installing a A3 barrel on a 1903

[kicker]

Is it possible to install a 1903 a3 barrel on a 1903 where it would be indistingualbe. What would have to be done to fit sights.
scott

[gwp]

You could drill and tap the receiver for a Lyman 48 sight. The long slide would be a good choice, but they can be expensive.

[lyman]

you would have to mill or turn the rear of the barrel to accept the 1903 rear sight (they are out there loose in the world)
may need a spacer for the front of the sight base to fit correctly

[Cosine26]

The M1903 barrel has a boss on which the front sight is installed The 03A3 does not use this boss. It has a keeway cut into the barrel into which is installed a key to which the front sight is pinned. An 03 front sight can be installed but it will be necessary to install the key, drill the hole and insert the "stud. movable assembly". An 03A3 front sight can be used but it will obviously not duplicate that of the M1903 front sight.
FWIW

[kicker]

thanks again, just wanted to confirm my thoughts on the subject.
scott

[Darreld Walton]

If you've access to a good machinist, or can do it yourself, it's not a terribly tough job.
There's at least two ways to skin this cat. Machining the breach end of the barrel and making a spacer is one way, for certain. The other would be to mount the unmodified A3 barrel and bore the I.D. of the rear sight fixed base to fit the barrel, and making a spacer.
Honestly, if I were tempted to build such a blatantly mismatched rifle, I'd just go ahead and pop for a new Criterion!

[1903shooter]

Brand New A3 barrel probably at least $150, turn the barrel for an 03 rear sight another $50, find an undamaged rear sight collar (most are damaged from removal) probably another $75, install the rear sight collar at a 'perfect' 12 o'clock, (NOT an easy task). Probably have to repark the completed barrel around another $50. Why bother, you will end up with a rifle that future buyers will turn their nose up at. You can still find new or new condition 1903 barrels for around $300.

[John Beard]

Faking an M'03-A3 barrel onto an M1903 rifle would be extremely challenging. In addition to the aforementioned sight fitment challenges, the manufacturer and barrel date markings behind the front sight would immediately expose the ruse.

J.B.

[Smokeeaterpilot]

I took a 03a3 barrel which had 03 sight bases fixed to it. I still have the barrel but needed the rear sight.

If you're interested in one that has already been milled to accept it and want a shooter barrel shoot me a PM (no pun intended)

[oldtirediron]

Back in the early 1990's I fixed a lot of old worn out 1903"s with terrible barrels on them by installing a 1943 four groove barrel fitted with 1903 front and rear sights on them- This was not a ruse but a way to make a good shooter out of a sow's ear-I am not responsible for what people did with them after I re-barreled them, but those old tomato stakes were in real poor condition, I sandblasted the barrel assembly and you could hardly tell it was an 03A3 barrel on an 1903-I actually had a couple of guys come back several years later and want their guns re-barreled because they were using cheap 150 grain bullets and eroded the throats badly !