1903A3 Sporter Re-hash with Lyman 48
1903A3 sporter re-hash Remington 4085802 Barrel date 9/43
1903A3 Sporter Re-hash with Lyman 48
I picked this up at a local shop for $255.00. For that price I can afford to sink some time and little cash into it. It’s an Oct of 43 Remington 4085802 Barrel date 9/43. Barrel gauges 1 at the muzzle. It is in the original phosphate and blue finish except for the bolt.
• It’s drilled for Lyman 48S, sight not present. Original dovetail present.
• Front sight is a Lyman 17-XNB.
• The stock is a walnut Herters covered in polyurethane.
• Bolt had been polished and the action is very slick.
• Follower is a polished 1903 machined style, with machined ramp at the rear
• Dayton Traister adjustable trigger ( 1 stage with no break)
• 1903 machined trigger guard
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I replaced the Dayton Traister trigger with a USGI Remington set up I had in the parts bin. The aftermarket one had no break and 1 soft stage. Low and behold after installing the GI trigger the cocking piece would slip forward when cycling the bolt. I checked the sear engagement an noticed that the trigger engagement ridge on the cocking piece was re-profiled way too short to work with a GI trigger sear. I was able to pick up a blued NOS Remington cocking piece at a gunshow and that got everything back to normal.
The Herters stock had decent lines but was just horrible in the polyurethane. I stripped it and hit it with some brown dye. Topped off with 5 coats of Behrs Tung Oil finish. Much better feel and look to my taste. I like the deep overtones in the stock contrasting with the grey/green phosphate.
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Because it had been drilled for Lyman I would not consider it a candidate for the NOS Keystone C stock in the rafters. Still, I have to do something with this to shoot it. The hooded 17-XNB on the front seems pretty high and I don’t think a USGI rear sight is going to be high enough. It took about a month find a Lyman 48S 03A3 long slide for what I wanted to pay.
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I have not had a chance to shoot it yet but at least I won’t be embarrassed when I do. It’s a great example of a low cost post war sporter. The Lyman is a beautiful piece of work. I like the sight picture a lot and look forward to working with it.
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JR
