Stripped Reciever

[EDF]

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

Information

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[PeteDavis]

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!

[Jim Tarleton]

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

[EDF]

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.

[Jim Tarleton]

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

[EDF]

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

[irishsteve]

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.

[EDF]

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.

[Michael Petrov]

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.



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.

[Jim Tarleton]

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