03A3 and have a question on scope mounting?

[Bigboar]

I have an 03A3 that I picked up for small money and have a question on scope mounting?  I picked up a Redfield JR mount and If I  mount the rear screw the front of the action will have to be drilled and tappped behind the bolt luggs.  I always thought that was a no no, it would weaken the action?  Does anyone have experience with the 03A3 Springfield and scope mounting that can help me?

Thank you,

bigboar

[AtlLaw]

03A3 ... small money

Those are mutually incompatable terms nowadays!

the front of the action will have to be drilled and tappped

That hurts just to read it!  It means the action is not already drilled!

it would weaken the action?

If the receiver ring is properly drilled and tapped, no.

Does anyone have experience with the 03A3 Springfield

Yes, I have an '03 and 03-A3, both unmodified and my 338/06 is built on an '03A1 Action.

and scope mounting that can help me?

I can but...  If that rifle has not been altered pleasepleaseplease don't!    Nowadays all you are doing by "sporterizing" most military rifles is spending time and money to turn a $500 rifle into a $50 rifle!  My 2 cents.

[jvs]

Bigboar,

     I think the first thing you might consider doing is checking the Serial Number and see if you have one that was considered problem receivers.  There were Heat Treating problems in the early manufuacturing of the 03A3's.  It was addressed and straightened out before too long, but unfortunately the bad ones were never taken out of circulation.  Some receivers were known to explode upon firing.  It didn't happen alot, but when it did guys were hurt, some slightly, some seriously....and at least one Mortally when the bolt flew back through his eye and into his skull.

I have an 03A3 .30-06 that was Sporterized in the 1960's, so I don't have to worry about original condition anymore.  Mine has a Military Match Barrel, Redfield Micrometer Peep Sights and a Bishop Monte Carlo Stock.  Which, back in the 1960's, was the Ideal Sporter Rifle that the guys who came back from WWII wanted when they had the "dream rifle' built.   This barrel came from the Philadelphia Navel Yard when they were closing out the Military Match Barrels.   I had it to the Range twice.  With those Peeps it does a pretty good job.

Today there probably isn't a whole lot of mint, original condition 03A3's left.  Either way, it will be a shooter if done right or left alone.  If you Sporterize it, consider just using Peep Sights.  Then you don't have to worry about where the holes are.

[AtlLaw]

I think the first thing you might consider doing is checking the Serial Number and see if you have one that was considered problem receivers.  There were Heat Treating problems in the early manufuacturing of the 03A3's.

Uh, sorry jvs, I think you have your 0's and A's mixed up a bit.  All 03A3's are fine metalergically.  What you are referring to is what is commonly termed as the "low numbered" Springfield 03's.  The ones with serial numbers below something like 800,000 for Springfield manufactured 03's and 250,000 for the ones made by Rock Island.  Don't quote me on those figures, there are plenty of places to look them up on line.

[Rangr44]

03A3's are all "no problem" steel receivered rifles, as AtLaw posted above.

If you should decide to scope it, an alternative is a B-Square No-Gunsmithing mount.

If you're determined to use the JR base, pick your gunsmith very carefully indeed - as more than one super-rock-hard Springfield receiver has been ruined by someone who thought they knew how to D/T "anything", once they did some soft-metal, offshore-made, .22 rifle.

Springfields need to be spot annealed for every screw.  If it's not done, the hole can be drilled alright - but it'll never get tapped, as the taps will break off in the hole every time.
The spot annealing has to be done "just so", or too large an area will be annealed, also ruining the receiver for shooting.

[MGMorden]

As already suggested, if it's not already "messed with", then I'd most assuredly look for something else to modify.  Of course, the rifle you're talking about could already have been sporterized, which is common.  Thought I'm GENERALLY against sporterizing an otherwise unmodified rifle, I actually really like the guns as a finished product, and I have 4 sporterized guns and 1 unbarreled action that will be a gun (again) someday .  All came to me already modified except for 1, which was a Turk Mauser that was very beat up and missing parts.  It's actually a WONDERFUL hobby to find "bubba'd" sporters and actually rescue them and convert them into a nice rifle.

As to the 03-A3 - they are terrible to drill.  My first rifle I ever owned was a sporterized 03A3 that had been setup for aftermarket iron sights rather than a scope.  The first gunsmith I took it to broke 3 drill bits trying to drill it, and after that gave up and returned the gun to me.  The second that I went to acted as if the job was more hassle than it was worth (of course, he's acted like that with every project I've brought him, which is why I don't give him my business anymore).  The third guy I took it to did get it done, but he did comment too that it was a tough action to drill. 

[mannyrock]

Ranger RR,

   I respectfully disagree.  The 03A3 receivers are very hard, but they do not need to be spot annealed to be properly drilled and tapped.  That practice kinda went out in the 1970s.

  By using a proper, modern, super-hard-steel drill bit, a gunsmiith can drill through that receiver like it is butter.   I watched a gunsmith do it.

  But, as you said, he has to pick a very competent experienced gunsmith.

  Also, as with others, I would strongly repeat that if he has an O3A3 in even good condition, he absolutely should not drill and tap it!  These are goinig for $600 to $900 at gunshows now, and if he drills it, he will be turning it into a $150 to $200 gun that may take him years to sell.  He would also be destroying an historical item forever.

   I would suggest that he go to a few large gunshows and look around. He will certainly find a few 03A3s that others have  drilled and tapped (and they later regretted), that he can buy in the $150 to $200 range.  (These are regarded as "old-school" now, and nobody under 50 seems to be even remotely interested in them.)

  Or, sell the 03A3 for $600, and buy a nice used commercial bolt action for $300, and pocket the difference, or buy a good scope with it!.

  Please don't destroy a WWII relic just to shoot a lousy deer.  There are probably about 5 million used rifles out there, for $300, that would do a far better job as a deer rifle.

  Best Regards,

Mannyrock

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