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

[chuckindenver]

no...i have several...here the skinny...they are junk., unsafe, big POS...thats the story, no more to it then that.
want to look more into them, second geuss them? be the expert on National Ord. Santa fe arms ???get on it, just think...i told ya...and even showed you pictures,, both failed with factory ammo, case head failures, nothing more... i also have pictures of one that was cut in have with a hand hacksaw..try that with a Remington...they are cast , soft junk...
i can load a Remington A3, so hot it flows the brass case into the bolt face...and it wont blow the top of the ring off...

[Jiminvirginia]

I'm not a big fan of cast parts in a firearm. I think there is too much room for error in the process. Might be ok for low power cartridges.

[blackhawknj]

There were some postings on this board on this topic 3 years ago or so,I just looked them upon Google.
Nothing wrong with cast parts provided you make them correctly-like Bill Ruger did.
These National Ordnance receivers seem to be a commercial version of the Low Number M1903. You could get a good one,you could get a bomb. I have one, about 12 rounds though it, accurate,good shooter.

[mack]

The receivers were made in the north of Spain in the early 60s and are not suitable for firing high-power ammo through. I know that for many years people thought the South El Monte guys had made their stuff in Mexico, but Spain is the correct location. Same folks, as I understand it, who made cheap cast-frames for .25 auto imported "midnight specials" in that same time period. If you own one, either scrap the parts or drive a drill rod into the breech with a ball peen hammer.

If anyone has better info, please post it. This is my understanding from my exposure to them in the 1960s but I am always willing to be corrected, as I have been many times.

[chuckindenver]

these are nothing close to the investment casting of the Rugers...matter fact most modern bolt action rifles are made with Rugers idea, these are sand cast made junk, so out of spec, that most had to have the barrels turned at the shoulder to headspace,
i have taken several down for parts, more then 20. and have seen and heard of well more then 50 examples of failures...
the rifle on the left 2 pictures was one that was on display locally for years, shot with standard factory ammo, rifle on the right failed on the 71st factory round fired, i have many other pictures of these gems failures, and many first hand tails from other shooters that had failures as well. if you choose to second guess this warning...its in your lap... these have a big cavity behind the recoil lug that gives way during case head failure.

[Art]

I agree with the conventional wisdom here. As far as I'm concerned if the barrel has a lot of life in it and you have a line on a good receiver it would be worth $200.00 - $250.00 as a parts gun. I personally wouldn't shoot a low number '03 even thought the chance of a failure is quite low and I would look on a National Ordnance gun as being much, much more risky than a low number '03. I always was a cautious fellow though.

[Jiminvirginia]

I don't have one of these NO's yet but I wonder if they could be converted to safely fire 7.62X39? Wouldn't want to do that with a real 03.

[chuckindenver]

762x39 may be ok, you would have to work on feeding issues..
a note.
i looked close at a undamaged N,O, action...were the first one gave way, i saw cast lines...another weak area....yikes..

[Jiminvirginia]

Wondered about the feeding. I read where a guy did this with a couple of 8mm Mausers. One fed fine, other did not. It seems likeit would work though.

[crossfire]

chuckindenver , not to change the subject but do you still sell drill fixtures for the scope blocks on the 1903 usmc sniper rifle ? I need one.

[chuckindenver]

no, i had a small group made up, sold all but 2, and i use them weekly.. they were very costly to have made...
i offered everyone in the forums a chance at them first before i sold them on Ebay... one guy i know may sell his...ill ask and see, he got frustrated. and just payed me to drill 10 rifles...