Opinions on my 1903 Mark I

[Calif-Steve]

I wouldn't touch it with a drill/mill. The Mk 1's are getting tough to find. Try handloads, 40 gr. 4895 and a GI 150 gr. bullet. Nice find.

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[MGMike]

If that bolt has been correctly identified, it's a case-hardened single heat-treat bolt. I would replace the bolt before doing any shooting with it.

M

[dirtytwo]

Thanks for all the replies, folks. So there's bad news, and then there's more bad news after reading Kirk's post. First, at the range, this Mark I patterned like a shotgun at 100 yds. You couldn't measure it in inches, more like in feet. The guy next to me would look over with furrowed brows whenever I'd hit the snow 4ft in front of the target! I tried handloads (45.5gr imr4895 behind 150gr FMJ), Federal factory FMJs and Win factory 150gr SP, but no difference.

Now after looking at Kirk's pictures, my Mark I doesn't have the "W" profile cut-off, it doesn't have a slotted pin on the end of it either, although the cut-off works fine. My sear isn't split like in the photo, it's one solid piece. And now I possibly have an early, brittle bolt that may not be safe to fire? After the range session I was thinking of buying a 1940s 2-groove still in cosmoline that you see on gunbroker from time to time. Any thoughts?