Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Sporterized Smoth Carona 03-A3 ?????????

I looked at a beautiful sporterized rifle today. It is mint in all areas and the work is very superior. Has a Monte Carlo stock with cheek piece from a highly figured piece of reddish fiddleback walnut. The grain is laid out perfectly and the checkering is very sharp and very well cut. Pachmayr butt pad and Pachmayr scope mounts, that flip to allow for use of sights, and a Lyman scope. Chambered for 30-36 and the bore is mint. Has sling swivels.
The bolt is jeweled precisely and over all I think it one of the nicest looking rifles that I have seen in a long time. This rifle is not newly done but has been a closet queen for years.
Here's the problem and a question or two.
I am a novice with rifles. Know a bit about SxS shotguns but little of rifles.
Is it probable that Pachmayr did the work on this rifle. Other suggestions??
In the condition that I state, what would be a fair asking price for such a piece?
Thanks for any and all help.
Best,
John <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

A basic sporter 03 by a good gunsmith copying the work of Sedgely, Pachmayr, G&H, etc is going to go for $325 to 400.00.

The real ones go from $700 to whatever.
I bought a journeyman 03 sporter from an old smith who had converted at least 1,000 Mausers and 1903s, for $300.00.

This summer, I looked at a Griffin & Howe 1903 in .400 Whelen that was not much nicer, but $4,000+.

All you can do is spend what it is worth to you.
There is no such thing as an objective price on something that is not a commodity and you don't plan to resell.

Example: Al Linden
http://www.drake.net/html/vintage6.html

The Rifle you describe sounds like a "One of a Kind" Rifle.

Just because it is of a Springfield design by Smith Carona Mfr doesn't make it of any less desirable as during WWII Springfield, the Army's Armourer sub contracted out the manufacturer of '03 to Smith Carona (the typewriter maker) as well as several other manufacturers for the manufacture of '03 Springfields to meet their quota of Arms supplied to the military and if memory serves me right the Smith Carona actions are one of the more dsesirable actions made and many have been bought up by custom gunmakers and have been converted to one of a kind Custom Rifles which commanded high dollar prices when new and are in a class by thereselves today.

Although I have not seen the weapon in question I would be willing to guess that by you discription that the weapon would fall into this catagory.

There are here in the Northwest alone a number of Custom Gun Makers who fit this catagory who turn out such peices today. One is Chuck Worthington over near Wenatchee. Another is a friend of mine up here on the Olympic Peninsula by the name of E.G. (Ted) Buckland, who is now retired and enjoying restoring fine Classic European Sports Cars.

I really like Springfield's

I have to disagree with the assessment of a Smith Corona Springfield 1903A3 as a highly desirable basis for a custom sporter. The actions are made of high grade steel and are immensely strong but they were made under World War II rushed production conditions and were roughly machined and finished. It takes a great deal more work to make a good sporter out of one than if the gunsmith starts with a prewar rifle. A decent sporter can result but not a top quality job.

Bart 185:

I really like Springfields too!!

Fight On Trojans!!

See you guys in the Rose Bowl.

Jerry