Author Topic: 03 Springfield (Read 4359 times)

old03 · « **on:** July 12, 2007, 06:57:57 AM »

Hello, I'm new to the forums and am looking for a bit of advice.
I have a 1903 Springfield that has been partially sporterized and I'm going to finish the job up. The stock is a cut down military stock and is quite frankly very ugly. The barrel without question shot out. This gun was brought back from Europe by my grandfather who was a rancher is the Texas hill country. It was given to my Dad when he was old enough to hunt, Dad gave it to me when I was old enough to hunt. I used it as a hunting rifle (with iron sights) for more than 10 years before I bought a Remington 788 to replace it with. After my Grandfather passed away we began leasing the hunting rights to the ranch, this has been going on for about 5 or 6 years. At a recent family get together with all the grandkids (my uncle has two sons) we've decided to stop leasing and start hunting it ourselves. I would really like to re-start hunting with grandads old 03.

The value as a collectors item is meaningless to me, I couldn't ever sell it. In its current state its safe to shoot (serial number 807XXX) but I'm lucky to group 12 inches at 50 yards. I used to be able to group 3 or 4 inches at 50 yards, the gun slowly got more inaccurate as time went by. Inspection of the bore clearly shows worn rifling.

I bought a herters semi finished stock on e-bay, the seller referred me to this site (35rem)

anyone have a barrel recommendation, I want to go with .270 cal.
Has anyone had experience with the "bent" bolts from Numrich, or would it be better to have my own modified?
Does anyone know a good gunsmith East of Dallas?

Mikey · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2007, 01:01:46 AM »

old03: have the original bolt modified. Any other bolt would have to be fitted to the rifle. As for your worn rifling - I have seen bores that were so shiny as to make it nearly impossible to even see the rifling, yet they shot better than a new rifle.

If you are experiencing shotgun like patterns at 50 yds with that rifle I would sfirst suggest the following: (1) clean the barrel like you have never cleaned it before. Use a product that gets out copper fouling, and there are a couple of good ones on the market. If you wonder if you have copper fouling, take a couple of patches, soak them in windex and run them down the tube - if they come back out blue/green, ya gots the 'copper'..... and that need to be cleaned out; and, (2) check all your screws and make certain they are tight.

I would try these first before installing the new stock and if she shoots better then you are on the right track.

270?

? If you clean the copper out of the barrel and find she shoots better and groups well, why6 rebarrel??? Mikey.

Nobade · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2007, 02:10:56 PM »

I concur. Use some Wipe Out on it and see what happens.

Rangr44 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 13, 2007, 03:26:49 PM »

After you clean it to within an inch of your life, inspect both the muzzle's crown and the last half-inch of the rifling.

If anything's wrong with the crown - ding(s), uneven-ness, etc - either you or a gunsmith can do a quick recrowning job.

If the rifling is worn away at the muzzle, say from cleaning rod wear, whatever - then shorten the barrel to 22", recrown it & remount the front sight (if you want to keep it).

old03 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2007, 04:03:49 PM »

Trust me guys this things been cleaned, I tried all that 10 years ago before I left it in the back of the gun safe.
Besides I really have my heart set on a .270.

old03 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2007, 01:09:32 PM »

Well I dropped it off today at a gunsmith, he's backlogged for a month but I'm sure it will be worth the wait. I'm having a douglas barrel put on it.

Mikey · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2007, 01:10:15 AM »

old03: There is a good article in this month's American Rifleman about the USMC sniper rifles used in WWII and Korea; it is well worth the read. Mikey.

old03 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2007, 12:09:42 PM »

Here's some progress on the stock. The top is a herters stock, This arrived to me with the original box postmarked July 18th, 1973.
The plastic end cap and grip cap are not going to be used. the lower two pics are the stock sanded, shaped and with ebony end caps and grip cap installed.

35Rem · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:21:09 AM »

Awsome, it's looking good.

old03 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2007, 12:08:39 PM »

I finally got the receiver back from my gunsmith today, Here's a few pics. Its got a new Douglas barrel in .270 win, the lugs were lapped, bolt face squared, timney trigger installed and set (very crisp 4 lb pull), low scope safety and a new bolt handle welded on.

I'm pretty stoked and now begins the process of fitting it to the stock.

35Rem · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2007, 08:11:29 AM »

How's it shoot?

old03 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2007, 08:50:39 PM »

Not sure yet, I'm waiting on some Devcon that I ordered to bed the receiver with, I finished inletting the stock and it fits pretty good, I have a few coats of Tru-Oil on it now but its nowhere close to having the pores filled up yet. It will probably be another month before I get it out shooting. I did get my scope in this week. I went with a Burris Signature 3x9x40.

35Rem · « **Reply #12 on:** September 18, 2007, 08:31:56 AM »

Sounds good. Keep us updated. Thanks!

old03 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 24, 2007, 08:08:56 PM »

Got the bedding done, I think its pretty good for a first attempt. I used Devcon Plastic Steel.

old03 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 30, 2007, 11:35:55 AM »

took it to the range today, the barrel is still "in the white" but wanted to make sure everything was right before I had a finish put on. The wind was blowing pretty hard so I didn't try the 100 or 200 yd ranges I just stuck to the 50 yd. see the attached results

35Rem · « **Reply #15 on:** October 01, 2007, 09:51:50 AM »

Maybe, with a little work, you could get that to tighten up!

Just kidding. That's great. I can't wait to see it finished up. You Grand-dad would be proud.

old03 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 01, 2007, 08:56:07 PM »

I'm actually thinking of taking some steel wool to the stock, the high gloss of the tru-oil is just a bit much for me. I'm looking for a way to get a satin finish or semi-gloss. I was thinking of putting a final coat of formby's tung oil on it in a semi or satin. any thoughts?

old03 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 14, 2007, 02:16:39 PM »

Got the finish on the stock about how I want it, but no finish on the steel yet. My gunsmith tells me he's booked until the first of the year.

Mikey · « **Reply #18 on:** October 14, 2007, 03:46:35 PM »

Old03: That is a nice looking set-up you have put together, and it looks like it shoots pretty well. Nice goin'! If you are taking the Tru-Oil finish off with steel wool you may get the satin or semi-gloss finish you want just with the steel wool. I think anything you put on over what is left of the Tru-Oil when you have finished with the steel wool may just bring it back to a high gloss. You can slo try a paste wax after you have steel-wooled the Tru-Oil to see if that gives you a toned (less glossy) down the glossy look.

I have used Danish Tung Oil on stocks before and you can easily get one to a very high gloss, especially if the stock had previously been finished and all the pores in the wood had been filled in with whatever the previous finish was. If you start on a fresh, heretofore previously unfinished stock it is easier to use the tung oil to get to the level of gloss you want. HTH. Mikey.

old03 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2007, 05:40:30 PM »

Your right about the tung oil, I put several coats of Formbys low gloss on it and still had a gloss finish. To solve it I buffed lightly with steel wool and got a totally flat finish, then I buffed it with a soft cloth and got it to a satin. I'm somewhat satisfied with in now but might try some birchwood casey stock wax to finish it off with.

I'm also debating on if I'm going to have it blued with a matt or satin finish, or i might just parkerize it.

Mikey · « **Reply #20 on:** October 15, 2007, 12:25:43 AM »

old03: of course a deep dark blue is going to enhance all the effort you have put into this project, and it will certainly look pretty, but a matt or parkerizing will give you that nice dark non-reflective finish you don't have to worry so much about in the field. Mikey.

Swampman · « **Reply #21 on:** October 20, 2007, 11:18:22 AM »

I sure hate to see a .30-06 converted to a .270.

S.B. · « **Reply #22 on:** November 24, 2007, 04:19:07 PM »

I'm at the same stage with my '03 in .35 Whelen. In the white and needs bluing. So far so good. I used a Ramline camo fiber stock(not affected by weather).

old03 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 01, 2007, 07:23:25 PM »

S.B. I strongly considered a composite stock for the same reason, but decided I wanted the classic look of a wood stock.

post up a pick of yours if you get a chance, mines going hunting tomorrow in the white. Took a week off work and going to the ranch in Brady TX.

S.B. · « **Reply #24 on:** December 02, 2007, 09:38:54 AM »

Here you go:

Hunt 101 is giving me fits?

?

old03 · « **Reply #25 on:** December 08, 2007, 12:26:45 PM »

looks great, I really like the looks of the camo stock. I just got back in town today. Didn't see anything big so I shot a couple of does for meat.

Swampman · « **Reply #26 on:** December 08, 2007, 02:15:31 PM »

The best way to get a great looking satin finish on your Truoil finished stock is to use Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen & Conditioner. It's real easy. I've almost eliminated plastic stocked guns from my collection.

S.B. · « **Reply #27 on:** December 08, 2007, 03:58:55 PM »

I use rotten stone from Brownells?

S.B. · « **Reply #28 on:** May 24, 2008, 02:43:45 PM »

My '03 Whelen is finally done! I put an older Redfield 4X Widefield scope I had down in the shop, on it.

Mikey · « **Reply #29 on:** May 25, 2008, 02:23:36 AM »

S.B. Nice job on the old 03. Nice stock work too, but I would be afraid of setting it down somewhere and not being able to see it..............but that's just me. Mikey.