Author Topic: Mark I (Read 652 times)

jvs · « **on:** March 26, 2006, 03:07:36 PM »

I have an opportunity to buy a Springfield 03A3 Sporter. It has a Bishop Stock, a Douglas Barrel and Redfield Peeps. The Blueing is good, the Bore is clean and shiny and the Trigger is crisp. The stock has some minor dings, but I think they can be lifted with steam. This rifle was put together in the 60's and never saw action in the woods, only on the Bench where it is said to hold a good group. Serial # is 1,11X,XXX

The asking price for me is $300. Is this a good deal? I figure it is since anything new would cost alot more and I also believe these actions and barrels may have better quality compared to what you get today.

PaulS · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2006, 09:36:22 PM »

$300 for a 30-'06? Yep! I would buy it at that price and I already have two.
Mine both have the military issue actions and barrels but from there they are no longer military in looks or materials. They shoot sub MOA groups consistently and show no signs of wearing out.

jvs · « **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2006, 10:56:20 PM »

Do you have an opinion of the Smith Corona actions? I have been toying with the idea of getting one of those also.

PaulS · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2006, 09:29:11 PM »

You mean the Springfield actions that were made by Smith Corona? They were all Springfields made to the same specs. The ones made by Smith Corona are fewer and farther between and I think before I modified one I would check to see what they are worth in military trim. Some of those old mil-spec rifles are worth more in the original condition than they are as custom guns. If you have a Remington or Smith Corona Rifle you have a WWII era rifle made from the same tooling that was used at Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal and most were 03A3 or 03A4 type Rifles. These are the good ones as the armorers that put them together were well trained and took pride in making the best weapon they could. The parts are well made and they were fit better than the first series were from either of the armories before WWII.

jvs · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2006, 12:33:25 AM »

I have to admit that I am now taking a cram course on the history of the Mark I. It appears to me that Remington and Smith Corona made more Mark I's than the Springfield Armory did, and if you figure on the first 800,000 that had heat treatment issues for the receivers, the Springfield manufactured rifles are a little more rare than the others. Of course that would not include the Sniper Rifle or the NRA edition, plus some other tweaks that were made.

It is my understanding that most of the first <800,000 made by Springfield were scrapped after being turned in. After 800,000> the specs changed to double treatment for the recievers, which kept them from blowing up and injuring the GI when being fired. Remington and Smith Corona had no such issues since the receiver treatment was well in place by that time.

I have also found that some models of the Mark I are definitely worth alot more in original condition than others. But I am only interested in buying one that may have been Sporterized in the past by someone else. If I had a Mark I in original condition, I would never do anything to it. And if I had one with a number below 800,000, I wouldn't fire it.

PaulS · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2006, 01:01:13 PM »

I know what you mean about the first 800000. My smith checked mine to see if there was a problem with the heat treating when I wanted it drilled and tapped for a scope. It is way out of the range but it is a fine rifle. The other 03A3 that I have is a poorly done job that I will eventually fix. It was worked over by a real amature - the bolt handle was turned and welded and broke off and was rewelded and brok off again - I am going to fin a new bolt for it and put on a ne barrel - true the action and get the thing right. But that is in the future. I am working on a pair of matched target / dueling pistols in 45 Colt. I have the barrels and looking for a design that is close to the old Stevens 22 target tip-up singles. I am building these from scratch making the frame and action. The barrels will be fitted to a block (or the blocks fitted to the barrels) and a latch to hold them closed when shooting. Standard half cock safety and full length firing pin spring loaded to the rear will keep the loaded round safe. No real details worked out yet but I have a few initial drawings to fit things and try different ideas.

jvs · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2006, 10:01:17 PM »

From what I can gather when reading about the early Mark I's from Springfield, it all came down to if it was sunny or cloudy on the day when receivers were being treated. Apparently the 'old hands' they hired to do the treating only went by the glowing color of the metal when determining when the receiver was at the right temperature. They did not compensate for how the metal glowed on sunny days as opposed to cloudy days. If a trained eye did not see the proper glow, it went back into the treatment furnace, which lead to overtreating and crystalizing of some of the components in the steel, which in turn lead to receivers exploding when fired.

A few GI's lost eyes when the bolts were blown backwards, others were more critically injured and I think there was one death.

By 800,000 the problem was solved and receiver failure was down to much less than 1 : 100,000. Now the problem is: of all Mark I's that survived and have numbers under 800,000, which ones were treated on sunny days. I spotted a Mark I with a number under 800,000 on one the Gun Auction sites the other day, so I know some survived.