What did I buy ???

[99160fish]

I recently won a local firearms auction in which I purchased what I thought was a 03A3 that had been converted into a target rifle. The action has been knurled on top of both receiver rings and the rear receiver ring appeared to have the rear sight base milled off. It has a 2 groove barrel marked RA 05 43 and an 03 trigger guard. It wears a Lyman long slide graduated to 150 receiver sight that has a case harden finish and a Lyman globe front sight with inserts than can be switched. It is setting in a rollover cheek piece stock with a 2 1/4" wide forearm that has a flat adjustable rail with a hand stop. After taking it apart to clean it I started finding things that needed fixing and started me wondering what exactly I had bought. The rear screw to the receiver sight was stripped out. I thought no problem, I will just tap out the hole to 8-40 and dremel the sight to fit. After I do that, I find out a Lyman 48 long slide NOS brought $405 on Ebay. The front guard screw would tighten up, so a trip to the LGS for new Forester 03A3 guard screws, And then I find the holes in the receiver are 1/4 x 28 instead of 1/4 x20. What's going on here ? After doing some investigating I find the serial # 5031930is after all the 03A3 serial numbers and serial #5010000- 5020000 are for Nation Ordinance cast receivers. After looking last night, I have definitely determined that I have a cast receiver but it is beyond the range of the Nat Ord . So before I do anything thing else stupid or waste anymore money. I thought I would ask for advice on what to do with this piece. Thanks

Information

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[Aragorn243]

Take some photos of it and post them here. Then the experts can let you know what you have. Descriptions only go so far.

[99160fish]

here is some quick pictures

[browningautorifle]

It's a complete sporterization of something, some of your pics are out of focus and hard to see.

[Calif-Steve]

Looks like a rather cheap 1950-60's shooter. Very likely a Nat Ord rifle. You have an expensive parts kit there and you need to stop the project right now. Try to find a 03-A3 receiver and begin again. Good luck.

[Rick the Librarian]

Please "unblank" at least the manufacture information on the one picture!

[browningautorifle]

"unblank"

Yes, that's a crosshatch. Done to the steel.

[Cosine26]

Rick, I believe that he originally indicated that both receiver rings were "knurled" - probably to blank out the manufacture's name.
JMHO

[99160fish]

That's what has been done to the receiver. It has some cross hatch lines machined into the top of the front and back receiver bridges. I thought at first some one had also machined off the stripper clip slots but the found out that the National Ordinance receivers were cast without them. I am pretty sure that is what I have because there is a casting line in front of the rear tang screw on the under side of the receiver. Barrel is in good shape and shoots real well with cast bullet loads. I think I will take my time and tried to find a deal on a receiver or parts gun to make something out of this because I already have too much in it. Also from what I have read this gun should be safe shooting light cast bullet loads as head space is not excessive now.

[Doco overboard]

Action screws are a giveaway for a National Ordnance, if it shoots decent I wouldn't break it up and enjoy it until I ran across a cheap receiver.