Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds WTB, Custom Sporters Made on Low-Number 1903's.

WTB, Custom Sporters Made on Low-Number 1903's. Want both Rock-Island and Springfield low-numbered action custom sporting rifles. Marked with makers name or not.

Good money for good rifles.

Michael Petrov mjpetrov@acsalaska.net

e-mail with pics of Rock Island 03 sent to you, from mikemtls.net

To clarify what I'm looking for a little. Only custom made rifles with custom stocks.

Any rifle below 800,000 for Springfield Armory and 286,500 for Rock Island Armory.

Arn't those the ones with the improper heat treat that your not supposed to shoot?

Never heard that one before.

World War I and Interwar Use

By the time of U.S. entry into World War I, 843,239 of these rifles had been produced at Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal. Pre-war production utilized questionable metallurgy. Some receivers were improperly subjected to excessive temperatures during the forging process. The carbon could be "burnt" out of the steel producing a brittle receiver. (

the above is a quote copied and pasted from wikipedia, there are plenty more sources out there that will tell u the same thing.
Its a well know fact, look it up on the net theres plenty of info out there, I love my 1903 customs but they are all above the risky brittle recievers. The receivers above 843000 are some of the strongest made of any rifle.

"Its a well know fact, look it up on the net"

What could I possibly say to that, if it's on the "Net" it has to be true.

Hopefully this will bring down the prices, keep up the good work.

that's pretty much common knowledge. your sarcasm might end up in a blown up rifle.

but since it's your own smart ass that's in danger then go for it.

Now that we have heard from the experts I'm still looking for custom sporting rifles built on low numbered rifles.

Depending on the workmanship and provenance they run from $500 to many thousands of dollars.

I never meant any offense nor-presented myself as an expert.

best of luck in your search.

Not a problem, I've been researching, writing and shooting these for thirty years and have a thin skin sometimes.

Just not expecting a debate on the low-numbered rifles in the classified.

A classic rifle made in 1910 for Lt. Townsend Whelen with a prototype Lyman 48.

Are you interested in a nice lefthanded custom wood stock for a 03a3. Thanks Gary

Thanks, a 03A3 is much to late for my interest.

I have a 1903 on this site for sale, its a custom by H. Creighton in .257 Roberts. I'll have to check the ser.# later and get back to you.

That's pretty funny -- telling Michael Petrov about vintage rifles.

Its not like one could find a book he wrote on old rifles at the Amazon website or anything...

John

It's a much later rifle, I looked at it. Thanks for the heads up.

Classic...

I've heard that heat treat story all my life. I have a very early 03 Springfield that has been govt arsenal overhauled at least twice, and the bore is worn badly on it now. If it wore out three barrels, and the action is still good, I don't believe there was a problem with heat treating. Your mileage may vary.
Here's one of the most well written works I've read regarding the subject.
http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/

I have an old Rock Island #53,XXX. But I don't think you would be interested in it. It once had a Griffin & Howe Side mount, but now is long gone, and it once had a Lyman 48 peep sight...now long gone. It does have a pretty fair piece of Walnut and an aftermarket trigger. It's been in the family for 80 years and gosh only knows how many rounds we have fired through it......probably many thousands.....it has the smoothest action I've ever seen. I never had any trouble with it and have worked up some reasonably heavy loads for it in the past. I am certainly no expert, but I always figured since grandpa & dad had put so many rounds through it, that was good enough for me. I remember reading they would heat the actions up after forging to about 1500 degrees for 4 hours in charred leather, and then quenched them in oil. Made them pretty hard all the way through, and of course the outer skin is super hard. They read the temperature "by eye", and there were a few times I think they got the receivers too hot and burned the steel. but I am guessing most of those got caught when they shot them with the proof loads.

The failure rate of them was about 4 per 100,000. Modern guns notoriously blow up too, sometimes, so if it was a good rifle I would not be afraid to shoot one.

I've had occasion to deal with incorrectly heat treated steel, and if held at red heat for too high or long of a temperature, steel can grow excessively large grains, or even form microscopic cracks between grains, which in both cases will make the piece brittle.

and call this a free bump for your ad.