M1903A3 Purchase, Opinions?

[MilSurpFan]

It doesn't sound like you did too bad. I'm more of a collector so when I got my 03 i wanted it to be as original as possible but as long as your not super big on the collecting aspect of it, a refinished stock shouldn't be that big of a deal. Personally, I like the model 1903 better than the 03a3 because you can be a bit more precise with the aiming but it is harder to see the sights. Unfortunately for me, when i got my 03 from the cali 10 day wait period, i found out that the rear sight slide had been bent in shipping because the guy didn't put any paper or bubble wrap in the box. Hopefully I can fix that.

I would have preferred an 03 with the ladder sight, for sure. I like the milled magazine and floorplate better too. But I've seen maybe 2 of those in original shape, my entire life. (Given 5 million Springfields were made, there's about 100,000 in every state. I'd have thought you'd see them more regularly. No idea how many have been sporter... ahem... Bubba'ed over the years though.)

The dealer actually has one that came in earlier in the year and kept for himself. I really wanted that one.

I'm not collector per se. But I am an "originality freak" to some extent. So the stock is is bugging me. But, I'm not up for a major search either. Since the metal all seemed to be in such good shape, I went with it. It has to shoot, first and foremost. And well, I just prefer the military configuration over sporters. I have M77 in plastic stock and stainless. But still like the old walnut and steel guns. To be honest, if I could get a stainless Springfield (or M1 or M1A), that's what I really want. Of course they didn't make them.

I don't hunt anymore, but it is the standard I judge the gun by. It has have a fair chance of being a shooter before it's of interest at all. So generally the metal is more important to me.

I guess I do have a case of buyer's remorse going.

---------- Post added at 02:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:58 AM ----------

I'm 64 and trust me, milsurp rifles were not seen as "collectibles" until maybe 30-35 years ago. The markings were seen as a "hindrance" to a nice, smooth stock. I think at $800 you did pretty well.

That's interesting. My first Milsurp was an AC41 P-38. And it was amazingly preserved, matching numbers, no import stamp, etc. After that an M1 and M1 Carbine. But that was back in the 80's. The idea of rubbing out the markings never occurred to me. Wish I still had those 3 guns. The carbine was from the first run of Winchesters. But it had an M-2 stock on it from somewhere. But it was a nice chunk of wood, either way.

I've read a lot of old gunsmithing books family had around when I was a kid. Definitely the older books all had sections about sporterizing milsurps. My father picked up an Argentine Mauser in the 70's when I was kid. I remember really hating that he chopped the stock up into a sporter configuration. Hated it like that, LOL! I thought was perfect the way it was. I like full wood stocks, as long as it isn't messing the accuracy up.

Guess I still feel that way. Have an M77 in stainless and synthetic stock. While it's a great gun... I look at the whippy lightwieght barrel and think at times... "What a prissy rifle." It does handle nicely, etc. though. It meets it's design goals I guess.

---------- Post added at 02:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:08 AM ----------

Attachment 47391
February 43' 03A3..

I forgot, the top hand guard was cracked, fixed it from underneath. Bubba had carved his initials,,,,his initials!!, to the left of the ordnance wheel which required heavy sanding to remove. Here's some after photos..
Attachment 47391
Where's the crack?
Attachment 47393
Attachment 47394
Attachment 47395
Attachment 47396
Markings,,,
Attachment 47398
Attachment 47397
FYI, don't use a finishing wax on military stocks!!! it dries off white in every nook and cranny..

Wow, that was nice piece of wood. Shame it had problems. Nice color and grain. I'm green, for sure. That's righteous.

I don't know if it's true, but they say, "Bubba always finds the good ones..."