1903 Springfield Stocks

[rjathon]

Sarco has new 1903 Springfield stocks for sale. I bought one and it is beautiful. It is very close to being a drop in. It has enough inletting that needs to be done to ensure a tight fit. They are new production.

https://www.sarcoinc.com/springfield-c-stock-with-new-03a3-handguard/

[Remiel]

I just got one of those for my 03a3, only complaint is the hole for the nose cap wasn't drilled, other than that it's beautiful.

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[rjathon]

The stock is mostly inletted but it requires some bedding. What commercial “carbon black” is recommended? Any bedding tips?

The stock is nicely sanded but does have open grain.

Any help with respect to finishing will be appreciated.

Thank you

[Eddie1971]

I bought an old RI 1903 that had a WW2 03A3 stock. Desperate for a finger groove stock I got one of those SARCO repros. It did need final fitting and it looked ok but it didn't feel right when on my shoulder. It was too bulky feeling. I ended up finding an original 03 FG stock and put that on. Now it feels like a nimble handling 03 again.

[Ray1946]

I have a late 03' (5-42)I bought about a year and a half ago and it came with one of the "scant" stocks. Honestly; this is about one of the ugliest stocks I have seen on a US battle rifle. When I got home from the show I immediately started searching the web for a replacement. Adds showing different configurations were kind of sketchy at best, so I decided to keep what I have. That ugly stock shoulders real well and I "hold" looking straight down the sites.......................

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I have a late 03' (5-42)I bought about a year and a half ago and it came with one of the "scant" stocks. Honestly; this is about one of the ugliest stocks I have seen on a US battle rifle.

I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I've got one. I think they were trying to use up stock blanks that had more wood than needed for the straight grip stock, and less than was needed for a full pistol grip stock. Like many compromises it didn't turn out so well!

DG

[Der Gebirgsjager]

The stock is mostly inletted but it requires some bedding. What commercial “carbon black” is recommended? Any bedding tips?

The stock is nicely sanded but does have open grain.

Any help with respect to finishing will be appreciated.

Thank you

I've always used Jarrow's Inletting Black. It comes in a very small screw lid jar, and you need a little brush like an acid brush to apply it. A little goes a very long way, and you will manage to get it on your fingers, shirt, your nose when it itches, tools, etc. I've done a number of stocks with it, and always start with the idea to keep everything tidy and neat, but it always ends as a mess. But I haven't run across anything else that works as well and easily for me. I put a light coat on the entire length of the bottom of the receiver and barrel, lightly set the metal into the stock, firmly smack the top with a plastic mallet, remove the metal and scrape away the high areas in the stock revealed by the print of the metal. Repeat until satisfied. Fortunately, as it's just bone carbon, it will wash off of everything with kerosene and a toothbrush.

As for finishing a replacement military stock, this depends entirely on what result you desire. I believe that the originals were finished with boiled linseed oil, and that no pore fillers were used. If you are an incredibly patient person you can apply many, many thin coats of linseed oil, rubbing it into the wood, and eventually fill the pores that way. A better method is to use any of several other oils such as Tung oil (but small amounts of linseed will work) and 400 grit w&d sandpaper. Fold the paper so that it is about 1 1/2" square, but several layers thick so you can hang onto it, apply a little oil to the wood and dip the sandpaper in the oil, then light-medium pressure sand the wood in circular motions, about a 2" square area at a time. You will work up a paste from the wood that is mixed with the oil, and you need a soft rag like an old T-shirt to wipe the paste across the grain and fill the pores. Get that small area smooth and filled, then start a new small area. Once the entire stock has been pore filled let it dry for a couple of days. Go back to the job exactly the same way but using less pressure on the paper and remove any of the pore filler that is excess above the surface of the stock. Let that dry, then add a final thin coat of the oil you have decided to use, rubbing it in with the heel of your hand. Use a light coat as it will dry better, and you can (and should) apply a refresher coat in later months.

I did many stocks this way using a product (discontinued, as far as I've been able to determine) known as Varathane Plastic Oil Sealer. It came in a gold colored can. In later years they renamed the product, and I think eventually they discontinued it, but other products will work. The last 20 or so stocks I did I used Birchwood Casey Tru -Oil and the same sanding technique. After applying the final coat I rubbed them back to a satin finish (unless I wanted glossy), and it worked out well with the stock's surface having a much harder and smoother surface than using linseed oil, but looking a little different than the traditional linseed oil only finish. There are certainly other methods of stock finishing. A fascinating bit of lore you may never have heard of is "boning" a stock. Some of the old time soldiers used to have a rib bone that they repeatedly rubbed their rifle stocks with, the result eventually being a very slick, shiny, and smooth stock.

DG

[Eddie1971]

I may be old fashioned but those old stocks were made with more skill than a repro. Can't compare the two.

[Ray1946]

I agree 100%!!! In that time frame things were tough and and talk of Japanese invasion spurred the production of many millions of much needed weapons. Lots of them didn't look all that great, but they sure got the job done!.................

[Ural Driver]

Thanks to the OP for beginning this post. I have a lead on an 03 (unknown yet which variant) and this is just the type info a might be needing if this comes to fruition.....:grin:

[nicholst55]

Supposedly, the 'scant' 1903 stocks were cut to the Type C PG stock pattern, but with blanks that weren't tall enough for the purpose. Why? Who knows.

[Rich/WIS]

To save money they used the blanks that were left overs from the original 03 production. I replaced the stock on my A3 with a "C" stock to make it more user friendly.

[gnoahhh]

Supposedly, the 'scant' 1903 stocks were cut to the Type C PG stock pattern, but with blanks that weren't tall enough for the purpose. Why? Who knows.

Because they had warehouses full of Type S stock blanks, and they were more frugal back then.

As for original finishes, select either linseed oil or tung oil. There's not a lick of difference in their protective traits, and the Armory used the two oils interchangeably. They used whichever one the procurement officer got the best deal on. Stocks were dipped into large vats of hot oil, wiped dry, and used to build guns. All this info I got from an old WWII Army artificer (armorer) who cycled through Springfield Armory as part of his training in 1941-42. He let me pick his brain about stuff like that but he wouldn't talk about the horrible stuff in France and Germany.

[relics6165]

Guys:

The 1903 Scant stock was made from unfinished WW1 Enfield stock blanks as an austerity measure. If you will look at an Enfield stock (especially the blank) , there is enough meat to make a 1903 stock, everywhere except the pistol grip. I think to most, there is no question these were some of the ugliest stocks ever made, certainly so for the 1903; however, they are also the most ergonomic 1903 stock. As Ray1946 states, they fit and shoulder well, and were one of the preferred stocks for match shooters, IF you could get over the ugly part..........

Me, I prefer the Type C (pistol grip) first, the Type S (straight) second, then the Scant. Life's too short to shoot an ugly gun........

[KenT7021]

I use Jerrow's inletting black and it works well.I noticed that the last I ordered was marked not for sale or use in California.