Local shop has a Nat. Ord 03 for $430, should I buy it

[jjrothWA]

and locate a decent action and swap parts??

Most parts on the NAT ORD. are good used USGI.

What does the brethern say?

[M1Garandy]

One has been sitting in a local shop for a long time at $250-300 with no takers.

[Dave in NGA]

Unless you've got a lead on a A3 action, you're going to have as much in this rifle as you would need to buy yourself a decent 1903A3 rifle. Now if you have to pay someone to switch out parts and the headspace doesn't come up right then you might be out more than the cost of an original rifle. I'd say this deal depends upon how much of the work you can do yourself and how much risk you're prepared to take.

[chuckindenver]

unsafe to fire with live ammo

[Tom]

Why?

unsafe to fire with live ammo

Why is that Chuck? I've never read about them failing.

[musketshooter]

I believe there have been numerous tests of these and none failed. THe major draw-back its that they have no clip slots so the can't be loaded with chargers.

[Tuna]

No that's not the major draw back with them, it's the receivers. Some were made from scraped cut receivers, some were made from cast receivers that were never properly heat treated. They are not considered to be safe and that is why Chuck said don't fire them.

[Tom]

Hey musketshooter. Are those muskets in your picture? Or is that a gunstore?

[dave]

430 is allot of money for parts, more then half of cost of a decent GI 03A3!

[Jeff L]

The receivers are cast, not forged steel. Take a pass on it.

[chuckindenver]

now youv seen some that have failed.

[barretcreek]

That is some crystallized steel.

[Doug Douglass]

Great drill rifle for shooting salute blanks......worth very little.

[chuckindenver]

my mentor gunsmith, used to make 22 hornet, 22 mag, and a 410 shot shell rifle, that shot 3 buckshot...low pressure was fine..when he died a few years ago, i got the 6 he made, and cut them up, Max was a neet guy, but didnt want them being made back into high power rifles again.. iv seen some made into reinactor rifles, set up for blanks...

[Jiminvirginia]

Thats a mess

Looks like the first two pictures are the same rifle, not sure about the third. I wonder about a couple of other factors like who and how the receiver was drilled for scope mounts. Would also wonder about the ammo used. I have a feeling there is really more to the story.....