Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles 1903A1

speaking of rock island, i have one that has a jeweled bolt, one inch target barrel, set up for la palma front and rear sights, and an action job.
I think the owner was using it for 1000 yard shooting.

Thank you.

It looks nice but had issues when I bought it.

I got it through local private sale, and at a good price, so I kinda figured it would have issues. It is a Remington and has been "refurbed" but I don't know who did it. The stock is a club at the pistol grip, the barrel is a criterion, and it has been Parkerized. I may be wrong, I am not very knowledgeable at all on the Springfield bolt rifle but I thought 03s were blued.

It would not feed the last round at all. You couldn't get the bolt to come forward after a short distance and would stop as soon as the bullet contacted the feedramp. What I found is the case was going into the lug raceway. It did have a milled follower, and I thought that unusual, having read that 03A3s had stamped followers.

I replaced the follower with a stamped unit and it began feeding the last round. I have also read that 03A3s did not cycle as smoothly as 03s, and that is the case with this one.

It is surprisingly accurate, noticeably better than my M1 Garand.

I apologize for the slight hijack.

Remingtons and Smith Coronas were parked.

Thank you!

I need to get some material on the 1903 rifle's history.

Those Criterion barrels will shoot!!

Nothing wrong with an 03A3, especially one as nice as that one. While not as "nice" as a pre-war Springfield they hold a significant place in history nonetheless.

Lots of good material out there on '03 history. One book that for many years was considered the Bible of the '03 was the one written by William Brophy. Some of the stuff he wrote has since been challenged, and others have expanded on the basics he laid down. It still remains an important work and highly recommended to anyone seeking to learn about one of the most significant American rifles of the 20th century.

My dad bought a DCM O3a3 in the 60s to shoot service rifle. He preferred it to the M1. After a bit it was sporterized and in 74 the barrel was replaced and it became a 25-06 for a Wyoming deer/antelope hunt.