I went out on a limb...

[Calfed]

"I have Remington and Springfield based match rifles that are great shooters .."

I will expect to see those rifles on the range in the future...Maybe in 3 weeks?

I need someone to shoot my NRA Sporter against.http://s1143.photobucket.com/albums/...NRASporter.jpg

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

---------- Post added at 12:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 PM ----------

Also, What Auction site did you find the "Rockland 1903" at?

Wow, Matt, that is a nice looking rifle. How does it shoot?

---------- Post added at 08:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:55 PM ----------

Thanks, Harlan. Hoping for the best on this one.

Shooting really was the best thing that ever happened to my relationship with my sons. I enjoy shooting, period. But it so much more fun with the boys.

Steve

[rugersworld]

Thanks Steve. Been wanting one for a long time.
I have not shot it yet. Still need to put some loads together. The barrel is near new. I just got a .05" peep for the receiver sight. Maybe in march or april I will shoot open with it.

[Rick H.]

Nice rifle it should be a hoot to shoot! I too have always loved the look of an old 03 or 03A3 with Lyman or Redfield sights on them. I put a set of Lymans on an 03A3 that I have and it is a gas to shoot. Even with the GI barrel she holds an inch and 100 yds if I do my job and use decent ammo. Good luck with it.....Rick H.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Thanks, Harlan. Hoping for the best on this one. Shooting really was the best thing that ever happened to my relationship with my sons. I enjoy shooting, period. But it so much more fun with the boys.
Steve

It did my heart good to hear that you were shooting with your boys Steve. It's been some of the best times I've had by shooting with my son - Teaching him safety, how guns work, and how to shoot. Just seeing his passion for something we both loved was priceless.

I started him with an Iver Johnson copy of an M1 carbine in .22 LR and thought he'd shoot it for a long while, but he went right to my real .30 cal carbines, and then didn't want to shoot anytihing but my 1903A3 so I bought him one of his own. Honest to God, by the time he was 12, with his good eyes and all, he could shoot as well or better than I can. I used to get in trouble with my wife because of the bruises on his shoulder, but he'd want to shoot all day. (Really good times)

This is a picture I took of him shooting one of our carbines at our lease when he was 10. This is our 'private range' where we do the most shooting. There's a large berm behind the targets from a dried up old stock tank ahead at 100 yards that makes a good backstop. This is Texas in mid-summer so it's 110 degrees.





Closer to berm with the 1911A1




He's 16 in this picture - He's 18 now and has outgrown me by about four inches. (It's still VERY strange looking up at him)
He graduates high school in a few months and wants to go into the service. I was trying to get him the go to college first but maybe it'll work out to let him do what he wants to for now.

[Calfed]

GREAT pictures and story, Harlan

I started my boys out shooting a little later than you did with your son. My eldest is now 25 and my younger is 22. Both can out shoot me now (I like to think that it is just an aged eye thing ).

My eldest now lives a few hours away in Reno, so we don't get to shoot as much as we like, but my younger one goes to college close by in Davis, so we still get together fairly often to shoot.

We usually shoot in the vintage military matches at the nearby Sacramento Valley Shooting Center. This is a fantastic range facility with everything from 50 yard small bore to 1000 yard ranges. Here's an overhead view of the range complex.

MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

They have a monthly vinatge military silhouette match involving 50 year old or older military rifles shooting chickens @ 220 yards, pigs @ 330, turkeys @ 420 and rams at 550 yards.



In addition, there are paper target matches on the 1000 yard range that we shoot at distances of 300, 500, 600 and 800 yards.

Last month, using his favorite Swiss K31, my youngest son was overall match winner at the silhouette match

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Last month, using his favorite Swiss K31, my youngest son was overall match winner at the silhouette match

OUTSTANDING, Steve! I don't suppose that made you very proud!

MAN, that looks like one heck of a shooting complex! We don't have much in the way of ranges on my side of the D/FW area (Dallas) Most don't even want milsurps there. I hear there's some really good ranges on the west side of Ft Worth, but by the time I drove that far west I could be 2/3 of the way to our property east of Dallas. Our 'range' isn't very fancy, but there's something very nice about being out there with your boy doing things on your own time. We also have a small pond on the other side of the place that's stuffed full of perch - After shooting we sit in the shade and catch and release fish in the afternoon, and fix baloney and cheese sandwiches from my little ice chest. Great times.

[Calfed]

Shooting on your own property sounds like a lot of fun, Harlan. Maybe one of these days I'll let the politicians run me out of California and land somewhere where property is still available.

The "Rockland 1903 A3" arrived today and as I hoped, it is a "Rock Island". Looks like I made out ok on this...it is high number and has a beautiful Sedgley barrel, gauging between "0" and "1" on the CMP muzzle gauge. Has the Unertl scope blocks mounted and the Redfield sight works well.

The bad news...the stock, which is a beautiful Springfield C stock looks like it has been cut short at the butt.

I'll post a range report shortly

[supercub]

You did real well!!! congrats. Too bad about the stock, I would reshape it, put a butt plate on it and as George said on Seinfeld, "shrinkage".

[Calfed]

You did real well!!! congrats. Too bad about the stock, I would reshape it, put a butt plate on it and as George said on Seinfeld, "shrinkage".

LOL...would I have to dip it in cold water first?

[supercub]

LOL...would I have to dip it in cold water first?

I think I will let some of our senior experts advise you on that...lol