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Pulled a couple of my Remington 03A3 Service grades out of the safe for a good cleaning and lubing in preparation for the upcoming season. Whatta Hobby!
03A3.jpg03A3 1.jpg
03A3.jpg03A3 1.jpg
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Fine looking rifles.
In my humble opinion the Model 1903A3 was the best of the Mauser System rifles. I know I'd get an argument from some folks who favor the Swedes but one way or another they are a top end rifle if you have to carry a bolt gun into combat.Last edited by Art; 01-01-2023, 02:14. -
Don't plan on carrying anything into combat ever again. Now , they are but toys for an old dinosaur.Comment
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Well that's obviously all very true for me as well. I have two kinds of firearms, recreational and serious. My serious guns for self defense are modern firearms. The recreational guns are "vintage" firearms. But the statement stands, if I had to use a Mauser type bolt action repeater in 1943-44, when the day of the bolt action repeater was almost done, and had a choice it would be an '03A3 for what I think are some pretty good reasons. Despite its faults, though, my first choice in a bolt action repeater would still be a No4 Lee Enfield.Last edited by Art; 01-06-2023, 01:38.Comment
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I'd pick the '03A3 hands down. The No 4 Enfield has a peep sight -- a great improvement over the sights on it's predecessors, but so does the 03A3. I keep my Remington '03A3 zeroed for cast bullets and use it for small game. My Smith-Corona is zeroed for soft nose full velocity ammo and it's my "loaner" deer rifle.Comment
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The 10 round magazine is an advantage in Volley Fire -- a tactic the British abandoned when their enemies quit standing in serried ranks. The No. 1 MK III* which came out in January of 1916 omitted the volley sights.
Now consider this -- you and I are going to fire 100 rounds as fast as we can -- you have a SMLE, I have a Springfield. We start with loaded magazines. After 5 rounds, I have to reload. You keep firing for another 5 rounds, then you need to reload -- with 5-round clips. At the end of the exercise, I've crammed 19 5-round clips into my rifle, and you've used 18 -- not much difference.Comment
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R. Lee Ermey staged a head to head rapid fire competition between the M1903 and the Lee Enfield. The M1903 got smoked.
Ermey was always entertaining. I miss him.
However, going up against the M1 Garand was a different story.Last edited by Merc; 01-10-2023, 12:47.Comment
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He was entertaining -- but notice how he fumbled reloading, both the Springfield and the Garand. I can reload a Garand a LOT faster than he can.
But to the point -- the scenario he set up is analogous to volley fire -- which was obsolete by 1916.Comment
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It's the aiming that counts."The first gun that was fired at Fort Sumter sounded the death-knell of slavery. They who fired it were the greatest practical abolitionists this nation has produced." ~BG D. UllmanComment
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um,, Vern, the No 1 MK III* was just a change, (LoC) for 1916,
so technically, the No 1 Mk III* did not just come out, as a LoC, (list of changes) they were manufactured without , but some were redone with (and the * barred out) etc etc, others not changed till years later,Comment
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When R Lee was alive, he was a regular CMP shooter for the games matches. After shooting with him in Arizona, I'd say he could load the M1 and 1903 just fine for rapids.
I make sure my reloaded rounds run smooth in my stripper clips. I use the same 30-06 brass for all rifles and my M1's can certainly chew up the rims."The first gun that was fired at Fort Sumter sounded the death-knell of slavery. They who fired it were the greatest practical abolitionists this nation has produced." ~BG D. UllmanComment
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