1903 Air Service Rifle

Another one of my budget clones. Also another good use for all those sporterized stocks floating around. This stock cost $20. Been sanded of course.

Used Brophy and Canfield as references. This project isn't 100% complete, but close enough for pics.

The lower band is still giving me a little trouble. I cut the ears off, but I think I'm going to have to really weld it together.

I think I had the most fun with the handguard. Cut the front off of course, but also had to cut off the back end to get to the appropriate length of 5 3/4". Modified with Dremil and sanded.

Cut up a rear sight and pieced it together. Used the slide cap screw to attach the drift to the part of the slide with the threads, if that makes sense. Had some help from a little JB weld. ;)

Of course the mag is not an original. Way out of my price range. But a BAR mag isn't! :thup:
Cut the top off of it and "welded" it to the TG. Used the BAR spring(modified slightly) and an A3 stamped follower. A milled follower is slightly longer and would not fit in the mag. Capacity is 24 rds, and yes, it functions. :super: If I hadn't of "played" so much with cutting the top off, I think I could have gotten one more round in there. Oh, well!

All in all, a fun budget project! :Dhttps://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/deleted.gif[/QUOTE][/IMG]
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Neat, Mike!

Nice handy work. :thup:

Hey Mike, thats pretty cool!! Looks like you had fun on that project.....Frank

Some would say it doesn't count because it's not real. I think it's perfect because you can go shoot it until it's hot and not worry about it!

Yep, lots of fun. Still have to see how my sight job will put holes in the target! Probably a little high, I know. From what I could tell looking at the pics of real ones in Brophy and Canfield, my sights are just slightly higher. A higher front sight blade could bring things down a bit, we'll see.

If the original air service magazines were 25 rds, was total capacity 30?

That's the way it reads. There must be one amongst these guys somewhere?

Theres one on GB, missing some parts, and still out of my price range! Well, maybe not where its at now, but it probably won't stay there.


Springfield 1903 Air Service Magazine : Collectible Parts & Accessories at GunBroker.com

No that's OK, you have it right. Don't second guess now. That would be cobbleing together homemade and rare and it would never be what you would want. This one's perfect for the need at hand.

...I'll drag it out tonight and check. IIRC , the mag is 20 rds so it's 25 total. Been a long time sence I've shot it , low number and all.
Chris