'03 Double Feed

[gpw_42]

Gents,

I'm looking for advice on correcting an '03 which double feeds on the fourth round. As a result, the last two rounds pop out of the magazine, when the bolt is about half closed...and I'm unwilling to use the rifle in vintage matches.

What should I look at to correct this problem?

Thanks,
Steve

[chuckindenver]

few things to look for,
repro stocks with fitting issues are a common issue.
wrong spring and follower.
worn mag spring.
wrong trigger guard, stammped vs milled.
fitting of the trigger guard,
receiver rails modified, ground and or polished.

[gpw_42]

Chuck,

Thanks for the quick reply and advice on what to look for. How do I identify that it has the wrong spring or follower, or that the mag spring is worn?

With the stock removed, and the trigger guard/follower reattached, same problem.

This rifle seems to have a GI rebuild stock. It's a 2 bolt, scant stock with NO cartouches of any type; I don't think it's been sanded, b/c it sits a bit proud of the buttplate. The trigger guard is milled.

It's a Springfield Armory '03, s/n 905xxx, with an 11-44 bbl.

Thanks again,
Steve

[gpw_42]

Here are a couple pics of the receiver rails. The sun was messing with my picture, so hope they show what you need to see.

Steve

[Kurt]

If you have the same problem with it out of the stock then you have follower and or mag spring problem, Chucks number 2. Is the follower milled or stamped?

[gpw_42]

Kurt,

Thanks for your follow-up/clarification.

The follower and floorplate are both milled (same as the trigger guard/magazine). The floorplate has a small 3 stamped in it, on the rear interior end.

I think the follower end of the mag spring, as initially installed, is slightly bent. So, I reversed the spring, which improved the situation, because the 4th round doesn't pop out - now it's only the 5th round (last one) which pops. Think I'll order a new spring from Bill Ricca to see how that improves things. He has no milled followers on his website, but might need to look for one of them, as well.

Was having a tough time deciding if the follower is milled or stamped, till I removed it from the mag spring and found some milling marks. Then I looked at Bill Ricca's site and the difference became VERY clear!

I'm concerned this could be the receiver rails, but will resolve the apparent problem (follower and spring) before "going nuclear." Anything else I should be looking for, or at?

Thanks again for your help,
Steve

[chuckindenver]

reversed? shouldnt be able to...sounds like a non 1903 spring.

[gpw_42]

reversed? shouldnt be able to...sounds like a non 1903 spring.

Correct, I put the end from the follower into the floorplate, and vice versa. Took a little doing, but nothing significant. Further indications to order one!

Since Bill doesn't have milled followers listed on his site, MUST this rifle use a milled follower? Or would a stamped one work? (I'm tracking the implications above that the follower should be one or the other, but want to get out of the assumption business.) I'd prefer to order from one place, to minimize the shipping charges.

Thanks, gents, for helping troubleshoot this.
Steve

[musketshooter]

Make sure your follower spring is an 03. Many times you will find a 1917 spring in these.

[gpw_42]

I checked the mag spring against the info in TM 9-1270 (Jan '44). The spring in my rifle is generally shaped correctly, but it's about 4 3/4" when released. Paragraph 30b of the TM specifies "free opening of spring C45034 is 4 17/32 plus or minus 1/32". Seems we've found the root cause!

The spring flat is 13/32" wide on one end, and 1/2" wide on the other end; I don't see a marking to confirm if it's spring C45034 as specified above. I don't see a spec for the widths of the spring flats in the TM.

I found the answer to my own question, using the TM, about the followers - the TM states that either follower can be used in any of the '03 series rifles (paras 8a and 8b). Always satisfying to use the original manuals to solve questions...but I clearly need the benefits of your collective depth of knowledge to unscrew myself.

Thanks again,
Steve

[Kurt]

Generally, stamped followers work better and more reliably than the milled.

Kurt

[gpw_42]

Well, the replacement spring is ordered...didn't see Kurt's last message till the order was placed, or I'd have ordered a stamped follower at the same time.

I ended up ordering through Numrich, as that spring wasn't enough to meet Bill's minimum order, and I couldn't find anything else on his site which I wanted to spend money on right now. That is a FIRST! However, going thru Numrich I was able to get a needed part for a shotgun, so I'm still killing 2 birds with one stone, and will cross my fingers that the spring is all it takes.

MTF, and thanks again!

Steve

[chuckindenver]

if you have a milled trigger guard, stick with a looped spring, and milled follower, mixing the parts will give you issues.
avoid Gunparts corp...pure junk..
you would do better on Fleabay. at least you can see why you get before you buy, and can leave a feedback..

[gpw_42]

Chuck, what's a looped spring? Didn't see a reference to that in the TM, and '03s are new enough to me to not understand the reference.

I concede your point about ebay, but the horse was out the barn door before your post. If it doesn't work, I'll try ebay; meanwhile I'm hoping it'll be right.

Steve

[chuckindenver]

the loops is were the spring bends..1903s and 1917s have a loop at the bend, 1903A3s dont

[gpw_42]

The new spring came from GPC today, ordered Thursday, delivered Tuesday, no complaints there! The spring appears to be original GI in the cosmoline; I'll clean it up tomorrow afternoon and get it in the rifle, then report back with status.

Chuck, thanks for the clarification. The new spring is a looped spring, for sure.

Steve

[gpw_42]

I'll clean it up tomorrow afternoon and get it in the rifle, then report back with status.

Cleaned and installed...works well with dummy cartridges and snap caps. Saturday is my club's vintage military match - I may well take it out to see how it goes with some Greek M2.

Thanks again for all the advice!

Steve

[Bill H]

I have one 03 action, very high S/N, which feeds like this. I tried an A3 follower, and it corrected the problem.