View Full Version : Sportered SC 03A3
I bought a sporterized SC 03A3 with the intent to turn it into a 03A4gery (reproduction 1903 A4 sniper rifle)
After bringing it home from my FFL and looking it over, it is going to be hard to take this apart. It is in great condition for a sporter...and has an SC 6 groove barrel, which is fairly rare.
http://i.imgur.com/Zit7a4x.jpg?1
The metal is in great shape and the sporter stock is pretty nice too.
http://i.imgur.com/xbQPyAB.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/ZYB7hUq.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/Uyta5wq.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/rOnBTfN.jpg?1
The barrel has an ever so faint "1" in front of the 2 42 on the SC barrel
http://i.imgur.com/XZ9MUMR.jpg?1
That is really nice. One could restore to "as issued" or do as you mentioned. Could look for one already drilled and tapped, easier and cheaper. But first, I would shoot it as is and see what it does.
Rick the Librarian
09-19-2015, 05:54
I would be tempted to restore it to "as issued, too - that's a very early SC - kind of early to use for a 1903A4gery. That's what I would do.
That is really nice. One could restore to "as issued" or do as you mentioned. Could look for one already drilled and tapped, easier and cheaper. But first, I would shoot it as is and see what it does.
I would be tempted to restore it to "as issued, too - that's a very early SC - kind of early to use for a 1903A4gery. That's what I would do.
Thanks, rh and Rick, I've thought about restoring it back to original condition...I've got most of the SC parts, even an SC stock that I picked up a few years back in a parts lot that I bought at an auction.
http://i.imgur.com/xpgRtIs.jpg?1
But it has been drilled and tapped for the Redfield sight, so I would have to do something about those holes.
Too nice for a reproduction A4. Won't take much to restore. There are a lot of decent sporters just look at the drilled out areas to be sure they were professionally done. It will save you some money. I've got one that I will be doing also. It's been drilled out sometime in its past. Just need to get it done. Have all I need for it. Nice rifle you've got there.
About those holes. I've used JB weld on them. A Little at a time and they came out perfect with a little care in final finish. Can't tell there was a hole there.
"...got most of the SC parts..." It's the horde of metal bits that are the most trouble to find. However, it's always going to be a rebuild/forgery no matter what you do. Bolt won't clear a scope either so you'd have to mess with that too. I'd leave as is.
"...got most of the SC parts..." It's the horde of metal bits that are the most trouble to find. However, it's always going to be a rebuild/forgery no matter what you do. Bolt won't clear a scope either so you'd have to mess with that too. I'd leave as is.
I hear what you are saying, guys. I'm torn about this...it does look great as is.
However this will be the third sporter 03A3 that I've purchased for the 03A4gery project.
The first one looked like a good prospect....already had the bolt turned down, correct Redfield scope mount, etc. The problem--it turned out to be a real 03A4
http://i.imgur.com/m4d8dmM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/wrNvJ3F.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/InhORyu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/zNsRndM.jpg
Now I'm thinking that it might make sense to just restore it and not shoot it in any matches.
The next one was a Smith Corona--had a Lyman rear sight and looked like a good prospect. The problem--a prior owner ground down the reverse dovetail for the rear sight. This one is all SC, at least for the parts that are left, and could serve as a donor for many SC parts.
http://i.imgur.com/qoy3bFT.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/Z5ogkjW.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/XtK63iU.jpg?1
Now I have an SC that may be too nice to convert...LOL
Yes that's the problem with these rifles it's a non stop addiction. I wonder if the VA has a help line for this lol
Calfed, I feel your pain. I was looking for a receiver for a target rifle project and also ended up with 3 sporters, the first two I couldn't bring my self to do. The third worked out fine.
Here's number two, an SC original early 1943' with a 6 groove barrel, drilled and tapped for a scope. It shoots very, very well.
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The other was a Cabalas 03A3, crap stock and side mounted lyman 48 that was bent. It had a the nicest 2 groove original to the serial I've seen yet. Original finish, bolt, trigger guard etc. . I put that one in an A3 stock with hardware I had and replaced the sight with an original. That one shoots beautifully too.
Here's that one.
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And lastly, here's what I made out of the third one; This was a Remington 03A3 with a 4 groove SC barrel. It was drilled and tapped for scope mounts and came with a nice Weaver K4 60B. The stock was ok, glass bedded from end to end. I had a McGowan 26" Heavy barrel I had picked up off flea bay with a best offer deal. I had an A4 bolt found in a sporterized Mark 1 some time ago that had been lightly polished and Chuck reblued for me. . The trigger guard is an SA milled with the stake marks, marine?. It has a SC follower in it to complete it's heritage sans RI. The stock is a Bishop stock I found on the internet. Unfinished and made for the heavy barrel profile. I had to do a lot of inletting on that one. The scope is a Night Force bought on model change deal of the week, the mount's are Weaver modified to take Leopold Picatinny rail rings, medium height.
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As I said Calfed, I feel your pain.
Good luck
Kurt
Wow, Kurt, those are nice rifles.
Glad to hear that the 6 groove is a good shooter. There is so little information out there about the 6-groove, it is good to get something first hand.
That Cabela's rifle looks good too. Did you do anything about the holes for the Lyman sight?
The 03A3 McGowan is stunning. I bet that shoots great. Did you leave it 30.06 or choose a different caliber?
I've always had a thing for sported 03's and 03A3's, especially ones that have been turned into target rifles.
Thanks Calfed, I too love the sported ones and have several I picked up over time and simply kept the way I got them or improved on them with stock tweaking and optics.
The 6 groove SC's are very dependable, seem to shoot a wide variety of loads and do it well. I would have to say that's the edge over the 2 and 4 groove. I've found that they all shoot well if fed a diet they like, but the SC will eat just about anything. The only 4 groove I have that will come close to that is a sporterized SA 1903 with what John Beard called a "developmental" barrel. It has a heavier profile than the standard 03 SA barrel. My brother has a Rem 03A3 with a SC 6 groove, shoots very well too.
I plugged the holes in the Cabalas rifle with scope hole plug screws that the local Cabalas gave me a big handful of. They are not readily noticeable and the rifle finish is very nice and I wouldn't want to re park it as I probably will sell that one sometime this fall. Even if I wer planning on keeping it I don't think I'd do anything with those holes. The Lyman sight is nice, this one was abused and I sold it for parts to a guy on cmp that needed them for a 1922 project.
I love that McGowan, fun as hell to shoot and does it well no matter what I feed it. When I bought the barrel, the guy had ordered it 10 years ago and had it reamed for the 30-06. Kind of odd as it hadn't been threaded or anything but was chambered. The gunsmith who does that work here did ask if I wanted to give up some length and go with a 308. I decided against that as the mag would have needed to be blocked and I have a ton of stuff for the 06. I did have It blueprinted, the barrel face, the bolt face etc all squared. I bedded and free floated the barrel. The darn thing weighs around 15#s! The range master down at the range calls it the space gun. So far it's shooting 1/4 to 3/8 pretty consistently at 100 yards. Occasionally I pull one out of 5 and it opens up to 1/2 or 5/8ths. Pretty good for a stock trigger with a little polishing.
I've always had a hankering for something like this and for under $750 it's a winner.
Do you shoot any of your rifles competitively? My sons and I shoot in a vintage military rifle silhouette match every month and it is a real ball
I've got a real addiction to 03's and 03A3's, especially the target guns. I've got several 1903'S that have been converted to the old style match configuration.
A Remington
http://i.imgur.com/4Yfcmz8.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/6TGixUS.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0o1xujp.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/KLP93mw.jpg
A Springfield
http://i.imgur.com/h1MXKdO.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/0FZH6Cy.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/g6PugGO.jpg
And a Rock Island
http://i.imgur.com/Jl49cvz.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/LdRHHe8.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/xhtvCk6.jpg
I haven't shot competitively no. I guess I never had the time, either working, coaching soccer or both for many years. I am a hunter, have been for more years than I can count. I read an article not long ago which was rather interesting about hunters and target shooters and the different techniques and habits. With the eyes getting aged, I'm good with a scope and some peeps to a degree but I doubt competitive. Farsighted with astigmatism is a B.
The range we have here in town is a State owned 100 yard and doesn't have competitive matches. The nearest one is about 35 miles north and through the middle of town on top of that. I can well imagine you and you boys having a ball, nothing better.
I have more of these than I should, but shoot them all with the exception of one which I don't think has been shot since rebuild. I'm not sure I'd have that if I got into competitive shooting.
Those are some fine looking rifles, nice!!!!!
Here's the first 03 I bought, pretty much along the lines of your Rock I. It's a 3.3 mil Remington.
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The other side of the Cabalas 03A3
Jackrabbitslim
09-20-2015, 05:34
Beautiful rifles!
Wow...that Target rifle is a real looker and the Cabela 03A3 looks great...from either angle.
I'm lucky to live close to a great range facility that has everything from 25 yard pistol to 1000 yard rifle ranges and pretty much everything in between.
Here is a pic of the silhouette range...chickens @ 220 yards, pigs @330, turkeys @ 420 and rams @550.
http://i.imgur.com/vF5dBCc.jpg
We most recently shot a special bi-monthly semi Auto military silhouette match with our Swedish Ljungmans. Despite having to go up against Garands and M1A match models, we did respectably. He got 27/40 and I got 23/40.
32556
I know what you mean about "old eyes". Mine started going at about 50 and after I turned 60 it has been a real struggle.
Here is an overhead of the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center, where we shoot...
http://binged.it/LRzsfF
PhillipM
09-23-2015, 04:58
I remember ChuckinDenver saying he will not drill and tap a Smith Corona because the steel is so hard it dulls all the bits that don't break off in the holes.
Chuck has made that pretty clear and its certainly understandable. I don't think it's so much the cost of the bits as it is the time it can suck up when things go wrong and do with these hard receivers. A lot of people want a fixed price and there really isn't. I'm glad the one I have was done and done very nicely. I don't know if I would want to go through finding and hopeing if you get my drift.
Kurt
I remember ChuckinDenver saying he will not drill and tap a Smith Corona because the steel is so hard it dulls all the bits that don't break off in the holes.
Chuck has made that pretty clear and its certainly understandable. I don't think it's so much the cost of the bits as it is the time it can suck up when things go wrong and do with these hard receivers. A lot of people want a fixed price and there really isn't. I'm glad the one I have was done and done very nicely. I don't know if I would want to go through finding and hopeing if you get my drift.
Kurt
CMP is doing that kind of work now and doesn't appear to charge extra for the SC drill and tap job. That is one job I would probably have them do. Chuck is not the only gunsmith who isn't enthusiastic about D & T' ing a Smith Corona receiver.
Wow...that Target rifle is a real looker and the Cabela 03A3 looks great...from either angle.
I'm lucky to live close to a great range facility that has everything from 25 yard pistol to 1000 yard rifle ranges and pretty much everything in between.
Here is a pic of the silhouette range...chickens @ 220 yards, pigs @330, turkeys @ 420 and rams @550.
http://i.imgur.com/vF5dBCc.jpg
We most recently shot a special bi-monthly semi Auto military silhouette match with our Swedish Ljungmans. Despite having to go up against Garands and M1A match models, we did respectably. He got 27/40 and I got 23/40.
32556
I know what you mean about "old eyes". Mine started going at about 50 and after I turned 60 it has been a real struggle.
Here is an overhead of the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center, where we shoot...
http://binged.it/LRzsfF
Jeez! Now that is a nice range!!!!!!!!!!! We have a 300 yd. in Jackson NJ. Only 300 in the state. Ft Dix had a 600 & reduced it.
I am indeed lucky to live near this range.
Darreld Walton
09-28-2015, 05:46
Calfed, if I were you for a day or so, I'd pull that A4 that you have apart, install a new barrel, have the works refinished, put it into a new C type stock and shoot the bejeebers out of the thing.
You could put your most recent acquisition into the stock that the A4 used to live in, have IT drilled and tapped for a new base, and hunt the gun, OR, fill those holes for the Lyman with filler screws, find an original rear sight assembly, and put it all up in your original SC stock! True, the gun will always be a d/t'd SC, but so what?
I've got a roomful of 03's, A3's, Garands, carbines, and "stuff" that I always told myself and the wife, were my retirement nestegg. Fact is, I'll most likely "go under" with that room full of rifles intact, and they'll get sold off somewhere a piece at a time for next to, or less than, nothing. So I USE 'em! It's always fun to pull one out at the range. Best day in a long time was several years back when I pulled up to the 200 yard sight-in benches at the old range, where two white-haired gents were passing the day taking a shot or two now and again, and yackin' about "stuff". I set up next to 'em, opened two, two-gun cases, with an A4, an A3, my newest Garand, and an Inland carbine, and I thought that their eyeballs were gonna bug out. Come to find out, both had served in the 101st, in the same Battalion, but different companies, from Tacoa to the end of the war. I didn't fire a shot, but shut up with my ears open, popped open a couple cans of ammo, and turned 'em loose on the rifles. Best day at the range I'd had in a long time, made two new buds, got to hear a bunch of new stories, and went home with a grin that the wife had to chisel off so I could eat my vittles for supper that night!
Do what you want, but, you asked "what to do", and there's MY answer, worth exactly what you paid for it!
Oh, and as for drilling and tapping a Smith Corona.......each gunsmith has their own opinion, BUT, back when I had no idea that there was a problem, I tried to d/t one, only to dull the steel bit and not even break the surface. I put the gun away, and ordered the two flute carbide bit from Brownell's, slipped it in the drill press, and proceeded to cut through that S/C receiver like it was balsa wood!!! It was my "go to" bit for the same job on another S/C, two 1917 "Enfields", and finally dulled it after about ten receivers. I believe that I got my money's worth out of the thing for somewhere around $30, and THAT may be the real reason that a lot of 'smith's don't want to do the "hard'' receivers.
Great story, Darreld, and great advice.
My first order of business is to take the A3 to the range and see how it shoots. My wife is recovering from surgery and I haven't been able to do that. Hoping maybe this week
Agree 100% Darreld, and a great story, dos the get better than that.
Calfed, wife comes first, mine just had a surgery and the weather was great for shooting that week. �� I need to schedule better.
Kurt
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