M1903 vintage sporter build/ find

Found this old sporter, it has a R42 bolt 03A3, dockendorf globe with lyman peep. Bore is shiny with sharp lands and grooves and head-spaces good. Would it have any value at all in its present configuration or would it be ok for a shooter in an issue stock? the barrel date and receiver match #145529 7-34 but have been polished hard when re-blued. The bottom metal is steel with a mauser style door and the rifle has been well maintained. Would it be a mail order or one off build from back in the 50's ? and retain the spare parts for some thing else?
Thanks for the comments.
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Looks like a standard sporter, one off for an individual. Anything could be added as these were the go to for sporters at the time. There were literally millions of all eras and they were stone cheap. Nothing wrong with it and it'll give decades of great service yet...

Thanks for the reply, I guess it wouldn't hurt to re-fit for heavier sling swivels then and wring it out. The in-letting is rough and the bedding of the bottom metal needs adjusting as well, no spacer for rear of guard. Seems as if the priority was more for aesthetics than function. Maybe I can get it to shoot well and just enjoy it the way it is.

That's what I'd do...just shoot it before doing anything.

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Originally Posted by Doco overboard

Found this old sporter, it has a R42 bolt 03A3, dockendorf globe with lyman peep. Bore is shiny with sharp lands and grooves and head-spaces good. Would it have any value at all in its present configuration or would it be ok for a shooter in an issue stock? the barrel date and receiver match #145529 7-34 but have been polished hard when re-blued. The bottom metal is steel with a mauser style door and the rifle has been well maintained. Would it be a mail order or one off build from back in the 50's ? and retain the spare parts for some thing else?
Thanks for the comments.
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I think you have left out a digit in the serial number. If so, please let us have the full number. There are a lot of 1903A1 National Match riffles in the 1.455 million range.

Sorry for the typo, it is #1455294. The barrel has the remnants of where the locating pins were drilled before the rear sight base was removed. Would this preclude that the rifle was anything but a match rifle? I am not a scholar on all things that would indicate anything but a standard issue rifle, but the bolt rails have not been polished that I can tell and no unusual marks remain on the barrel exterior. Unless they were draw filed off before it was re-blued. There is no hatcher hole present for what its worth and it may not be visible from the pictures. I did try a polished single heat treat bolt and it did operate significantly smoother than the present one, so I might try it when I range test it. Thanks> Brian

If it had a GI rear sight on it then almost certainly it was a Service Rifle. Not sure, but you have an Argentine Mauser Trigger Guard on it. Really a lovely rifle, nice find.

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Originally Posted by Doco overboard

Sorry for the typo, it is #1455294. The barrel has the remnants of where the locating pins were drilled before the rear sight base was removed. Would this preclude that the rifle was anything but a match rifle? I am not a scholar on all things that would indicate anything but a standard issue rifle, but the bolt rails have not been polished that I can tell and no unusual marks remain on the barrel exterior. Unless they were draw filed off before it was re-blued. There is no hatcher hole present for what its worth and it may not be visible from the pictures. I did try a polished single heat treat bolt and it did operate significantly smoother than the present one, so I might try it when I range test it. Thanks> Brian

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From the SRS records:

1455255 NM 09/03/37 ENGINEER RIFLE TEAM 1937 NM
1455299 A1NM 07/06/36 DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42

Does the barrel have the star gage mark at 6:00 o'clock? A NM Springfield would have had the rear sight base and sight just like ( as far as looks at least ) a Service rifle.

Thank you for your interest, the barrel is marked 7-34 and sadly there is no star gauge present in the 6:00 position that I can see. However something worthy of note that was really quite surprising to me is that today I received a phone call from the auctioneer, and he told me that when he went through his effects he found or was given the original build receipt from the original buyer. I was impressed that he had taken the trouble to find my personal info and give me a call. All I know right now is that it was built/sported in 1958 and maybe it will contain some more info that I will share when it comes through the mail. The exterior has been well polished but not so greatly at the muzzle that the crown has been destroyed and a star gauge mark wiped out as best I can tell. Ill pull it apart and look at the rest of it better. I will say that the bore is mirror bright, has the most well defined lands and grooves of any vintage US martial arm that I own, including the shooters with CBI replacements that I built myself. Amazing 5 digits off, that why I like old guns. Thank you for sharing the SRS

That is really nice!
Polished bolt, match rifle set up, wonder what the history is.
If only they could speak.
Ed

It is a excellent example of the era of sporters and you would be well ahead to keep it as is. Lacking a star gauge is likely a blessing as you can simply enjoy it as a classic sporter. The sporters have been making a comeback of late, probably due to being passed on from the generation that held them for many, many years. You have a very nice example!

Super Cub, would you venture to put a dollar figure on it? I wanted a shooter and liked the fact that it really didn't need anything for me to do except check the head space for safety, or adding additional measures to the bedding to suit me after relieving the wood a little at the tang to prevent a split and fitting a spacer at the rear guard. Only if it strings or throws a flyer of course. I found it for just over the cost of a CBI barrel with shipping and couldn't stand the thought of the receiver ring getting a bubba D&T. it was just something about it when I checked it out. If you don't care to say I understand. I know its not issue any longer, and may be taboo for some on this forum maybe but if it wont print I'll save that stock and drop it into a scant or something just to move some lead and have fun with the option to return it the way I found for the reasons you have stated. I'll have it out this weekend Thanks for your insight, Brian

Value as we all know is in the eyes of the beholder....or is that beauty? Either way, a hard number is seldom acceptable across the board. There are folks that have a difficult time with the sporters, most did not live through those years. Today, there isn't a good reason to sporterized one that is original or arsenal rebuilt, that's today though. Then there are those that have an appreciation for these kind of like a fine old car. There is something about them that the new guns just don't have. They shoot as well in most cases, sometimes much better. Plastic stocks?...gads, I don't have one and won't.

That said, there are good examples as well as poor or crudely done. If you can find the two books by Michael Petrov, you will get a fantastic look into the custom sporters and can judge all others by those he so beautifully photographed and researched. He was and probably always will be the one and only expert on these.
As far as value, you can safely say they are at least worth $350. That's a good shoot able rifle in decent condition with decent sights of one kind or another. Deduct for corrosion, sloppy drill holes, bad barrels and stocks. Some are simply not worth anything. On the up side, add for better optics, period as well as higher end. Stock condition, checkering, finish and fit.
Your particular rifle is a good example with some interesting features such as the sights. The Lyman 48 on the back is worth anywhere from $150 to $200 all by itself. Stocks like yours have been going for north of $125 lately. The rest of the gun, receiver, bolt, barrel, misc. parts, add another $200. As you can see, it adds up but you would also have the time and expense of selling all the parts if that was the intent and you have a narrow market, ie someone usually restoring or improving on dads gun handed down. I did that with my dads salt water trashed barrel a number of years ago. A sporterized Rem 03 I helped him bed when I was 10. I found a barrel, blued off a sporter that restored the gun back to how it was. Worth every dime to the brothers and myself...someone else??
Here are three sporters I've picked up over the years. I have picked up a couple more since. The top one is kind of special in that it has a heavier profile Springfield developmental barrel from 1945 on it. How it got there is unknown. It has all kinds of markings on the underside. The second one down is a Sp Mark 1, nice light rifle that shoots well. The third is a sporter made by some gi's for their retiring colonel. A bit crude in some area's, a bit unique in others. I also have a 1941 vinyl rifle case that came with it. All shoot well and I wouldn't hesitate to go hunting with any of them.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5d79f849-1.jpg

I hope this helps.

Kurt

Interesting, all three look unique, but I like the one on top the best...nice "loopold" scope too. How do these rifles group compared to a regular military configured rifle?

Regards,

Same groups, hopefully just a little Smaller!

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[quote=Bustachip3;354671]Interesting, all three look unique, but I like the one on top the best...nice "loopold" scope too. How do these rifles group compared to a regular military configured rifle?

It's not an easy comparison when you're shooting iron sights compared to scopes. The top rifle has a 3-9 Leopold, the second one a 4 power Bear Cub and the bottom a Weaver 330 in 2.5 power. The Bear cub actually came with the top rifle so will always go with that one. I can shoot 3/4 or less at 110 yards with all of them and have shot 1/2 in groups a number of times. The best group I have had out of those three is the bottom one at 85 yards, one 3 shot hole. Seems odd a times how well the 2.5 power scopes shoot.
I have several 03's and A3's in military dress and can shoot all of them at 1- 1 1/5" groups with iron sights Most of those are two groove, these 3 are all 4 groove from the early 40's. Doco has it right on, just a little smaller. My 03A3 target gun on the other hand, 1/4" groups all day long...lol.
The top one is my choice for load development as the barrel is heavier and doesn't heat up nearly as fast as the others.

Kurt

That's some purdy good shooting!

I would love to see a pic of that "03A3 target gun" that shoots 1/4" groups, it don't get much better than that, that's pretty much one hole.

Regards,

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Originally Posted by Bustachip3

That's some purdy good shooting!

I would love to see a pic of that "03A3 target gun" that shoots 1/4" groups, it don't get much better than that, that's pretty much one hole.

Regards,

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Here's the gun.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...wx389uox-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...dbpvlk57-1.jpg

Kurt

Thanks for the pic!

I think I saw that gun in your build post? For some reason I was thinking you were talking about a military 03A3..LOL. Anyway, that a nice rifle, it could be your "sniper rifle".
The big bull barrel means business, I guess you hooked up the trigger as well. Thanks again.

Regards,

Here's my military 03 with a Lyman sight. It shoots nice 3/4 groups and maybe better with younger eyes than mine. A lot like the OP sporter but retains the ladder sight and original Parkerizing. I have a couple different front sights I can use on it.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8709bc32-1.jpg

Kurt

That's a fine looking 03 as well, you have some nice rifles Supercub, thanks for sharing the pics.

Regards,