I had an hour yesterday between school and a ball game, so I went over to my favorite pawn shop and asked the guys if they had anything interesting in the rack.
One nice SW Model 17-3. That's a K-22 and it had a 6" barrel. Priced about $500.00. I passed. I've got my .22s, but the K-22 is a fine target revolver. I'll keep an eye out for it.
Then, Joe turned around and took a sporterized 1903A3 off the shelf. Back in the '50s and '60's, 1903A3 rifles were common as dirt. You could pick one up for little or nothing and more than a few gunsmiths paid their bills by turning the old warhorse into nice sporter rifles. Some of the early Springfield rifles suffered from heat-treat problems, but this particular example was made by Remington Arms. Whatever unknown gunsmith had converted this one, he knew his work. The wood was immaculate and looked like it had grown to the action. Tolerances on the inletting, what I could see, was very, very tight. It had a Monte-Carlo comb, with a cheek piece, and the cheek piece was very slightly concave to nestle your face. It had a scope mounted, but it also had a front sight. It would be a fairly simple task to dismount the scope and add a peep on the rear.
I didn't look at the rifling, but the action was tight and the lettering was sharp. It was easy to tell that the rifle had been used, but it had been used lovingly. Whoever the previous owner was, he knew how to take care of a rifle. The price tag was just over $700.00, and I could probably dicker about that. I don't really need another .30-06, but here I am thinking about it at 5:00 in the morning.
If you can find a copy of Roy Dunlap's "Gunsmithing", have a look at all the b&w photos of lovely sporterised Springfields. At one time, it was the pinnacle of US gunsmithing work, and a sought-after firearm.
ReplyDeleteDenis
I have an 03 and find it to be a source of intense pleasure at the range. The rifle shoots better than my ability. Besides when you walk in with it it is like you have the prom queen on your arm
ReplyDeleteDeacon
Sporterizing military bolties was always the bread and butter in 'tween-war years in Oregon, where most hunting was done in the woods, and after WW2 for a good two decades as well. There are lots of sporters floating around, and every gun show will give a decent choice.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered if these rifles could be mounted with either a Scout Scope or reflex-type sight so as to leave the top of the action clear to use the stripper-clip guides.
I've not seen but one example of that, and it wasn't done very securely.
I have a couple of 1903s but mine are all still in military trim (one is totally original as far as I can tell). Beautiful rifles and capable of much better accuracy than I am.
ReplyDeleteNo sporters though; I'm really more interested in them as artifacts and for range use, not hunting.
My father-in law had only one hunting rifle. It was a sporterized 1903A3. He bought it used in 1947 because, with a wife and 2 kids, it was all he could afford at the time. Sometime in the mid 1950’s he had a 6 power scope mounted on it. He worked for the Forest Service in several western states until he was transferred to Georgia in 1963. With that rifle he took every type of non-dangerous game that can be hunted in the US. When he died it went to his oldest son who still has it.
ReplyDeleteJust traded a revolver for a sporterized 03A3 from my bro-in-law. It hadn't been cut or drilled, so I converted it back to military config... all it took is money and my time. Found out it was one of the group segregated and tested for 03A4 status, had the machined/turned-down bolt. Replaced it with NOS bolt, etc... Now I have a late model to go with my CMP early model!
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