1903 Sporter Question

[94Doug]

Can anyone tell me about a Sante Fe "Sharpshooter" 1903 Springfield? I see one on my dealers shelf, not too expensive, and it it a 03, not an 03A3.


Thanks
Doug

[KCSO]

Santa Fe was big on sporters back in the 60's. They offered Enfields and Springfields and others at a decent price and in a dizzing assotment of models over the years. All were, for the time solid sporterized rifles. If the bore is good you won't go wrong if the price is right.

[94Doug]

$300 I believe was what they were asking. I really didn't look at the bore, time was short.

d

[pietro]

[Can anyone tell me about a Sante Fe "Sharpshooter" 1903 Springfield?]

FWIW, It's not really a 1903 Springfield - it only looks like one.

In the 1960's, several companies made up 1903 Springfield's and M1 carbines from cast steel receivers.

They assembled used USGI parts to the receiver to complete the rifles.

These guns were assembled by both Santa Fe, National Ordnance, and possibly others.

These are usually basic shooters, worth about the price of the parts.

The cast steel receivers seem to stand up pretty well, but a number of people have reported broken receivers after an attempt to re-barrel these.

YMMV, but I'd pass on it.

.

[94Doug]

Was the receiver actually marked 1903? This was one, as I recall. I do not remember if it had a manufacturer on it other than the barrel markings.

d

[NVcurmudgeon]

ALL true 1903, 1903 A3, and 1903 A4 rifles were made by Springfield Armory, Rock Island Arsenal, Remington, or Smith-Corona, AND NO OTHERS. Those are the ONLY makes accepted by the US government. All others use GI parts assembled with receivers made by who knows where by who knows who. I would not risk my valuable body parts with any of the imitators.

In addition, for shooting purposes, pass up any Springfield Armory receiver numbered below 800,000 or any Rock Island receiver below 285,000. Some of these had troubles with defective heat treatment and were withdrawn from service. Naturally this post applies only to rifles in good safe condition, preferably checked by a competent gunsmith.

Before anybody tells me about the fine sporter built on a "Federal Ordnance" receiver that he inherited from Uncle Fudd, I will be laughing, and not defending myself. :-)

[Multigunner]

Years ago I read of a gundealer making a great find, dozens of un issued 1903 actions or perhaps just receivers NIB in a crate at a lost freight auction. He picked these up for pennies and in the article he stated that he intended to use these to assemble a line of sporting rifles, custom ordered I suppose.
Haven't heard any more about these, he may have never finished his project, or sold only a few.

The cast steel 03 receivers I've heard of before, in posts on one of these being damaged.
The information there was that the receivers were manufactured in Yugoslavia.

Mauser at one time intended to manufacture 03 Springfield actioned sporters, I've seen some paperwork on these posted on the net. If I'm not mistaken Townsend Whelen was somehow involved in the project. Drawings show a fine looking rifle combining American and European styling.
At that time over the counter sales of Springfield rifles was pretty much prohibited, resulting in the Bannerman para military rifles built from rehashed leftovers and bolts made by splicing a M1917 rear half to a Springfield front half.
I suspect those bolts were cut up as scrap before being sold off, never intended to be used other than as scrap metal.

Considering the tremendous amount of work that went into manufacturing the 03 actions, I doubt we'll see its like again, at least made by old time methods.

[StarMetal]

Years ago I read of a gundealer making a great find, dozens of un issued 1903 actions or perhaps just receivers NIB in a crate at a lost freight auction. He picked these up for pennies and in the article he stated that he intended to use these to assemble a line of sporting rifles, custom ordered I suppose.
Haven't heard any more about these, he may have never finished his project, or sold only a few.

The cast steel 03 receivers I've heard of before, in posts on one of these being damaged.
The information there was that the receivers were manufactured in Yugoslavia.

Mauser at one time intended to manufacture 03 Springfield actioned sporters, I've seen some paperwork on these posted on the net. If I'm not mistaken Townsend Whelen was somehow involved in the project. Drawings show a fine looking rifle combining American and European styling.
At that time over the counter sales of Springfield rifles was pretty much prohibited, resulting in the Bannerman para military rifles built from rehashed leftovers and bolts made by splicing a M1917 rear half to a Springfield front half.
I suspect those bolts were cut up as scrap before being sold off, never intended to be used other than as scrap metal.

Considering the tremendous amount of work that went into manufacturing the 03 actions, I doubt we'll see its like again, at least made by old time methods.

I'd say the Model 70 Win is more a version of the Springfield then it is of the Mauser, but I know all it and the Springfield are Mauser type actions. Looks like Winchester did away with the Springfield extra safety lug, kept the coned breech, did away with the magazine cut off, and changed the position of the ejector.

[Multigunner]

I'd say the Model 70 Win is more a version of the Springfield then it is of the Mauser, but I know all it and the Springfield are Mauser type actions. Looks like Winchester did away with the Springfield extra safety lug, kept the coned breech, did away with the magazine cut off, and changed the position of the ejector.

Some Model 70 Match rifles have stripper clip guides that take the Springfield 03 clips.