Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats O3A3 build

Who would you talk to about a custom O3A3 build?
I'm thinking 7x57,or 257 Roberts.
Thanks,
Mike

I have two in the works right now.

Jim
Jkob60msn.com

I think the 03A3's should be chambered in one of the classic .30-06 based cartridges. I built mine into a .270, but anything from .25-06 to .35 Whelan would be appropriate, IMHO.

Fast Ed

35 Whelen 03-A3 would be Skookum PLUS. Especially with a nice walnut handle and some aperature sights. A hunters/stalkers rifle. Then, see the thread in hunting rifles about red and black wool, LL Beane Maine hunting shoes, Stormy Kromer hats etc.

Putting the HUNT and the FUN back into hunting, as I see it.

The old Springfield is my favorite action to build a rile on. Either caliber would work well on a 1903A3. Is it a Remington or Smith Corona? How custom do you plan on making it?

Here is a picture of an 03A3 that happens to be a 7X57. My Wife is pretty fond of it.

Yes!!!!
That's what I'm looking for.
I don't have a donor yet,I'm hoping to get recommendations for the whole process,including names of reputable builders.
Thanks,
Mike

Beautiful rifle Larry. The stock has the simple elegance of the original Brownell Rugers.

Larry, good looking rifle, what bottom metal?

It is a standard 1903 milled unit that has been converted to a hinged floor plate style by a smith. Over the years I have had several done in different configurations.

For my money the 1903 milled trigger-guard was one of the best looking units ever made. I have even been guilty of putting them on Mauser 98 actions.

.257 Bob sounds like a great choice to me... 25-06 wouldn't be bad, either... even 257 Weatherby Mag...

Mike McCabe will do you square on an 03-A3 build. He has done some great work for me on a couple of '98 Mausers.

That rifle that Larry is showing off makes my heart skip a beat...

A good friend of mine who's Dad had passed away about six years ago was really into guns and my friend really isn't. He called me one afternoon and asked me to meet him at his folks house so I did. Where he handed me a rifle sock that had a completely Sporterized 03A3 barreled action in the white rebarreled and chambered in 35 Whelen AI and a Classic style laminated stock and said I think Dad would want you to have this, this was the project that he had going when he died of cancer, will you finish what he started if I give it to you. I told him he could count on it. So in January 2012 the smith I use will crank up his bluing tanks and blue it and fit the stock to the action. If I'm lucky I'll go shoot a buck with it next season.

Shipster

Used to see 03s that were rechambered to 300 Win Mag quite
often.

THAT, amigo, is WAY COOL! And, will be one terriffic hunting rifle at the end game! Love that 35Whelen AI round! We will all just HAVE to see the photos when all up and ready. Going with peeps or a low X sccope of some type? You will, like a few others of us here, then need the full red and black wool regalia froom Filson, LL Beane, Stormy Kromer, etc. Keep us all up to speed on this one, OK?

Yeah, quite a few around and some used the original milsurp barrels. Nothing at all wrong with the idea, execution or concept. More common than the 300 WinMag, IME, are the 308 Norma aka 30/338 and 30 Belted Newton. Both have longer necks and pre date the Winchester round by about 8 or 9 years.

I have a 2X7 Leupold that is a late 1960's vintage that I thought I would put on top of it, and you can bet there will be lots of pictures to share.

Shipster

That'll work, and well.