03 Springfield ft. sight base

[RU shooter]

I have a few questions on trying to install a front target sight on my 03A3 (the lowest cost I can) First I believe the 03 had a dovetailed base is it a 3/8 dovetail? And secondly would the 03 base fit on a 03A3 barrel.
Any of you have any low cost ways of mounting a target sight to a 03A3. I read the thread Dutchman posted about the Lipski clamp on mount and thats a possibility. Any others?


Thanks,Tim ....... And have a happy and safe thanksgiving to all

[docone31]

Yeah,
The dovetail is standard. I would match the sight height with a Lyman Globe sight.
I prefer the standard front sight with my eyes. I find the stock sights really work as well as after market sights.

[35 Whelen]

Tim,
Surely you've been here long enough to know who has all the answers! I bet Bob S has mounted more sights more ways on more U.S. military rifles than anybody in the Kingdom of Cast Boolits! I'm with you, for High Power type shooting, the front aperture is hard to beat.

It's my understanding that the 1903 front sight base fits the 1903A3 barrel fine. I suppose then that one of the inexpensive ($30 +/-) Lyman 17A sights could be slipped into the dovetail. I put one in the dovetail of my 1903. Admittedly, it's as ugly as a mans a$$, and while it's not a perfect fit, the setscrew on the front of the sight base holds the sight.

I don't know if you want to drill and tap the receiver or not, but there's always a few micrometer sights for the 03's and 03A3's on eBay. If you'ew really vigilant they can sometimes be had for the money. I bought an all steel Redfield for my Mauser Scout Rifle for around $25 and it's a dandy. Here's one like mine that's still pretty reasonable: Redfield Sight (http://cgi.ebay.com/Redfield-70-Targetsight-for-03-Springfield-98-Mauser_W0QQitemZ300370131467QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVin tage_Hunting?hash=item45ef747a0b)

Here's a Lyman 57 (http://cgi.ebay.com/LYMAN-57S-03A3-REAR-ADJUSTABLE-PEEP-SIGHT_W0QQitemZ360211450104QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVint age_Hunting?hash=item53de4688f8) They usually sell fairly cheap. I have one on my 1903. The biggest problem I've found with them is they have a little slop to them, but there are things that can be done to the sights to alleviate that and it's nothing that an industrious person like yourself can't do.

If you want to spend a little more money, I have one of these (as you well know)on my competition K31 and it's a really well made sight Lyman 48 Sight (http://cgi.ebay.com/Lyman-48M-Steel-Receiver-Sight-for-98-Mauser-03-Sprg_W0QQitemZ300370134126QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVinta ge_Hunting?hash=item45ef74846e)

If you don't want to permanently modify your rifle, one thing I know of is to buy one of the Redfield sight bases that mounts in place of the original 03A3 rear sight. Then one of the good Redfield Olympic, International, or Palma sights could be mounted. Only problem with this is the bases, when found, are in the $50 range and the sights run $125-$150.

It's odd, but many times 1903's and 1903A3's that have been modified for target shooting can be found selling for not much more than the price of the sights alone. Case in point, here's one I bought last weekend:

03A3 Match Rifle (http://www.auctionarms.com/Closed/DisplayItem.cfm?ItemNum=9454211.0)

It has the much sought after Lyman 48 rear sight with the long slide (the description stating it has a Redfield sight is incorrect) and it appears to have a 1903 front sight base with (crossing my fingers here) a discontinued Lyman 17XNA. I'd say the sights are worth in the neighborhood of $200.

After I typed all this I found a post by Bob S with some of the info you seek: 1903A3 Front Sights (http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&p=383726)

....and another:globe front sight for 03A3 (http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&p=582791)

...and one more by our resident Guru: 03A3 Sights (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=156349)

G' Luck!
35W

[RU shooter]

Yep, I knew either you or Bob S would have the answers! I have no objections D&T the rec. as its a Natl.Ord. not a real springfield. I was hoping the dovetail was 3/8 as I already have a dovetailed redfield globe that sits nice and low although fairly small(60 series) and would really simplify things. Thanks again for all the info.



Tim

[Bob S]

The dovetail in the M1903 front fixed base is not 3/8", it's closer to 7/16". Both Lyman and Redfield made globe sights with the special male dovetail to fit the '03 fixed base; Redfield also made a "double dovetail" base that fit into the '03 fixed base, and gave you a standard longitudinal "target" dovetail so you could use any of the detachable target sights. None of these have been made in decades. Although they do turn up on auction sites, the prices tend to go sky-high.

The best options today are to have someone mill a standard 3/8" dovetail in the as -issued 03A3 front sight base, and then press in whatever fixed target sight you wish to use: Lyman 17A, Redfield 60-series, or the new Lyman 20MJT. That's what the National Match Armory does. Using the clamp-on base that is shown in one of my old posts that Greg linked to above is the "easy button"; it doesn't take any gunsmithing. The base will set you back about $70 from Brownell's; then you need to have or procure a detachable front sight. Numrich (Gun Parts) had the Parker-hale that I used for about $25, with no inserts. It takes the standard Anschutz 18mm inserts. The new Lyman No. 93 sight is still available from Midway and others for about $50. It also uses Anschutz 188mm inserts.

Resp'y,
Bob S.