Mag follower,spring,front sight blade+ pin, rear sight assembly,and stock with all the hardware. I may have the original butt plate............ Where can i start, does any body have these parts they want to sell. I bought the gun thinkin the barrel was all the way pitted and rusted real bad. Well i spent some quality time with it and i was able to bring it back to a nice shinny barrel again, dang this one was considered DOA. Another couple years this barrel would have been gone for good. Am i dreaming of all these parts or is it possible to find this stuff at a reasonable cost.

[Ken O]

The Natl Ord is not a military rifle. They were made with surplus parts but the reciever is a bit different. They had fixed sights that can be moved with tools. I have one and it shoots pretty good, I took it to a CMP Springfield match, and when I shot the rapids I found out it didn't have a slot for the stripper clip. There is no collector value in these rifles, so the best way is to pick a real one up from the CMP when they are available and it will have all the right parts. The barrel on mine was unfired when I bought it in 1968 for $59, I thought when I bought it it was an original military rifle.

I thought of doing the same thing with mine, I picked up stripped barreled reciever from the CMP that I some day plan to replace it with. Then all I need is the rear sight.

I have a couple real '03s from the CMP now.

[randyrat]

Yes i should have known something was up when i didn't see any stripper clip slot. Maybe it will make a good shooter just the way it is. Then all i need is a front sight blade,pin and a rear sight,i found a follower and spring. What kind or rear sight can i put on it.

[Vly]

Parts for 03-A3s are still available. Here are two websites to check.

http://www.billricca.com/03_springfield.htm

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/

[Ken O]

To add to Vly's list, Sarco SARCO Inc (http://www.sarcoinc.com/springfields.html#2) has used 03A3 complete rear sights for $29.95

[randyrat]

Thanks guys that helps point me in the right direction.

[Little Bear Gun Shop]

I have one from Remington I got at a gun show we were doing last year in Portland Oregon, This lady was carrying it around in a gun case, she was in her 70ds and she didn't have it displayed in the open, after about a hr of her walking past our booth i finally got the courage to ask her what she had in the cloth case, she laid it at our table and open the case and said she really didn't know what it was, and no one had ask her to see it, o3a3 Remington in perfect condition, i ask her what she wanted for it and she said she would like to get at least $350.00 out of because that's what her husband paid to have it refinished at Remington factory, I told her it was worth more than that so i offered her $400.00 and she was very happy with that and so was I, You should have seen the gun show vultures gathering around me wanting it. I did some checking on it thru a Remington Rep that was there and said the condition was amazing and that I pickup a gun with a value of 1300.00 , It was the best deal I have ever gotten at a gun show and both myself and the Lady were very happy about the price I gave her, Just a quote always ask to see something that is hidden you never know what is in there.

[MtGun44]

Nat Ords are a bit rough, but can be excellent shooters. No collector
value, of course. Replace the silly sheet metal fixed rear sight with a normal
03A3 and you are good to go. Mine shoots great, accurate and reliable,
not nearly as pretty as a real Springfield Armory or Rem, but OK and mine
was very cheap.

Bill

[mto7464]

$1300?? I haven't seen a 03a3 worth that much especially refinished if indeed it was. But $400, well worth it and then some as you know.

[Depreacher]

I have a Nat'l ordnance receiver with a .270 bl. on it. An amateur smith assembled it (not me!). When the owner shot some of his "hot" reloads (that's what he called them), the casehead ruptured blowing off the stamped triggerguard assy, extractor, and the middle of the stock. Thankfully, he didn't loose fingers or eyes, but said it virtually knocked him out.
He gave me the receiver, bolt, and bbl. assy. I dropped a no-go gauge in the chamber and the bolt closed easily. I then put sticky tags to get some pressure to determine if the lugs had been set back or the lug recesses were set back. As far as I could determine the receiver was fine, and the bolt lugs seemed OK. As I closed on the no-go with sticky attached I started getting even pressure about 1/4 way down and it evened out for the last half of the drop. I believe the "gunsmith" didn't have a gauge and set the headspace as best he could, maybe from a fired .270 case. I don't know for sure. . All this to say that is one tough receiver. Pretty, it ain't. Preacher

[ridurall]

My father purchased one right after WWII for $20. It's still pretty much in mint condition. He also picked up a M1 Garand from the DCM after using his O3A3 in a few matches. I think he paid $126 for the M1. I just had the 03A3 out of the vault last week and I was surprised at how nice it looked. I'm sure it was never issued. I remember when he had the box for it and the wax cloth wrapping for it. He hunted deer with it one year just for giggles but when he spotted a nice buck and took the safety off it made a loud CLICK and spooked the buck. It's one gun I'll never sell. I did sell my Federal Ordinance M-14 at a gun show today for $800. As for parts you can often find good parts at a good gun show.

[97th Signalman]

Here are some parts sources that I have used:

http://www.billricca.com/

http://www.northridgeinc.com/springfield.htm

http://www.amherst-depot.com/gunparts.03A3.htm

By the way, here is my Remington 03A3:

[725]

Add this guy to the good sources above:

Empire GunShop 570-275-5482 Huge source of odd and obsolete parts.