Winchester 1903 .22

[Battis]

I have 4 Winchester Self Loaders (.32, .35, .351 and .401). I guess I'm collecting them, but I do shoot them.
Anyways, the one Self Loader I don't have is the Winchester 1903 .22. It shoots Win .22 Auto ammo, which is available occasionally (rimfire).
So, here I sit, bored, and bingo, the Store has one listed online (under $500, which seems to be a good price).
Anyone here have any experience with these Winchesters?
I'd shoot it - the ammo is available now - but it'd be more of an addition to the collection.

[Drm50]

I’ve had several 03 Wins. They are top of the line well made rifles. The only draw back is the ammo. The 63 is basically the same gun in 22lr. I do have one of them in my keeper rack. Story is when 03 came out there were still black powder 22s. That would foul up a auto loader and Win didn’t want bogus bad press on the 03 so they made the 03 for smokeless 22 Auto ammo. When I was young and dumb I shot up over 20 boxes of 22auto in a Savage 24, 22mg/ 20g. Local HWD guy had it in attic and sold it to me for 50 cents box.

I forgot to add 22auto, 22WRF can be fired in 22mags.

[cwtebay]

I have one that is very fun to shoot. I also have the full complement of WSL's and truly enjoy shooting with all of them. They are exactly the same as your center fire wall rifles as far as function. I made the mistake of not checking loading function on one prior to purchase, that got a little tricky as far as gunsmithing it back to good. It's pretty easy to find ammo right now, but that's right now.....

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[Battis]

This WSL is only the 2nd one in .22 auto ammo that they've had at the store, and I kicked myself for not getting the last one. This one is in better shape and after promotions, sales, etc I got it for about $450. So I've completed the collection of WSLs, now what? I'm sure something will come along.

I ordered a box of ammo from Midway, the only company that will ship to my house (MA).

[Battis]

I took the WSL 1903 apart (man. 1912). It's very clean inside - it doesn't look like it had been fired much (probably due to the ammo).
But, I did not see any buffers, or any place where a buffer would go. If it wasn't designed for buffers, that's fine. I just hope I'm not missing something.

[cwtebay]

I took the WSL 1903 apart (man. 1912). It's very clean inside - it doesn't look like it had been fired much (probably due to the ammo).
But, I did not see any buffers, or any place where a buffer would go. If it wasn't designed for buffers, that's fine. I just hope I'm not missing something.If I recall, Johnson didn't think a buffer necessary until the 1905 model - allowing spring pressure and bolt weight to accommodate for the blow back action pressure with the rimfire version.

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[blackbahart]

now you just have to find the 63 to have them all

[Battis]

No buffers needed - good to know. Like I said, I thought I was missing something. Wolff Springs sells a spring kit but I don't think it needs new ones. The spring kit also fits the 63. Were there any major changes in the 63? (other than ammo). Did it have buffers?

[KCSO]

I had an 03 with a bad bore and ended up relining it and making a 22 auto chambering reamer. I picked up several boxes of ammo from Grafs if I remember right. It was a good shooter but no better than a 22 lr and I ended up going with a 63 instead and selling the 03 to a collector who wanted a shooter.

[Ragnarok]

I own a M1903 Winchester. Good shooting little rifles.
No problems finding ammunition however the only game in town for .22 Winchester Automatic is Aguila....prices range from $15 to $20 per box of 50 cartridges....depending on who you buy from(mail order)

I actually took two M1903 rifles and built one. One rifle has a really horrible rotted bore and weak/patina metal finish but good shape wood. The other one had a busted stock and bent butt plate and badly sanded/refinished stocks...however it's in excellent shape otherwise with good original blue finish and perfect bore....I just swapped the good wood off the bad rifle over to the better gun...put the rough wood on the rough gun and saved it for parts....I swapped the rear sights too...the rough gun had a nice factory rear sight and the good gun had something else that was too tall.

These don't seem to have much of a collector following and can be bought fairly cheap....like $250 to $400. I've looked for a Model 63 and about every one I've seen are rough and well used for the price demanded

[cwtebay]

I have seen a few 1903's that were converted to 22 long rifle and even one done up in 22 WRF. I'm not sure how commonly that is done, but it seems like a reasonable convert.

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[Battis]

I got a box of Win Auto .22 from Midway, and off to the range I went. The 1903 is as close to pristine as I've ever seen. I loaded a few, cocked the action, pulled the trigger and stared at the berm. I saw the dirt kick up, heard a teeny pop, so I fired again and again. I took my ear protection off to hear what it sounded like - didn't need the ears.
What a fun little rifle to shoot and handle. And it's pretty accurate. I was going to replace the recoil spring but it looks new. I found a cheaper source of ammo that won't ship to my house, but to a NH address I have.
I also brought the 1905 .35 WSL. Both great guns.

[Drm50]

Is the rifle in picture a 1903? My 63 has same stock and an expert has told me it was customized.
My 63 is not grooved receiver. I know the history of my 63 and the people that owned it had bought it new and they wouldn’t have done any custom work. I could care less anyway. Bought it in 60s for $15.

[Battis]

That's a 1903 .22 on the right. It looks to be all original.

[Eddie Southgate]

As far as I know the 03 and 63 used the same stock . I have owned 2 03's and 1 63 . The first 03 I bought was sn 2500 and did not have a safety , don't remember the later number but it had the safety and the barrel had been threaded for a can . They quit making the .22 Auto round about 6 months before I bought the first 03 . Ammo for it before they quit making it was under $2 a box . I found a guy at the Nashville gun show who had 100 boxes of 1950's remington asking $10 per box . Offered $6 per for the 100 and bought them all . Sold the rifles when I got down to the last few boxes because they were not yet making the new stuff .

[kenblacksmith]

Aguilla makes affordable ammunition, I've used it and worked fine burned clean and was minute of soda can @ 50ft.

[Battis]

I bought a box of Aguila from Midway and paid about $10 more for the box than what Bud's was charging, but Bud's won't ship to MA. Midway did. I have a NH address that I can use but some places will only ship to the address on the credit card. No big deal - I needed some ammo to make sure the rifle worked.

While at the range, I checked the brass box where people dump brass they don't want, and found a bunch of 45-70 and 44 mag brass. I have a 45-70 but not a 44 mag...maybe it's a sign.

[kenblacksmith]

I bought a box of Aguila from Midway and paid about $10 more for the box than what Bud's was charging, but Bud's won't ship to MA. Midway did. I have a NH address that I can use but some places will only ship to the address on the credit card. No big deal - I needed some ammo to make sure the rifle worked.

While at the range, I checked the brass box where people dump brass they don't want, and found a bunch of 45-70 and 44 mag brass. I have a 45-70 but not a 44 mag...maybe it's a sign.


Purchased the Aguilla at a show in Co., price was right and it shot ok. It was on par with the older Win. Ammo I was used to shooting.

[Drm50]

The 03s I’ve owned all had a crescent type butt plate. The 63s have more less flat shotgun style butt plate. The straight grip stock on a 63 is what the expert said was not stock. Mine has flat butt and straight grip stock.

[Battis]

Here's a better look at the rifles