03A3 Running out of right windage

I recently bought a Remington 03-A3 Serial #396xxxx with a 5-44 barrel. All Remington. The rifle is breaking me in, then I will master it. However, I noticed today - first day on the range - that I had to turn the windage all the way to the right to zero the vertical. The right vertical line on the sight mount lines up with the one on the receiver. The gun is in excellent shape, extremely clean and appears all correct except for a new or refinished stock (the straight stock correct for this gun, one circle P cartouche behind the trigger guard). My question is this: Could I be causing the drift to the left on paper from my trigger finger or posture or some other user error, or is this a sight issue? I was shooting with the rifle bench rested under the front sling swivel at 25 yards and then at 100 yards.

I appreciate any response. -- Peter

You should have a 8 or 9-43 RA barrel on that '03-A3. Someone has rebarreled the rifle. There is a problem with the barreling job. Not sure if the barrel is properly indexed or not. Not a simple job, sorry. You recently bought it, correct? Any chance you can find the seller and ask him who put on the barrel? Good luck. Also, do you know who to spot a Drill Rifle? Just asking, in case.

Hmm. Well the drift doesn't go all the way over to the right, maybe I can live with it. Otherwise shoots tight groups. Do you know anyone in Southern California I could bring it to for a barrel check and fix? All I know about drill rifles is that they often have corroded bores from firing blanks and are worn.

Steve, thanks for the data. One more question, if the barrel hasn't been indexed properly, is this something that can be easily (not costly) fixed by a gunsmith?

Mac McCoy is THE garand Guru lives just south of you(Santee). Honestly don't know if he works on '03's or not. I know the guys in Northern Calif. who can help, not too up on you SoCal guys. Who sold it to you? He needs to get it right, not you.

I will check with the gunstore that sold it to me, but they are very as-is on used gun sales, even if this was a store gun. What I am trying to avoid is someone dicking around with it to try and get it right without knowing what they are doing. The store didn't do the rebarrel. They bought the gun from someone. I'd rather have it done right. But I will check with them. Thanks for your info.

Both the barrel and receiver have an "index" line. It is scribed on the left side and when they line up the barrel is "right". I'll bet this is gonna cost money to get fixed. Do you have a good gunsmith around you? He may have to pull the barrel off and start all over again. That is why it needs to go back to the seller. They need to figure this one out and on their dime, not yours. If you can get it fixed at around $100.00 you are OK.

Thanks Steve. I'm thinking that I should run another 20 rounds through this to make sure. The reason being is that when I had the rear sight in the center, I was shooting a 6.5 inch black zone in the 9 ring directly left pretty consistently at 25 yards. But when I moved the windage to the right I didn't get a corresponding move to the right, until I moved it to within 3 or 4 clicks of the end. Even then, I found myself posting the front sight at about 5:30 to compensate.

So, what I'm saying is that perhaps, somehow, my inexperience with this rifle and sight system might be called into question. So 20 more rounds and if no joy then it's off to thegun store for a song and dance.

sounds like someone didnt eat enough wheaties when they isntalled the barrel.
take the rifle out of the stock, and send me a picture of the left side of the receiver at the ring were the barrel meets the edge.
DONT SHOOT THE RIFLE UNTIL YOU FIX THE ISSUE.. safety first..

Dear Chuck, Not sure if I am short on Wheaties but I tried taking the uypper band off and couldn't. The disassembly instructions I was reading said if it was stuck to tap it with a wooden dowel. But even wailing on it, no budge. More force than that I am not comfortable with, in experienced as I am. Guess it's time to bring it in. Thanks for your offer of help, but unless I can get that band off, I can't show you the barrel/receiver connection.

Dear Chuck, Some just told me that if the barrel was misfit, you'd feel it in the headspace. Correct?

not sure about the headspace, thats another issue, i cant address with having the rifle in my hands.
to take this rifle down
remove the upper band screw,
lossen the stacking swivle screw, and the lower band screw,
dont remove the screws, back them out till they stop, and dont force them out.
flid the rifle upside down, tap forward on the bayonet lug to get it forward, with a plastic hammer,
slide the stacking band off as well,.
push the band spring in at the same time wiggle the lower band foward, while pulling the upper handguard with it.
they will come off easy.
then, remove the guard screws, pull the action from the wood, and then you have it.
Chuck

Barrel might have no headspace issues but still be installed wrong. Depends if chamber is "short" or not. I would like to see photo of the index mark AND a photo of the bottom of the receiver where the barrel mates into the receiver. Just curious if this rifle is a Drill Rifle.

Ok, got two pixs. One is of the score marks, which looks aligned and one is the underside of the barrel where it goes into the receiver. I can see that the rifle is marked with Rs throughout. Nothing really looks amiss. What do you think?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/deleted.gif

https://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/deleted.gif

Ok that didn't seem to upload. Here are the web addresses:

Untitled: Photo by Photographer Peter Mead - photo.net

Untitled: Photo by Photographer Peter Mead - photo.net

Sorry, I have to get educated on this forum.

Good news- not a drill rifle. The index is very close perhaps just a hair short, perhaps right on. But the rear sight is off and that tells me the barrel needs a touch more push. Understand this barrel was not put on by Remington. I used to know a very good gunsmith in Spokane, Wa who never looked at the index marks. He put on barrels by feel and by eyeball, he was always right on.

Isn't it possible that this gun was assembled by Remington sometime after the date of the barrel with a receiver that was made 7 months earlier? The stock is another deal entirely. I believe it was added in recent years.

Rifle was made by Remington and immediately shipped into US Army channels. It never saw Remington again. Most likely rebarreled recently. Certainly not rebarreled 6-8 months after initial barreling job by factory. Drop the barreled receiver (minus stock) into the mail for Chuckindenver. He did my M1917 and knows his stuff. Cheap, too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blowingsky

Ok that didn't seem to upload.

Sorry, I have to get educated on this forum.

---

Blowingsky,

Below is a link with some directions how to post photos here.

How do I upload or post images on MILSURPS.COM? - Military Surplus Collectors Forums

I hope this helps, :)

~ Harlan

might be out of index, or bent just a bit.
line up the straight edges on the rear and front sight, to they match, or is one cantered off?

Chuck, the sights seem to be dead on, alignment-wise. I've checked the bore with a light and get consistent, even, concentric circles too. This problem might be on me. I'll shoot another 20 rounds this Saturday real carefully. At least I'll have some data for barrel bending, if that turns out to be the issue.

id almost bet the farm, its a bent barrel.
easy fix.

I had a very nice M1917 with a mint JA barrel on it. Ran like a champ until 30 round mark. Barrel would "pop" over and re-bed itself. A real mess in a match. This does not sound like your rifle. Have you tried 30-40 rounds quick? Perhaps it will re-bed itself. But, I'll guess Chuck has this one figured out.

easy fix, bend it the other way...lol..as simple as it sounds.

This simple action did the trick. Took it from the odcmp.com:
If the rifle will not zero for windage where you want it, you can move the rear sight sideways ontop of the receiver. There are two types of A3 rear sights. One has a screw in the bottom of the base. The other is just peened tight on the receiver dovetail. Move the rear sight windage to theleft and look for a set screw under the windage yoke. If you find a screw, loosen it, move the rearsight in the direction you want to move the point of impact and re-tighten it. Shoot again toverifY the new zero, AND tighten the screw hard. If there is no screw, the rear sight is a VERYtight fit on the dovetail, and is very difficult to move.

had you posted a picture of the sight picture, that would have been brought into play, days ago.
glad you got it done....

Sorry Chuck, I misunderstood you when you asked for that. I thought we were looking for uprightness and such. Glad you and Steve were there to direct my operations for I wouldn't have gotten anywhere. The dealer I bought the rifle from was eager to make it right, it turns out. Didn't know that about them. A gun in hand is worth a dozen on e-mail, I guess.