new guy could use some help SC 03

[Mike D]

Yes, you can shoot any over the counter .30-'06 ammo. It might not be a bad idea to have the headspace checked, which should be fine, unless the bolt is bad.

Someone else will have to inform you on competition rules.

Your rifle, in it's present condition, is in the $650-750 range, my opinion. Again, don't change a thing, it looks great!

[Dad]

ave8er,
Have you checked headspace?
If it checks out OK then yes off the shelf ammo is OK.
The guy you were talking too was trying to make you think the rifle was worthless so than then he could lowball you and get the rifle for cheap.....
Like it was mentioned, just in the stock and trigger guard you have between $300-$500.

By the way you don't need a tool to open the magazine floor plate, you just use a small pointed object (screw driver, punch, tip of bullet, etc) to depress the release button and the floorplate should spring open.

D.

[ave8er]

I just pulled the barreled action from the stock. The only marking on the stock that I can see is a K stamped right where the magazine cut off is. There seems to be nothing else. The inside of the stock is very rough and looks like no oil or finish of any kind has ever been applied. The stock has some unique tiger striping in the sun light. There is a P stamped in the barrel nehind the front sight and on the bottom side. There is a K stamped near the wittness marks where the barrel and acrion mate. There are very few other markings on either piece. There are no markings on the Trigger guard or magwell base plate. The finish on these pieces is diferent than the rest of the rifle. The butt plate does not seem to match and the door looks like a different metal all together. I need to take the rifle somewhere to get the headspacing checked and then if all is well I am going to shoot it. :-) here are some more pictures:




---------- Post added at 01:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:14 PM ----------

[ave8er]

The more I research on here the better I am feeling. The guy had me feeling like I had something that someone put together in their garage from a bunch of different parts. That does not seem to be the case. Like I said, I bought this a long time ago pretty much because my friend had one. I have not even touched it for probably 15 years. I have started shooting again after taking a LONG break so I am digging through my old junk and selling, cleaning, tweaking and or upgrading so I can play with my old and new items. :-)

Thanks everyone! I know it is silly but the vendor who seemed to know a lot about these guns had me felling pretty crappy about my old rifle...

[Harlan (Deceased)]

I figured the guys comments made you fell bad for no reason, and that's why I decoded to post. They were unfounded and probably meant to try to buy your rifle for cheap because he wanted it. People like that have no concern for hurting people's feelings and putting their guns down makes them more liable to sell it.

It should make a great rifle for shooting, and I'm NOT putting it down to say it should make a good shooter. The six groove SC barrel are among the best for accuracy and sought after. You can find a stamped SC trigger guard if you want the original type it came with, but the earlier 1903 guards are better quality. Your butt plate is an SC for what it's worth.

Like I said above, I wouldn't change a thing on it. If it head spaces well (and I'd lay money that it will) it will make a very appealing rifle for the range. Someone spent some time and money to make it a great rifle to shoot with.

I agree with Mike on the current market value. You have a desirable rifle. Just laugh inside if a 'knowledgeable' person calls it a parts gun.

[Mike D]

The buttplate is Smith Corona, probably original to the rifle.

The trigger guard is from an early '03. You can tell by the fact that it has been drilled for a pin in front of the trigger slot. Is the pin in place? More info on that will follow.

Can you show a photo of the top of the action, showing the bolt assembly?

The "K" in the mag cut-off well is for Keystone. They made C-stocks during WWII to be used as replacements for A3's. They were also original on some M1903A4 sniper rifles. If it looks a little dry you can apply some BLO (boiled linseed oil) to liven it up.

[ave8er]

There is no pin, should there be?
Top of the action:



---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:17 PM ----------

The screw in the rear tang seems too short for the rifle. There is a lot of hole left when the screw is tight.

[Mike D]

Early in '03 production, '05-'06, it was found that the '03 could be fired if you push the trigger forward. Trigger guards already in use were pinned. TG's made new had the slot shortened. I don't think this is a problem with the A3.

Your bolt sleeve, being "scalloped" is SC. So is the bolt. Looks like there is an "X" on top of the handle, correct for SC. The bolt has been refinished (parked instead of blued). Common on rebuilds.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Good info Mike. I couldn't see the 'X' in the photos with my old eyes!

ave8er, it should look something like this on top of the handle -

[ave8er]

Yes, it has the X just like that. So pretty much everything is SC except the wood and the trigger guard, correct. So the "parts gun" has most of the correct parts. It is looking pretty good all cleaned up