M1903 Build project (shooting results now up!)

So here is the single-heat-treat (low S/N) barrelled action I picked up. I have 95% of the missing parts to restore the rifle to a WW2 era rebuild clone, but before I start, I AM still chasing up a lead for a double-heat treat stripped receiver here in Canada - hopefully that pans out as it would likely be preferable as a shooter.

Receiver seems to be a 1909-made Springfield. I need to re-use the barrel's rear sight base, too bad someone staked it when it spent its life as a 1940's era sporterized rifle (grr...). It should mostly clean up though and most ppl (except me) won't notice it used to be staked.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3656-1.jpg

The bolt looks to be around 1918-1919 if my guess is right. It likely came off another rifle and has the punch-mark on the underside to show it was re-proofed after being fitted to (likely THIS) new/refurb receiver. Single small gas hole, swept bolt, not NS marked and no 03/A3 type relieve cuts. I *think* I'm right on its vintage but am open to others' interpretations.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3661-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3662-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3663-1.jpg

There's a little bolt stop peening, but I don;t think it's that bad.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3664-1.jpg

Barrel has a soldered-on front sight (I think it's silver solder and not worth removing) over the markings. I can see two "2" digits, so I'm thinking February 1942. This is backed up by the rear sight adjustable base being a Remington-made part and the parkerized finish on the barrelled action. What seem odd to me though is that Remington was supposed to have removed SHT receivers from circulation when they did refurbs of earlier rifles. Odd to me that this one slipped by. IMO this barrel is not a post-war civilian replacement. The rear sight base is properly installed and indexed and the rifle has other evidence of a WW2 era refurb (e.g. mix of 1905-1919 parts, Remington rear sight, re-proofed bolt, stamped Remington follower, etc.) What do you guys think? Barrel isn;t salvageable though, it's silver-soldered, drilled and tapped for the front sight, and the barrel is bulged with a noticeable ring 6 inches back from the muzzle. (Note that the receiver didn't grenade - lol) I have a 1943 RA 03/A3 bbl I'm going to convert to an 03 bbl to get past this hurdle.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3659-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3660-1.jpg

Since I'm using NOS straight-grip wood and it's going to be a Claven2-assembled mongrel, I will be following Brophy's instructions on which parts to parkerize, oil black or blue. Why not, eh?

What do you guys think?

Some more random parts pics from the rifle:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3669-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3668-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3667-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3666-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3657-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3658-1.jpg

The bolt is an L9 (they used an upside down "7" as an "L"). It dates from about 1919-1920.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick the Librarian

The bolt is an L9 (they used an upside down "7" as an "L"). It dates from about 1919-1920.

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It looks more like an "L2" to me...? I'm hoping the bolt is NOT a single-heat treat bolt. Will make the build easier if I find a better receiver.

Anyone have thoughts as to how a SHT receiver was overhauled in WW2 at, apparently, Remington? I had thought if it was USMC it would have an SA or Sedgeley barrel and a second hatcher hole added along with a punch-mark prefix to the serial number. This has none of those features.

Oops! I think your right! Kind of looked like a "9" at first. - in any case, still 1919-1920.

Right - that should still make it a double-heat treat, right?

Yes, correct.

Excellent, but I just hit a small snag. I checked the bbl I was planning to convert and, of course, it has an 03A3 front sight base. Darn. Now I need to find an M1903 dovetailed front sight base, pin and screw and maybe a slotted spline too for the sake of ease. A converted bbl just won't look right with an A3 front sight assembly :(

Would also be nice to find an affordable rear sight base that does not have a bunch of staking marks on the zeroing shelf.

If anyone's got one on a duff barrel they would like to offer up (for $) to my project/cause, just shoot me a pm :)

I checked numrich and am leery about ordering repro parts (!)

the front sight that attached on it in the picture, looks to be a Remington 788 Front sight..check your headspace, that bolt has a little set back.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Claven2

I'm hoping the bolt is NOT a single-heat treat bolt.

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Your bolt has a curved handle and all such bolts are either DHT or NS; no SHT, curved handle bolts were made by the government.

John Beard posts his comprehensive bolt chart on ViShooter's M1903 website. http://www.vishooter.net/slc6_2008.html Your WL2 bolt was made in 1919.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chuckindenver

the front sight that attached on it in the picture, looks to be a Remington 788 Front sight..check your headspace, that bolt has a little set back.

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I think you may be right. If the bore were ok (it's not - bulged and ringed) and if I could get it off, I would. It's silver-soldered on though and the clown who drileld the retaining screw drilled into the bore.

Bbl is a write-off, but I have a new-in-wrap replacement A3 bbl I can convert if necessary. I also might have a line on a decent original 03 bbl.

The visible setback on the bolt does not appear to be on the bearing part of the lugs, but rather the area that hits against the bolt stop/cutoff. The cutoff is glass-hard, so the bolt peened first. Either way, it should not be much of an issue because if I re-barrel with a new tube, I have to ream the chamber to final dimension anyhow.

thats the area were set back is common...and were it looses headspace. set back is from manual of arms practice...not from being fired

Chuck, in your opinion, should I replace the bolt, or just set the headspeace on the new bbl to match the bolt? Bear in mind that getting replacement bolts in Canada is difficult as many US sources won't ship bolts, barrels or receivers to Canada.

In other news, I've now located a nicer rear sight base and a proper M1903 dovetailed front sight base. Project getting closer to launch :) Still working on a more suitable receiver.

hard to say.. the set back wont get any better, id look for a A3 bolt..

I have access to a new-looking straight-handle early 03 bolt. I'm assuming this would not be ideal though as it's likely a SHT bolt or period-incorrect for a refurb. No obvious heat code on the bolt root. looks to be rust-blued, not parkerized. Anyone able to ID it?

Bottom bolt in this photo.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3680-1.jpg

Someone has chemically removed the blueing on the bolt body, only the handle is still rust blued (I could re-blue it if it's a worthwhile bolt to use).

Only marking is what looks like a capital "A" under the bolt handle:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3681-1.jpg
This doesn't appear to be in the heat code charts, so no idea on an ID???

Underside compared to my other bolt (this new bolt on the left). Both are single-hole.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3682-1.jpg

Noting on the bolt ledge.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3673-1.jpg

By the way, out of curiosity - what purpose does the little flat spring and peg do? I mean the little one that fits in a slot inside the receiver magwell near the back of the magazine?

This is the part I am talking about:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3684-1.jpg

That is the bolt stop. The "peg" protrudes through the receiver rail and catches a corresponding detent in the left lug of the bolt. If the rifle is pointed down, this should hold the bolt back for reloading.

The bolt stop and detent in the bolt were done away with during Rem '03 production, I believe.

Also, I got the bbl off my SA low-number receiver. Very little set-back in the recesses and the receiver came off without any fuss. I sure wish there was an obvious way to know if the receiver forging was "burnt" or not...

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN3679-1.jpg

Low number aside, it's actually a nice receiver with minimal wear, no major condition issues, etc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike D

That is the bolt stop. The "peg" protrudes through the receiver rail and catches a corresponding detent in the left lug of the bolt. If the rifle is pointed down, this should hold the bolt back for reloading.

The bolt stop and detent in the bolt were done away with during Rem '03 production, I believe.

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Ah, I see. I guess it engages one of the little detents under the right lug. I usually thing of the "bolt stop" as the cutoff since that part is what really stops bolt rearward travel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike D

The bolt stop and detent in the bolt were done away with during Rem '03 production, I believe.

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Earlier Remington M1903s had the bolt stop, but it was done away with about 3,040,000 IIRC.

Anyone have thoughts on whether that straight-handle bolt is a SHT?

Any markings on any side of the safety lug (located about halfway up the bolt handle)? There are a small number of "straight" bolts that were forged by the later process, but it depends on the markings on the safety lug. If there are no markings on the safety lug and the it is a "straight" bolt, it would be a very early Springfield or RIA bolt.

No markings at all on the safety lug, so I'm going with very early SHT bolt. I'm guessing it's not the best bolt to use on a build that will be shot...? I'm assuming SHT in a bolt is just as bad as SHT in a receiver?

I just wish the guy I'm dealing with for a replacement receiver would get back to me... :(

I'll give it a few mode days, then DAMN THE TORPEDOES! I'll build it on this receiver and be done with it. I only intend to shoot M2 ball equivalent anyway and I always wear glasses at the range, lol.

Well I'm making a lot of progress in assembling the necessary parts, but I had another question. Since my parts are mixed vintage and mixed condition, and the rifle is a "put-together" with new wood anyhow, I'm going to re-park some of the parts (some parts will get blued as well, like the sear).

Should I use a zinc-based park or a manganese-based park for a WW2 or just-post WW2 rebuild look?

Doing a little reading, it looks like Zinc was the most common parkerizing solution in the WW2 era, so I think I'll go with that for the barelled receiver.

well, she's finished. I ended up using a different receiver I managed to track down - no easy feat in Canada to find a non-Remington high-number receiver. Haven;t shot it yet, but it's correctly inletted and propery put together, so should shoot well with the new 4-groove tube on her.


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN4072-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN4073-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN4074-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN4075-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN4076-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCN4077-1.jpg

Quite happy with her :) Apart from the parkerizing (sent to Armacoat in Canada) and borrowing a buddy's bench who had the right action wrench and BBL block already set up, I did all the work here in the shop.

Sights are inter-war and were NOS parts. All parts are GI and milled, no repro or stamped stuff was used. Some of the NOS parts were installed as-is, especially if they were blued. The used parts and the bbl'ed action were zinc parkerized to approximate a WW2 era rebuild. Sling is a 1918 original M1907 sling. The Wood is WW2 era Remington, as is the milled bottom metal.

Beatiful!!! I love your sling too.

Thanks, I'm quite happy with the result. It's at least as nice as most of the rebuilt mongrels that turn up for sale and has the benefit of a new barrel and mostly new or properly refurbished parts. The rear sight has zero play, which is nice (I obtained that by tweaking/tightening the base and selectively fitting from a large-ish selection of parts).

Everything seems to work well, but the final test will be whenever I manage to find time to take it to the range with a decent rest. and some decent ammo.

Well I finally got out to do some serious shooting. Ammo was standard 1969 LC ball. This was (stupidly) the only target I photographed, but it's illustrative. It was my second target of the day. The top group is horizontally strung as I made a slight windage adjustment to get me closer to the bull and the bottom 3-shot group was shot slowly, prone with a sling, after correcting for the elevation being out in the top group. Group measured 0.8" across. Not bad for 100m with a military 4-groove barrel.

I'm happy with how this build worked out :)

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...rbtarget-1.jpg

PS: Yes, I'm a cheap SOB and re-use patched targets for practise... lol.

WOOOHOOOO! :clap:

Isn't it nice to finally get a project finished!

Good looking rifle and good shooting! Your targets look like my own, as I am also a cheap bastard! :D

Mike