low number 1903 conversion to 22 rim fire

A few years ago I bought one of the CMP low numbered barreled receivers for $100. I received a SA receiver (without finish) in the late 590xxx serial range with a burned-out SA 1921 barrel. I put this barreled receiver aside for a few years until I could find a way to salvage this project. Later a man from NC on another forum was selling a 1903 barrel that he had installed a 22 rf liner with the rear extension to fit the M2 bolt. I bought it as it was a really good buy and I had a M2 bolt complete. Not difficult to install the 03 barrel, I also had an old Lyman 438 scope to use too. First target at the pistol range looks good with standard 22 rf cartridges.

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Originally Posted by RCS

A few years ago I bought one of the CMP low numbered barreled receivers for $100. I received a SA receiver (without finish) in the late 590xxx serial range with a burned-out SA 1921 barrel. I put this barreled receiver aside for a few years until I could find a way to salvage this project. Later a man from NC on another forum was selling a 1903 barrel that he had installed a 22 rf liner with the rear extension to fit the M2 bolt. I bought it as it was a really good buy and I had a M2 bolt complete. Not difficult to install the 03 barrel, I also had an old Lyman 438 scope to use too. First target at the pistol range looks good with standard 22 rf cartridges.

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RCS..Your .22Cal Barrel liner is from the Numrich Arms 1903/1903-A3 .22 Conversion kits made in the early 1950's. Numrich Arms only made "about" 1500 of the kits. Bropheys Book mentions the Kits.

The original kits contained the barrel insert (made by Marlin) - a modified 1903-A3 Trigger Guard - a !903 - M2 Bolt and a Magazine made by Harrington & Richardson. They also incuded a special wrench for installation/removal of the barrel insert.

Any of the above parts are very difficult to find seperatly..even harder to find are complete kits..in the original boxes..with instructions...:eek:

I do have all the above...which includes the original outter shipping sleeve/cardbox box sent to the original buyer in Arizona...

Somewhere in my future I see converting my Numerich Kit into a reasonably nice 1903 Remington (Non Greek). :)

My barrel has a Brownells 22 rim rifle barrel liner silver soldered to the bore - this is not a Numrich liner that can be removed. The idea was to be able to salvage burned-out barrels by installing a permanent 22 rim fire liner with a rear extension to fit the M2 bolt. The only common part to your kit is the M2 bolt !

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Originally Posted by RCS

My barrel has a Brownells 22 rim rifle barrel liner silver soldered to the bore - this is not a Numrich liner that can be removed. The idea was to be able to salvage burned-out barrels by installing a permanent 22 rim fire liner with a rear extension to fit the M2 bolt. The only common part to your kit is the M2 bolt !

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I appreciate your response. I was un-aware that Brownells offered such a barrel liner. I take it from your response that your conversion is a "single shot" as opposed to the Numerich Kit?.

You can also use the M2 clip and triggerguard as it will fit the 1903 receiver

True , ( well I don't know , but sounds reasonable so I'll take your word for it ) but your barrel lacks the feed ramp present on the Numrich kit . You'd have to add one to get the rounds from the mag into the barrel , correct ?
Chris

Chris, The Numrich 22 rf liner requires a feed ramp because it is inserted into the 30-06 barrel with the rear cone shaped breech. If you read my first post at the top, "install a rear extension to fit the M2 bolt" concerning the barrel liner. If you ever notice a SA M2 22rf barrel at a gunshow or anywhere else, there isn't any feed ramp such as the Numrich barrel. Notice the photo of the breech end of the barrel, that is the extension with the liner installed. Robert

Interresting. The Numrich kit uses a standard M2 bolt too ( but some have built up soldering on the lower , center rail so as to stick further down into the mag.) . The barrel does lock into the upper bolt lug cut out and does protrude out to the M2 bolt face for proper headspace. However , it does use a H&R Reising M65 type mag in it's own modified A3 triggerguard. That may make a feed ramp necessary where as a M2 doesn't need one. I do have a Springfield .22 , but never paid any attention to the feed ramp area. I'll have to look at it closer next time.
Chris

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Originally Posted by RCS

Chris, The Numrich 22 rf liner requires a feed ramp because it is inserted into the 30-06 barrel with the rear cone shaped breech. If you read my first post at the top, "install a rear extension to fit the M2 bolt" concerning the barrel liner. If you ever notice a SA M2 22rf barrel at a gunshow or anywhere else, there isn't any feed ramp such as the Numrich barrel. Notice the photo of the breech end of the barrel, that is the extension with the liner installed. Robert

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Now I'm really puzzled...I'll have to pull my 1922-M2 out as well as my Numerich Kit and compare to your photo and statement re: the feed ramp. Interesting topic. Thanks.

Chris, The Numrich 22 rim fire conversion kit for the TSMG also has the H&R Reising magazine inserted into a 20rd TSMG magazine and the liner for the 45 acp barrel also has the feed ramp


All you have to do is look at the rear breech of a SA M2 22 rim fire barrel -

RCS - sent you an E-mail ,

i had a friend help me out is making my own conversion of this type a number of years ago , i installed it in a remington M1903A3-4gery that i had aquired and had attachment to , it had issues shooting 3006 and made a good candidate for a fun little 22cal plinker and still looks good

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ackle067-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ackle069-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...edsleeve-1.jpg

Thanks for the photos of the rear extension, I think you had posted these photos a while back as I remember them. Robert

Yes , RCS , I'll pull mine and examine the feeding closely. This is one of the neat things about these forums , pulling up little things about firearms that you thought you had a complete understanding on , only to find out some little tidbit of info you hadn't noticed or had in your head wrong .
Chris

well , i made a deal with RCS and recieved the kit some time ago but finally this evening actually had time [without interuption] to install it , thank you sir it fit up fine ,

a prelude - my father bought a "springfeild" back in the late 50s , he wanted a springfeild and an enfeild like he had seen and used on saipan , the springfeild was probably generic for an 03A3 , the 'enfeild on the island was most likely an M1917 , but what he got was a nice 1915 BSA mkIII ,

he and i shot both and it was my first big bore shooting , i cleaned the virdegris from the surplus amo and we shot together , lots of click-bangs , so i learned early about that ,

the rifle was originally a 1918 , M1903 'springfeild , it had been refurbed with a new SA 3/29 barrel fitted , it was these two that he left hanging over the basement fireplace ,

in about 1987 the folks had a house fire , both were smoke and water damaged , barrels are now pretty rough , and the springfeild was reblued , and the stock sanded and refinished with BLO , i inherited them when he died 11/11/2000 ,

ive wanted to shoot it again but just didnt trust the bore , now i have a grandson id like to shoot it with , the conversion of my 03A3-4gery which had reciever issues turned out really nice - its a single shot , this is going to breath new life into this one with a magazine feed ,

i would have liked to use my original trigger guard [i can if i use it single shot ]and bolt but ill save those bits for the next owner , anyway here it is -

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ture0181-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ture0131-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ture0191-1.jpg

i am very pleased will be more so when i take it to the range and shoot it :)