Want to buy an O3A3

[Matt_G]

I've wanted an 03A3 to shoot cast out of for a while now.
My problem is that I know very little about them.
Can someone point me to a site that lists the major things to be on the lookout for when purchasing one of these old milsurps?
Or post the major points here.

I've read that the 2 groove barrels are good for cast. Is that true?
I also know to stay away from low serial number receivers.

[oldhickory]

The sr. no. thing doesn't apply to 03-A3's they were all made during WWII by either Remington, or Smith Corona out of good steel. Remington bbls were 2 groove and the Smith Coronas were std. 4 groove. Any 03-A3 with a good bore should shoot well.

It's the early 1903s below sr. no. 800,000 that had some issues, those made from 1903-1917 were either case hardened, or single heat treated and some made during WWI were incorrectly heat treated to the point of being brittle. Take a look in "Hatcher's Notebook" for details.

[AZ-Stew]

Do a Yahoo search. I bought an Enfield a couple of weeks ago, not knowing anything about them. Once I got it home I started reading net articles about it and learned a lot. I was lucky. Mine is all original, but may have a rough bore. Photos here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=94340

You might also look at the CMP (DCM) web site. I think there are some good articles there, too.

Old Hickory is right about the S/N business. All the questionable receivers were part of the early production. The issue was addressed prior to or during WWI, and the 03A3 is a WWII rifle. The 03A3 also has the better sighting equipment, with a peep sight on the rear receiver ring, rather than the V and ladder arrangement on the barrel forward of the front receiver ring as was the case with the 03 models. Good luck finding an affordable one in good condition.

Regards,

Stew

[Char-Gar]

Both 2 and 4 grooves barrels by Remington and Smith Corona all do well with cast bullets. If you can locate a good condition 03A3 as issued, you will have a fine rifle to shoot and one that will increase in value. There are also lots of 03A3s which have been sporterized to one degree or another. They will cost less than an issue rifle, but won't increase in value that muich.

[sundog]

I saw an as issued Rem sell for $700 a while back. Folks that have them and know what have they are asking and getting premium prices. Who'da thunkit.

[Matt_G]

Corky,
So that means that I really screwed up yesterday at the gun show by not having $650.00 cash on me when I saw what looked like an all original 03A3 (except the sling).
Granted, my eyes are untrained to say the least.
Wanted to get it but I couldn't come up with that much cash on a Sunday. [smilie=b:

[6.5 mike]

Paid 500 for mine 2 years ago, one of my most pleasent cast rifles. 13 gr reddot & any boolit 160 & up. Rem 1943 4 groove bbl. Does seem to like pp'ed best. Did try 16 gr of 2400, just likes red dot better. Have shot lee 160, 170, 185, & 200 in it.

[Char-Gar]

I got my 4 groove Remington for free about 20 years ago. A retired ROTC (Col.) had one in the back of the closet and was on his way to the dumpster with it when his wife rescued it and brought it to me. It was mint and unfired since the WWII rebuild at Ogden. The fireing pin hole in the bolt was welded shut and the tip of the firing pin ground off. I replaced the bolt and firing pin tip with unused Remington parts, check the headspace (tight) and was good to go. I did replaced the stamped trigger guard with a good milled 03 trigger guard and floor plate.

This rifle shoots a true 1.5 to 2 MOA (10 shot groups) with almost any decent cast bullet and proper powder change. For accuracy I like 50/WC862/.75 cc PSB/Remington 9.5.

It is an amazing rifle and my built up NRA Sporter (feaux) around a good SC action and new barrel will do as well.

I would be hard pressed to come up with a better rifle for most any purpose.

[ELFEGO BACA]

My experience with both Remingtons the 03 and 03A3 is that they are good enough shooters to compete with in high power rifle competition using cast bullets.

I use a Saeco #301 which casts a 200 grain bullet and a Lee group buy mold from this site that casts a 150 grain flat point.

[Bret4207]

I've been on the look out for a decent '03-A3 for years. Ended up with a somewhat unusual '03, but the A3 is a better rifle for what I want (ie- my eye sight stinks).

The is an outfit that rebuilds A3's to to factory specs and sells them. I forget the name of the outfit, but they offer National Match M1's, Johnsons, '03's, etc. They ain't cheap.

[Char-Gar]

Guys.. Save your Sheckels and buy a good 03A3, there are plenty of them out there. The will be very spendy, but they will never be cheaper than now.

[jhrosier]

I picked up a nice but with a refinished stock Remington 03a3 a couple of months ago.
Any decent 03 goes for $700 and up around here.
The local Springfield guru dismissed it as a "mixmaster" because it was rebuilt with a 1944 marked barrel.
I was pleased as punch to see the "OGEK" inspector's stamp ( Ogden Arsenal - Elmer Keith .)
It seems to handle cast boolits very well in the couple of times that I have got it out to the range.
I'd much rather have this one than a brand new one without the OGEK stamp.
I found it interesting that the bolt was made by Brown&Sharp, a well known maker of precision measuring instruments.

BTW, I'm shooting the 311299 - 200 gr boolit over 20 grs of 2400. Much of my brass is US military with headstamps in the early '40s.

Jack

[Char-Gar]

There was two inspectors with the initials EK at Ogden. One of them has the initial in a retangular box and the other does not, but at this moment I disremember which is which. I will look it up and post it here.

[cobbmtmac]

Matt G.

There certainly is a lot of good informatiom posted here. I just want to add that the word "original", IMO, veries in the sellers mind. Original to me means, thats the way it came from initial manufacturing. To many, as long as it is in the original configuration (even though it has gone through many Arsenals, where many of the original parts have been changed over the years) they still feel it is original.

I have seen many advertized with the wrong period stock or sight etc. By this I mean, it might be an 1918, 03 version with a Scant stock which is a replacement stock that was put on during wwII.

That being said, the changes do not hurt the accuracy of a particular rifle. but it does affect the value.

Maybe you have already purched, but if not, I would be glad to help further as you are looking, I'll PM you with my phone number.

[Matt_G]

There was two inspectors with the initials EK at Ogden. One of them has the initial in a retangular box and the other does not, but at this moment I disremember which is which. I will look it up and post it here.

According to the link below, if the initials are in a box it was Keith. If not, it was Ed Klouser.
http://www.thecmp.org/forums/showthread.php?t=187

I want to thank all of you for the information. Cobbmtmac, that is very generous of you and I may take you up on that.
As an FYI to everyone, I haven't purchased anything yet.
I realized this past Sunday I have a very good source of info on 03 Springfield's here at the house; I had just forgotten I had it.
The Book of the Springfield by Edward C. Crossman
I'm reading it now.