two groove? Military barrel

[milboltnut]

Are the lands really wide? And the grooves really faint? I believe it's a 1903 rec/barrel.


And if any of you are familiar with after market barrels I'd appreciate any input. Do Shilen barrels make two grooves too? I read they did at one time.

[musketjon]

Yes they are wide and shallow. The groove depth is only about .006" deep--that's about the thickness of two sheets of lined writing paper.
Jon

[chuckindenver]

2 groove would be a 1903A3 barrel.
all 1903 barrels are 4 groove

[dave]

I believe Smith-Corona made some 03A3 barrels/rifles with 4 groove. I had one, (once upon a time).

[milboltnut]

so only Remington made 2 groove barrels?

[dave]

Original 03 rifles made by Rem. were 4 groove, went to two groove with the A3. But the A3 was a sort of gradual thing, I think. S-C made A3's only, SOME with 4 groove barrels, (most were 2 groove) 4 groove maybe were acquired left over production from someone else. Get a book, I'm too lazy to check thru mine! S-C 4 groove are very scarce, if not rare! Some time I will look up my original DCM papers on the S-C.

[milboltnut]

Ok cool thanks Dave... Which book should I get?

[Punch the Clown]

Original 03 rifles made by Rem. were 4 groove, went to two groove with the A3. But the A3 was a sort of gradual thing, I think. S-C made A3's only, SOME with 4 groove barrels, (most were 2 groove) 4 groove maybe were acquired left over production from someone else. Get a book, I'm too lazy to check thru mine! S-C 4 groove are very scarce, if not rare! Some time I will look up my original DCM papers on the S-C.

I thought most SC's were 4 groove with some rare 6 grooves?

[p246]

Smith Corona used some commercial 6 groove barrels to get production started with a waiver from big brother.

[Rick the Librarian]

Supposedly SC made a FEW 2-grooved barrels but none have ever turned up to my knowledge. Remington made four-groove barrels until about mid-1943 (although there was apparently considerable overlap in production.

[Cosine26]

My SC 03A3 came with a four groove barrel. I ordered a spare barrel through the DCM a few years ago and it is a four groove barrel. It cost me $0.99. Yep a long time ago!
FWIW

[milboltnut]

My big dilemma was figuring out if shilen makes 2 groove barrels.. they never did. And they only did/do button rifling, so that excludes my sporter having a one of their barrels, it's a Remington A3 barrel. Thanks for all the input.

[Rick the Librarian]

"shilen"?

[dave]

I thought most SC's were 4 groove with some rare 6 grooves?

Ok, now you have me thinking, I did think 6 groove but figured that was too fantasic! Hold on I will search my records and be back. Its been over 50years!
I was correct as to one I had. It is serial 3,698,788, DCM, 4-12-61, $14.50. It is a 4 groove. You may be correct on your thoughts, Its just been too long for me to remember.

[dave]

Ok cool thanks Dave... Which book should I get?

The books I have are very old, much has been learned since and new books have been written. There is a guy who writes articles for Amer. Rifleman on US military rifles, name slips me now but someone will come up with it. He wrote the latest 03 book I believe. Check that one out.