Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 1903 pump action

My stepsons 1903 22 pump will discharge sometimes when the safety is released and I was wondering if this is a common problem with this model and where would be the best place to start looking. He wasn't aware of using standard velocity ammo in it so I'm thinking something took a beating.

On the plus side I shot my 03 that I purchased from a member here and it performed flawlessly!

I would star with a good cleaning

Chris57

If you remove the butt-stock you can see how the parts interact and readily solve the problem. A cleaning of those parts would certainly be a good start.

Chris, I do not remember having a 1903 that would fire on the release of the safety but I have not shot many of mine enough (some not at all) to see if this might occur on occasion. The trigger/safety design is the same in the 1903,1909 & 1914. I just pulled a few out of the parts/junker/project pile that are basically worn out and could get none of them to do it. I even tried pulling on the trigger hard just before releasing the safety to see if that would cause it.

The trigger should not move with the safety on or that could reduce sear engagement, check for that, if it does the safety connector bar might be worn.

If the trigger is held firm by the safety it may have a worn sear or to light of a safety spring, does it have a very light or short trigger pull compared to the one that works?

You probably are aware that the action can be slip closed but when doing any testing of the trigger & safety if you have the action about 1/3 open it will allow the hammer to drop enough that you can hear it fall but will not cause any damage to the chamber from dry firing.








This is one of my 'new' ones, stock sanded undersize, drilled & tapped for a scope, well worn, magazine not the correct vintage... so, yes, I evidently am another member here who hasn't a clue on value or what's worth buying.

We all are Gene. There's no hope for any of us.

Thanks Gene for all the info, it gives us some areas to focus on, it's much appreciated! He's going to bring it over again and we'll give it a good cleaning and a thorough inspection and hopefully we can resolve the problem. They are awesome little rifles! I can see that there will be more than one in my collection.

could this be from dry firing? have had 5, never had that issue.

Gene

You shouldn't have to put up with the gun in that kind of condition. I'll take it off your hands.

It looks like that Stevens scope has a serial number on it, 3 something, something. Is that what the number is, a SN? Even with the faults noted, you don't see a Gold Medal 1903 everyday.

Steve, I added the scope to the gun, I bought the gun because it was drilled & tapped and had a set of blocks on it. I have a few Stevens scopes and am always looking for something to put them on (and drilling something that wasn't, is not an option IMO). Only one of the scopes fit correctly with the block locations, and the condition of the scope is close to that of the rifle. Stevens scopes are located off the front mount by a pin in the scope, the pin is at different locations on their scopes depending on where the blocks are on a rifle if it were already factory drilled. if not drilled you find the correct position for eye relief and set the front block & them measure back from there for the rear.

The number on the scope is the scope No, not a serial number, this is a No 368 which is from a series using a numbering system that was used on some lines of their scopes - this is their No 3 scope, about 6 power, with No 8 mounts (which used scope blocks)... so 368, not all of their scope series used this type of numbering and for those I can make no sense of the way they were numbered. I just acquired a No 460 scope = No 4 scope, about 6 power, with No 0 mounts (which fit into the front & rear sight dovetails). That scope is ~26"~ long but did not come with the original No 0 mounts.

I just got the gun a few months ago, so when I opened the safe looking for a gun to pull the stock on it was right in front, the bore shows wear but I am hoping it will shoot good enough to deserve the scope.

Thanks Gene, knowing the logic behind the numbering system works. Very cool gun and scope system.

Gene, with such great pictures of the 03, do you have similar ones for the model 1914. I am having trouble with it feeding cartridges. Darrell

There is some information on 1914 feeding issue's here - rimfirecentral.com/thread.php=1055130 there is also a link included in there to more information.

Not much here but goes with the above link - rimfirecentral.com/showthread=1064186