Printable View
This afternoon one of my friends was going through a bunch of reloading stuff that came from his mothers house and found a cigar box with a complete 03 receiver in it which he gave to me. It has been sand blasted and the bolt handle was altered. It was not drilled for scope mounts but is drilled for a Lyman 48.
Serial number is 536818, could anyone give me any info on this number.
I am almost thinking about building it back up into a rifle.
Thanks
That's a single heat treat receiver. You might find a worn barrel and make a wall hanger. I'd make a .22 Hornet out of it!
No hit, but I added yours. It is a low number receiver, as you probably already know. It was manufactured in 1914. If you need the month, let me know.
Jim
*********************************
536555 010923TRP E 4TH CAV
536558 040320TRP E 4TH CAV
536559 010923HQ TRP 4TH CAV
536662 022138BA (RECEIVER TO BE SCRAPPED)
536702 010825CO C 25TH INF
536809 010520RECEIVER SCRAPPED - C&R RIFLE
536818 5/24/2009 STRIPPED RECEIVER D&T’ED FOR LYMAN 48
536831 050624CO C 5TH INF
536856 102825FT BRADY
536910 052223CO A 38TH INF
536927 080538BA (RECEIVER TO BE SCRAPPED)
536929 051029CO E CORPS OF CADETS USMA
Thanks for the date, I haven't quite figured out what I want to do with it. I was kind of thinking some sort of sporter like the ones that were made in the 20's.
Why not restore it to its former glory? No need to do it all at once, you can turn it into a prolonged scavenger hunt.
I suspect it was originally a sales rifle to an officer, but no way to know for sure. I am a sporter guy, as I build them on a continuous basis as a hobby; but there is nothing more beautiful than a 1903 Springfield in its original glory.
Jim
Jim, It would be neat to restore it, if the receiver was still in it's original blue I would be looking for parts right now.
Question is since it is a low number receiver is it not "safe" to shoot in any caliber or just 30-06.
Eric
Springfields below 810,000,and Rock Island below 285,507 are considered low numbers that MAY have poor heat treating to the point that the receiver could blow a part.Many have been shot for years with out problems,but no one can tell if one might yet let go.Part of the problem was WW1 brass which could have case failures.The release of gas pressure caused bad receivers to let go.With modern brass you MIGHT shoot one forever with out problems,but no one knows.Some guys rebarrel to light pressure calibers including 22lr.If you can do your own work you might go this way.If you need a gunsmith to install a barrel he"s going to see that low number ,and likely will decline the job for insurance reasons.
Thanks for the info, I wonder with all of these old rifles that are out there and still being shot to this day how many have ever come apart.
You always hear about the "low" serial number guns and their weak receivers but I do not think that I have ever read anything about one blowing up.
This is No. 536277, don’t remember if this was a NRA sales rifle or not, John has a good handle on the numbers and might be able to help in that regard. I would like to point out that many of the custom rifles were NEVER a complete rifle to begin with. If one was going to make a sporter they just ordered the metal parts for one and not the complete rifle.
This rifle was made by S.R. Griffin before G&H.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...09/04/5a-1.jpg
These low-number 1903's are BAD BAD, some will blowup if you have ammo in the same room with them. Lucky for everyone I built a storage facility in Alaska for them. :super:
Michael,
Pretty rifle, and it has my favorite grip (shape)!
EDH,
I wouldn't worry about the original finish on that receiver. That is the LEAST of your problems, followed very closely by that receiver blowing up. How many rounds do you think has been through 536277?
Jim
Michael,
That is a gorgeous rifle as are all of the rifles that you have posted. That is along the lines of what I would like to do with mine. And I would have to keep the ammo down the street from it.
Jim,
I am not really worried about the rifle blowing up since I will probably never shoot it.
BTW where in North Carolina are you, We are going to Camp Daniel Boone outside of Asheville in june and I am curious what the weather will be like then.
EDF
Irishsteve
A small correction, while the single heat treated (case hardened) receivers and bolts, did have a smaller margin of safety than the later methods used, it was the incidences of incorrect forging, that ‘burnt’ the steel and made the receivers so brittle and really dangerous.
For a general review; see Campbell’s latest, page 19 and Canfield’s, page 58.
Please do not take this personal, I read many people who should know better, (and probably some do) that use the term "heat treatment" as the reason for the the 'Low Number 03s' heighten safety problems.
We should try to use correct terms, so that we do not confuse the new people and continue misinformation.
45B20
I have serial #591063 drilled and tapped for a lyman that my son was going to build into a hunting rfle. I felt it had lasted this long there should be no problem. I re-read Hatcher and some additional articles and decided a 03-A3 action for all his parts was a better option for the next 50-60 years. Why take the chance? He plans to hunt with it this fall. He's already trying to sell his Savage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EDF
I lie on the coast where it rains continuously.:bow: Ashville has a totally different weather pattern, and may be in drought now. You will love that area. They filmed "Last of the Mohicans" near there.:super:
Jim:cool:
Thanks Jim.
A local gunshop (A.W. Peterson in Mount Dora, FL) has a Krag converted into a single shot varmint rifle - (very heavy) barrel stamped .25-35.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteDavis
If it were mine I would scrounge up all the parts needed to create a .22 lr using 1922 parts. You would end up with a very unique and functioning rifle that you can enjoy for the trouble and expence.
I would like to buy it for that purpose, if you would sell it.
Since it is a low number, drilled, and stripped of original finish, it will not bring much even if it were restored. But as a .22, it would be worth more than the sum of it's parts.