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    Legacy Member Rexalot's Avatar
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    Receiver replacement 03A3

    Hey, just looking for some potential advice.
    I purchased a 03A3 rifle with a "Santa Fe" receiver a couple years back. I've did my research at the time and I knew that I was buying "parts". I had the barrel checked for wear and it gauged as near new. I managed to find myself a good Remington receiver/barrel combo from an estate sale, but it was sporterized.
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    Legacy Member Rexalot's Avatar
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    Steve,

    There was more to the post, apparently I posted prior to finishing the thread. See the one above this.
    Anyway, the good Remington receiver has a correct military finish, it just has a Layman Peep sight. I have a correct stock with metal for the 03A3, and good Remington stamped 2 groove barrel. I've bought the tooling, no gun smiths around me were interested or do these types pf projects. I was even told by one that it can't be done, that you can't take a "finished" or "used" barrel and swap receivers etc... sure I can always sell the parts and start over, but I was only after a nice shooter. The Santa Fe receiver is junk. It was cast in the 60's by the same guys that made "National Ordinance". Unsafe, dangerous to shoot. I bought it from a older man at a flea market that was selling his firearms. I don't think he knew the potential danger. It has been fired.. no doubt. I sure can't sell it assembled knowing what I know to the unsuspecting. As for the Remington receiver and the "sporter" barrel, well, probably only worth what I paid. So I would be out the cost of my tooling (about what I expect a gunsmith would cost - if I could've found one).

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    Legacy Member Salt Flat's Avatar
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    Rexalot. It sounds like you have all the right parts to make up a nice original look Milsurp. That is what I would do for sure. The nice thing about the 1903 and 1903a3 is that the barrels usually clock/index and headspace accurately on the receivers. (as long as the barrel and receiver have not been modified in any way.) You could go with the Lyman sight or plug the holes with filler screws and use an original rear sight. Fun project! Salt Flat

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    Legacy Member Rexalot's Avatar
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    Steve, I did consider selling the Santa Fe rifle after I picked it up, but after looking over the "parts" I made a decision to try and "build" a shooter. I picked up the other action and barrel, then sat on it while I gathered the tooling. My pockets aren't deep, but I could certainly go out and buy another "correct" 03A3 rifle without selling any of the "parts". I call them "parts" because in reality, who is going to buy a 03A3 with a Santa Fe receiver? Just like the my other receiver that has been drilled for the Layman peep sight? There is no collector value here. If the "good" barrel is useless for a swap because it was chamber reamed already, then it has no value. All I'm left with is a stock and a peep sight drilled receiver whose matching barrel has been modified to accept the Layman front sight. It's a good barrel, strong rifling and shiny bore. I suppose I could put that combo together, it crossed my mind when I acquired the Remington receiver. It would just be another "sporterized" 03A3 at that point, not exactly the vision I had. In no way will I put that Santa Fe time bomb on the market as an assembled rifle.

    That all said, I've already split the two apart. Neither receiver is mated to a barrel. I can easily reassemble the Santa Fe into the rifle as I bought it. The witness marks line up pretty easy with the wrench. Try putting the Remington receiver back onto it's original barrel, well, hand tight about 1/4" short of lining up, wrench it, I get another 1/8". It was perfectly aligned before I separated it and it didn't take near the force to bust it apart as I seem to be attempting to put to it now. It's the same regardless which barrel I put to that receiver. Which is the original reason for my post. I was hoping someone whom has done a barrel swap could point me in the right direction. I'm committed to this project, it is a challenge. If it goes successfully, then I have shooter for a small investment and I learned something. I may ultimately learn that I was foolish to spend my money, I gambled.

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    Legacy Member us019255's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rexalot View Post
    If the "good" barrel is useless for a swap because it was chamber reamed already, then it has no value
    If I were in your position, I would assemble the "good" barrel on the "good" receiver and check the head space. You may find that the head space is OK or even that it needs a bit of a touch with a reamer. You will have lost nothing but a bit of pleasant time in your shop.
    Ed reluctantly no longer in the Bitterroot

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    Legacy Member Sunray's Avatar
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    "..."National Ordinance"..." That'd be ORDNANCE. An ordinance is a law.
    There's a good discussion about 'em here.
    https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=16494
    If your plan is to build an '03A3 in full military configuration, keep in mind that it will be a very expensive thing to do. Primarily due to all the wee tiny bits and pieces like screws. For example, Gunparts wants $4 each for a repro sling swivel screw. $8 for the swivel itself. Adds up quickly. Then you get into stocks. One that needs some TLC runs $84 with no hand guards or metal. And all that is if you can find the parts.
    "...witness marks line up..." That's not how a barrel is installed.
    Spelling and Grammar count!

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    Legacy Member Katsmark's Avatar
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    I would try swapping the barrel off the santa fe, onto the o3a3, and check headspace.
    You may get lucky.
    If the headspace is too deep, you can set the barrel back one full turn,and re chamber.
    But the rifle will be app.1/8 in shorter than original, but you wanted a shooter.
    The santa fe,and nat ord guns are great for shooting cast bullets in, i use unique powder, and a gas check bullet, from 110 to 180 gr, depends on distance, and if you want a dedicated lead bullet shooter, the front sight will have to be filed down, as the rear sight will have to be all the way up to hit at 100 yds

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    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Katsmark View Post
    The santa fe,and nat ord guns are great for shooting cast bullets in, if you want a dedicated lead bullet shooter,
    Until it passes into future hands that have little or no experience and they feed it a steady diet of gov't ball...and it detonates. Even the OP states...
    Quote Originally Posted by Rexalot View Post
    The Santa Fe receiver is junk. It was cast in the 60's by the same guys that made "National Ordinance". Unsafe, dangerous to shoot.
    And you come along and advise an unsafe practice.
    Regards, Jim

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    Legacy Member Rexalot's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=browningautorifleicon;474359]Until it passes into future hands that have little or no experience and they feed it a steady diet of gov't ball...and it detonates. Even the OP states...


    I totally agree. I've read enough, be it fact, fiction, whatever, that I wasn't taking any chances. I'm ok with the way I look, my eyesight, all my original teeth, and hearing. I didn't want to chance a detonation. It's your choice if you want to put light loads down one. Hasn't come apart yet, right?

    Here is a couple of pics of the side of the receiver, the "third lug" if you will. (If that's what you call it). The picture with no stock is the Santa Fe receiver. Quite a bit of gap compared to the Remington receiver. Is it stretched? I didn't head space check the Santa-Fe receiver/barreled assembly before I split it apart so I can't say if it is in spec or not. Could be poor machine work, casting method etc. I didn't bother checking the left over assembly, I don't intend to ever make another rifle out of it nor would I sell. I think it's best to leave it "as is". No need to find out fact or fiction.
    Last edited by Rexalot; 05-05-2020 at 08:11 PM.

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    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rexalot View Post
    I totally agree.
    Quote Originally Posted by Rexalot View Post
    I wasn't taking any chances.
    I think you've missed my point though. You've made it ready to shoot, the only way to avoid that is to saw it in half and throw the parts in two separate rivers. Not put a barrel on and hope... Steve762 has a good way too. You've tempted future fate though.
    Regards, Jim

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