M1903 Build project (shooting results now up!)

[Claven2]

Anyone have thoughts on whether that straight-handle bolt is a SHT?

[Rick the Librarian]

Any markings on any side of the safety lug (located about halfway up the bolt handle)? There are a small number of "straight" bolts that were forged by the later process, but it depends on the markings on the safety lug. If there are no markings on the safety lug and the it is a "straight" bolt, it would be a very early Springfield or RIA bolt.

[Claven2]

No markings at all on the safety lug, so I'm going with very early SHT bolt. I'm guessing it's not the best bolt to use on a build that will be shot...? I'm assuming SHT in a bolt is just as bad as SHT in a receiver?

I just wish the guy I'm dealing with for a replacement receiver would get back to me...

I'll give it a few mode days, then DAMN THE TORPEDOES! I'll build it on this receiver and be done with it. I only intend to shoot M2 ball equivalent anyway and I always wear glasses at the range, lol.

[Claven2]

Well I'm making a lot of progress in assembling the necessary parts, but I had another question. Since my parts are mixed vintage and mixed condition, and the rifle is a "put-together" with new wood anyhow, I'm going to re-park some of the parts (some parts will get blued as well, like the sear).

Should I use a zinc-based park or a manganese-based park for a WW2 or just-post WW2 rebuild look?

[Claven2]

Doing a little reading, it looks like Zinc was the most common parkerizing solution in the WW2 era, so I think I'll go with that for the barelled receiver.

[Claven2]

well, she's finished. I ended up using a different receiver I managed to track down - no easy feat in Canada to find a non-Remington high-number receiver. Haven;t shot it yet, but it's correctly inletted and propery put together, so should shoot well with the new 4-groove tube on her.









Quite happy with her Apart from the parkerizing (sent to Armacoat in Canada) and borrowing a buddy's bench who had the right action wrench and BBL block already set up, I did all the work here in the shop.

Sights are inter-war and were NOS parts. All parts are GI and milled, no repro or stamped stuff was used. Some of the NOS parts were installed as-is, especially if they were blued. The used parts and the bbl'ed action were zinc parkerized to approximate a WW2 era rebuild. Sling is a 1918 original M1907 sling. The Wood is WW2 era Remington, as is the milled bottom metal.

[ABPOS]

Beatiful!!! I love your sling too.

[Claven2]

Thanks, I'm quite happy with the result. It's at least as nice as most of the rebuilt mongrels that turn up for sale and has the benefit of a new barrel and mostly new or properly refurbished parts. The rear sight has zero play, which is nice (I obtained that by tweaking/tightening the base and selectively fitting from a large-ish selection of parts).

Everything seems to work well, but the final test will be whenever I manage to find time to take it to the range with a decent rest. and some decent ammo.

[Claven2]

Well I finally got out to do some serious shooting. Ammo was standard 1969 LC ball. This was (stupidly) the only target I photographed, but it's illustrative. It was my second target of the day. The top group is horizontally strung as I made a slight windage adjustment to get me closer to the bull and the bottom 3-shot group was shot slowly, prone with a sling, after correcting for the elevation being out in the top group. Group measured 0.8" across. Not bad for 100m with a military 4-groove barrel.

I'm happy with how this build worked out



PS: Yes, I'm a cheap SOB and re-use patched targets for practise... lol.

[Mike D]

WOOOHOOOO!

Isn't it nice to finally get a project finished!

Good looking rifle and good shooting! Your targets look like my own, as I am also a cheap bastard!

Mike