1903 "Sporter" Question

[M71]

Hello, Nubie here, longtime lurker. I recently purchased 1942 mfg. Springfield (Remington) 1903 "Sporter". It's a very well done job, nice blueing with a swept back bolt handle, a contoured 22" 4 groove barrel, ramp front sight with Redfield gold insert, Griffin & Howe side mount with 1" rings, 60's or 70's Fajen "Supreme" Monte Carlo stock with cheek piece with a professionally installed red ventilated butt pad marked "Centre Firearms" New York, N.Y. "custom made by Pachmayer". The 1903 has a sweet trigger and has a Weaver V 4.5 A scope (no front bell) and is fitted with a Lyman 57 SME peep sight. Now that you are reasonably acquainted with the gun here is my question: When the Safety is "off", down position at 4:00, and safety "on", up position at 2:00 everything is functioning as designed. Under no circumstance can the safety latch be moved up and over the receiver bridge to the "Bolt Locked" position. I'm guessing that perhaps to accommodate scope mounting this function was disabled or does anyone feel that there is a malfunction?

[Ben]

When the '03 rifle was designed, the U.S. Army still saw the magazine as a reserve for cartridges. The soldier or doughboy needed to load ammo one round at a time and only use the magazine when needed or ordered by an officer. The magazine cutoff switch located on the left of the receiver turns the magazine on or off. The magazine cutoff switch when place in the middle position allows for the bolt to be removed from the rifle. With the magazine cutoff switch in the on position, the bolt pulls back far enough to clear the magazine follower and will engage and load a cartridge from the magazine.

[M71]

Ben, My concern isn't the magazine cut-off lever, it's the safety lever. The safety will not go to the "Bolt Lock "position.

[Hip's Ax]

Agreed, it sounds like you have a hold of the magazine cut off, the safety is on the back of the bolt. Not easy to use either if I remember correctly, I seem to remember having to pull back on the cocking knob and get the hidden internal slot to line up in order to get the safety to move to other than the "ready" position. It has been years though since I messed with the safety on any of my 03's.

Hope this helps.

[Hip's Ax]

M71, ok i see you are here. Is your rifle an 03A3 or an 03 Remington "mod"? I'll go dig my rifle out and have a look.

[M71]

Hip's Ax, Thank's, It's a 1903 Remington made in early 1942 sn. 31745XX. I'm not positive it's the original safety latch. It's serrated around the end and is about 1" long and 3/8's wide. Thank's again!

[M71]

I mean 3/8's thick and 1/2" wide.

[M71]

I can see where the bottom of the safety latch engages the slot in the fireing pin shaft, but it will not go any further up (left) to the "bolt lock position. It's not a necessity but that is how they were originally designed.

[Hip's Ax]

Sorry this took so long, got a phone call. I dug out my 03A3 and the safety won't move unless the bolt is cocked. Then the safety flips rather easily from the 9 o'clock "ready" position to the 3 o"clock "safe" position.

[M71]

Hip's Ax, will the safety go all the way around to the other side of the receiver to lock the bolt handle down?

[Hip's Ax]

I'm afraid I can't really grasp your "all the way around to the other side of the receiver " statement.

The safety is a "flag" on the back of the bolt above the cocking knob. On my 03A3 once I cock the bolt the safety rather easily flips from the left side (ready) to the right side (safe) and when the safety is on the right side the bolt is locked up.

[M71]

Ok, on my rifle it doesn't matter what position the safety is in, the bolt handle is never "locked down". Is this something I need to be concerned with?

[Hip's Ax]

Hey, come to think of it my 03 sporter has a Canjar trigger and that probably why I had to wiggle the cocking knob in and out to get the safety to move. Does your rifle have an aftermarket trigger?

[Hip's Ax]

Ok, on my rifle it doesn't matter what position the safety is in, the bolt handle is never "locked down". Is this something I need to be concerned with?

Seeing as your never going to use the safety I think not. Were you planning on using that safety?? If so that has to be THE most inconvienent design I've ever seen. I could barely get to the one on my sporter as the scope is completely in the way.

[Hip's Ax]

"Safety is "off", down position at 4:00, and safety "on", up position at 2:00 "

This confuses me as well. My 03A3 as well as my 03's go from flat at 3 o'clock to flat at 9 o'clock. Do you think you rifle has a custom bolt shroud or something?

[M71]

I'm not sure but the positions are not standard so it's had some modification work. There is an "R" on the trigger under the stock and the blueing is consistent with the other re-blued parts. But the trigger lets of with little creep and maybe only 3 1/2 lb. pull. Perhaps it's the original trigger that has had "work". I'll take the gun in to our local "Smith" and have him inspect it for fitness. I think the gun has had some "custom work". The safety only clears the scope by about 1/8" but that is enough to work. Thank you, for your help, Bruce

[Hip's Ax]

Ok, thats always best anyway. Sorry I couldn;t be more help.

BTW, Welcome!! :grin:

[M71]

I'll report back my "Smiths" findings in case anyone is curious. If anyone else has any thoughts on the topic I'd be interested to know. Thank's in advance, Bruce

[220swiftfn]

Hey M71, you have an aftermarket safety, pretty sure it's a Buehler, and I think that Timney is making the same thing now. I have one on my '03 sporter too. To answer your question, no, it wasn't designed to lock the bolt.

Dan

[M71]

Dan, I am relieved to know that my 1903 functions as intended with the aftermarket safety. So now it's time to go out and burn some powder. Thank you Dan, Bruce

[Char-Gar]

You most certainly have an after market low safety for scope. The factory, safety that rotates 180 degrees (9 to 3 oclock in your reference) , won't work with a scope.

[Dutchman]

Dang, I was getting sea sick going back and forth here!

The standard 1903 Springfield safety function is identical to it's daddy, the 98 Mauser, which followed all Mauser safeties from the 1871 Mauser.

There are 3 positions: 9 o'clock is "off". 12 o'clock is "on" with the bolt unlocked. 3 o'clock is "on" with the bolt locked.

When you install an aftermarket safety LEVER (lever only) it usually has two positions. On and off but neither actually locks the bolt handle. This is due to the limited lever movement dictated by the scope. So the aftermarket safety lever is actually in the 9 o'clock and 12 o'clock positions.

Dutch

[220swiftfn]

Hey M71, just found out that I have C.R.S.... I just checked, and mine *does* lock the bolt and striker in the 2 o'clock position. However, the 'smith who installed yours in the first place could have ground the "swing pin" thingamajigger so that you can clear the rounds with the safety on (I'm thinking I might want to do the same...) Anywho, as long as the safety won't jar or jump to off safe easily, I wouldn't worry about it one bit....

Dan

BTW.... don't remember who posted it, but if you have to move the striker to get the safety to engage, either the sear is worn, the cocking piece is worn, or the safety wasn't fitted right. If it's just a *hair* out, you might be able to stone a knife edge on the safety wing to get it to work right....

[M71]

I'm just wondering, is it a safe practice to: 1- hold the striker knob, 2-pull the trigger, 3-slowly release the striker. Now you are not cocked and you have a live round chambered and the trigger and fireing pin are disabled. Is this safe or could a sharp impact on the striker knob cause the fireing pin to discharge the round?

[Bob S]

Not safe. An accident waiting to happen.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[7of7]

I'm just wondering, is it a safe practice to: 1- hold the striker knob, 2-pull the trigger, 3-slowly release the striker. Now you are not cocked and you have a live round chambered and the trigger and fireing pin are disabled. Is this safe or could a sharp impact on the striker knob cause the fireing pin to discharge the round?

Yes, a sharp impact to the striker knowb will discharge the round... The only thing you are doing is letting the firing pin rest against the primer..
As far as safe? I would say that if you aren't going to use the safety, this would be the next way to go, as it is not entirely safe. ( you have a live round with the firing pin resting on the primer) Me, I would just use the safety... as far as the need for a speedy shot, it is a cointoss...

[M71]

Thanks guys, I'll stick to using the safety or if in rough terrain I'll keep the chamber empty. Carrying with an uncocked fireing pin with a empty chamber is almost like a bolt lock because of the fairly substantial amount of effort it takes to raise the bolt handle to cock the gun and my aftermarket safety has no bolt lock option. Thanks again, Bruce

[M71]

Here is a photo of my 1903 "Sporter". (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/img0006ff.jpg/)