Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles Sarco 03a3 stock

I see Sarco has 03a3 C stocks available. Has anyone had any any experience with these as far as quality and fit.

Thanks
Nash

I am working with one now. The floor plate needed a few minutes to accept a milled bottom plate. The butt plate will bolt right up. I am struggling on my 3rd day of trying to figure out how to inlet for the 1903-a3 barrel action. The stock is too tall (?) and like the bottom metal things do not fall right in. It will drop down in part way right off. I am using a curved chisel and stock makers black. I finally got ii seated all the way down so the back screw will pull stock against the flat in the wood. The front screw lug remains a bit high. I am thinking I need to drop the back more? Then reshape the wrist area. Bottom line, this is a challenge for an average guy like me and the outcome is far from certain. There are more issues around the receiver. I just dont have the vocabulary. Trust me, it is not nearly ready out of the box.

My stock has a big knot with some black epoxy fill the butt area. It does not hurt anything, but; I think most any normal customer would have done a return. I am coming around to think Sarco got a batch of seconds.

I am on a wait list for the Italian source. If they even come in, I will eat my loss and buy another stock (or two). I need a 2nd stock for anther Rem 03a3. I will not buy another Sarco. I may lack the sac to do a return or simply have need to keep busy and this clunker is providing me with hours of busy.

Thanks, for the information. I did order one last week, so we will see how it goes.

Nash

Hi fourbore. Thanks for info! Pity about the stock situation! I've always wanted to put my '03 in an A3 stock with full handguard. It, already modified with aft barrel sight assembly removed, 'Lyman 48 receiver' installed. Original front sight base with 'gold bead' blade. Quality Bubba acquisition of long ago. As you describe, milled bottom metal, alterations required even for a finished correct stock! My woodworking skills... .More likely to hurt myself! Thanks for your good description and critique! A good reminder of project beyond skill/patience.

I also wouldn't want the aesthetics of the stock described regardless of other factors excepting perhaps untra-cheap price AND informed in advance! More than rude to purvey such a product with the defect you note! I'd have expected more from Sarco with at least general hint in such as "grading" heads up! That said, Likely the "returnability" deciding moment, prior to your decision to commit chisel to wood; stock inletting commenced! The 'knotty' matter, not exactly sounding the "hidden defect" only discovered in course of bedding activity!

Good luck and hope it all works out. IF you come up with a better reliable 'now' source of such product at reasonable price, kindly share! My only other 'qual' is minimum LOP of 13": longer better!

Best & Stay Covid Safe!
John

Brownell says the Minelli I was waiting on has been discontinued

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/stock-parts/rifle-stocks/1903a3-walnut-stock-prod55037.aspx

I guess for $350 these guys are supposed to be OK? For that money, I can find a real GI take off stock!

https://murraysgunstocks.com/military-gunstocks

I believe Stocky's is (I should say was) selling the Minelli. When you "add to cart", you will see "out of stock"

https://www.stockysstocks.com/stocks-by-feature/special-features/military-wood-stocks.html

Here is a pic of my Sarco stock. Bottom line, every piece needed some fitting. I said the butt pad went right on. My GI pad need a litle bend and a little wood filler and then the big screw hole had to be drilled. The Sarco repro pad, did not fit. If you have a choice, GI metal fits closer than Sarco repro parts.

Here is a pic of the stock:

The good news is with a combination of shim stocks, washers, bedding and many hours with chisel. I have the gun in one piece. I still need to drill for the bayonet lug cross bolt. I had to play blacksmith on the receiver band for the handguard. Even the little spring that hold the band with the rear sling needed fitting.

Here it is, my soon to be 1903A4- within the allowable forum resolution: