View Full Version : range report of built 03A3 om AIMS receiver
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First general description of gun
3.7 mill receiver
New old stock post war replacement bolt
New old stock 2-44 Remington 2 grove barrel
All R marked GI metal
Old pinned 1903 stock
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Ammunition was all Lake City 1969 M2 Ball. All shots fired off sandbag from 100 yards. It was is the mid 80,s with light wind to my back.The picture is of the first five shot group. After this I adjusted my/drifted rear sight to center and shot one more 5 shot group and two ten shot groups. The second 5 shot group was an inch group also with vertical stringing with first shot low and follow on shots walking up. FYI gun was allowed to completely cool between strings. Third group was 10 shot string it vertical strung to five or six shots then settled in. The last four or five shots impacted in the same general area. I ended up up with 1.5 inch group that looked like a nickel on a stem for lack of better description. The forth group was very similar but for me shanking one.
I think stringing is stock fit. But since gun settles in and is shooting very well overall I'm not sure I want to mess with it. Thoughts....
FYI disregard the two smaller holes down low they are from range buddy's AR15 who was trying to be funny but that's another story.
Griff Murphey
06-20-2013, 05:03
Good eyes. 2 groove barrels are just great barrels. My A3 sporter with glass can do this if I do my part. Have thought about concerning to an A-forgery.
The 2 groove barrel is greatly underestimated, now that you cannot find 4 grooves and 2 grooves are sought after, there is new appreciation of just how well they shoot.
I've owned several Griff and still own two. My other is a 3.8 mill that was rebuilt at in Ogden Utah at sometime. It is also a Remington 2 grove 9-43 barrel. I kept it also as it drives tacs. I've always been amazed that war time two groove rifles could be so accurate. As far as the above rifle goes I had planned to eventually buy a new CMP stock for it, but I might leave it be.
As far as the Ogden gun goes my son flys in tonight on leave after returning from Afganistan. He drives a 240 bravo in a weapons squad of the 1/75th. I planted the mil surp bug in him early. I'm going to give him the Ogden gun as a coming home present. Then in true family tradition we will take them both out and see who is the best shot:-)
I might add the build gun has a stock C front sight blade
Good eyes. 2 groove barrels are just great barrels. My A3 sporter with glass can do this if I do my part. Have thought about concerning to an A-forgery.
The 2 groove barrel is greatly underestimated, now that you cannot find 4 grooves and 2 grooves are sought after, there is new appreciation of just how well they shoot.
My Remington M1903A3 with a two groove barrel is consistently the most accurate milsurp rifle I own. My M1 with a VAR barrel and my No 4 Mk II Enfield that I got in the wrap can come close but overall, that 03A3 is in a class by itself and easily outshoots my two M1903s.
Every now and again the thought of building up a "sniper" rifle using a "beater" '03A3 with MW under 2, if I could find one, as a starting point, with modern optics installed still crosses my mind......
My Remington M1903A3 with a two groove barrel is consistently the most accurate milsurp rifle I own. My M1 with a VAR barrel and my No 4 Mk II Enfield that I got in the wrap can come close but overall, that 03A3 is in a class by itself and easily outshoots my two M1903s.
Every now and again the thought of building up a "sniper" rifle using a "beater" '03A3 with MW under 2, if I could find one, as a starting point, with modern optics installed still crosses my mind......
That idea is on my bucket list but I'd like to find a nice 1903 or 1903A1 and a Krag first. I've owned one 1903 in the past but she had long seen better days. It was also long before I considered just rebuilding what I had so I sold it.
Back to two grove rifling and 03A3's I've never owned a 4 groove Smith Corona. I've always wanted a nice shooter to compare, but the few I've seen have either been sported, or were well worn. I just wonder if its the 2 grooves or the quality of the barrels were just top notched.
Rick the Librarian
06-20-2013, 05:54
4-groove S/C barrels are extremely rare, if they exist at all.
4-groove S/C barrels are extremely rare, if they exist at all.
Huh? Four groove S-C rare?
Resp'y,
Bob S.
4-groove S/C barrels are extremely rare, if they exist at all.
Sorry I think it should be six groove SC and I'm still curious if anyone has both and how they compare.
Didn't Remington make some 4 or 6 grove barrels at some point to?
Sorry I think it should be six groove SC and I'm still curious if anyone has both and how they compare.
Didn't Remington make some 4 or 6 grove barrels at some point to?
Just got out my copy of Brophy. According to him:
Remington started out making four grove barrels for the '03A3 by the cut rifling method and switched to two groove barrels in early 1943 as a cost saving expedient but Brophy documents four groove barrels on Remington M1903A3 rifles in March, 1943 and as late as November 1943 on an '03A4.
Smith Corona bought their barrels from High Standard which utilized the "broach" method so there were no savings to be had from making two groove barrels in their case. Early SCs had six groove barrels and later ones had four grooves. No two groove H.S./S.C. barrels have been observed. So no S.C. with the original barrel should have two groove rifling.
That's Art. One of these days I'd like to have a S.C. version but my want list is longer than my pockets are deep.
Rick the Librarian
06-22-2013, 04:44
My apologies -- I should have stated that TWO-GROOVE SC barrels are extremely rare. The vast majority of SC barrels were four groove.:icon_redface:
Well its extremely rare we catch you in a weak moment Rick.:icon_lol:
Rick the Librarian
06-22-2013, 06:38
Not as rare as I'd like!! :D
chuckindenver
06-23-2013, 06:10
iv seen and owned 4 or more 2 groove SC barrels.
iv seen and owned 4 or more 2 groove SC barrels.
Chuck, were those rebuilds and if so were the barrels the original ones for the rifles?
I'd like to know ur opinion on that to. maybe SC got some barrel blanks from big R initially?
chuckindenver
07-11-2013, 07:15
no...SC 4 groove barrels were provided by High Standard.
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