I completely forgot about that until I read your post. I remember slightly doing that years ago for training with honor guard/color guard and basic drill training for JROTC. We had probably about 50 of these 1903's in lockup upstairs. Thanks for the comment.
Search I know that you made this video in 2011 and now it's almost 20/20 in one more hour. A friend of mine whose father had recently passed sold me one of these rifles. She didn't know what to do with it and she was offered $200. I told her hell no I'll give you 1500 even though I don't know anything about it. Even though it sporterized I can't find anything like it anywhere on the internet. But I cannot believe the Machining skills back in 1903. Absolutely meticulous and incredible. But when I go to gun dealers they fluctuate from $200 to 3000 to 5000. Personally I don't think any of them know what the hell they're looking at. God bless you and I hope you have a wonderful New Year.
I hate to say it and I know this video was from a few years back but this one is pretty rough. The "M103" every two secs really got me lol. Usually has awesome content but this one was pretty rough
The swivel at the most forward position, just behind the barrel, was not meant for a sling. It is meant for stacking three rifles up, hence it is called the stacking swivel. The other two swivels are sling swivels.
Hey Sootch. I am not saying this with certainty but I read that the front sling swivel on milsurp rifles is not actually a sling swivel. It is actually a stacking swivel. That is why there is an opening in it. Soldiers would use the opening on one rifle to connect two other rifles when ordered to " Stack.....( wait for the command) ARMS ".
So.... I'm sitting here, watching this video, telling myself, "self, I've never heard anyone call a 1903 - A3 this before." Glad you pointed this out. 🤣😂😅
A couple weeks ago, I read a bunch about the M1903 in an older American Rifleman issue I had laying around. It served capably for decades for both regular army and snipers.Thanks for showing this rifle.
The attachment up front is not for a shoulder strap. It is there so the soldiers could attach it to, two other rifles and stand all three in a tripod fashion.
That split ring just behind the bayonet mount is NOT for a sling it is what is called a stacking swivel. This enabled soldiers to stack their rifles together (with the butt on the ground) simply by interlocking their stacking swivels rather than laying them directly on the ground. The M-1 Garand had the same thing.
I have a 1943 production model of the same rifle. Magnificent shooter. I even managed to find the correct bayonet and scabbard. The only thing I've changed was to have a Marine Corps front sight blade installed which is taller and wider. It drops the overall long distance effective range by a couple hundred yards but greatly improves target acquisition, especially in low light conditions, and quick shooting. You can also un-cock the bolt by holding the trigger in while closing the bolt handle. Extreme care must still be taken if there's a round chambered but there's no chance of the bolt slipping out of your fingers this way.
I've got an heirloom Springfield NRA Sporter made in march 1927. Star gauge match grade barrel, match trigger, Lyman peep sights, and a period offset Weaver 3x scope so the Lyman sights can still be used with the scope still attached. As usual, great video!
I inherited one of these rifles in really great condition. the barrel, bolt etc. were almost unused. I'm certain they were reconditioned back in early to mid 40's and must not have seen much action after. what a fun gun to shoot!
My father bought me one these when I 13-14 years old. I'm 24 now. Too this day this is one of the smoothest functioning rifles Ive ever owned. Great gun. Impressive for the time period for sure
I have one of these that's fresh out of the packing crate. It was made by Remington. The early rifles didn't have heat treated receivers, the later models did.
I love how you even mentioned Brazil. My wife, though she is American, her entire family on her side is Brazilian, and they were there, fighting their hearts out, as well as winning, along side American's and the Allies in many conflicts in Europe during WWII. They remembered with great fondness how much they absolutely loved that rifle in combat, and also continue to have such a deep respect for the US military, as well as made many great friends with US soldiers during that time. This video was a real treat to watch!
I have one of the Remington 1903-A3 I think mine might be older but it has a different peep sight in the rear. Anyway I was under the impression that the 2 groove rifling made it only accurate enough up to 600 yards. I have never tested mine at that distance but it seems fairly accurate with iron sights!
The magazine cutoff was designed so that a soldier could load the rifle with a single cartridge at a time while keeping a full magazine of 5 rounds. The cutoff doesn’t allow the bolt to strip cartridges out of the magazine. This would be handy for long range shooting where you’re loading slower. The cutoff could be turned off when the enemy was closer or you wanted to take more rapid shots.
Bought one 25 yrs ago and shot it yesterday for the first time. Super accurate, kicks like a 5,000lb mule. Needs a recoil pad bad. Can not imagine going to war with it. Very light weight.
Great rifle. I have a World War II M-1903 rebuild -- essentially an older case hardened '03 action that was rebarreled with a parkerized replacement High Standard barrel, older '03 barrel mounted rear sight, a stamped '03-A3 trigger guard and floor plate, older '03 barrel bands, front sight hood, butt plate and stock cap, replacement "scant" stock, Remington '03-A3 bolt, and a commercial M-1907 adjustable sling. I managed to locate a couple dozen original brass charger clips, M-1905 bayonet and scabbard, and a cotton canvas cartridge belt and harness. Various parts of my rebuild could have seen service in the Philippine Insurrection, the 1916 Mexico Expedition, World War I, Haitian Insurgency, Nicaraguan Insurgency, and World War II. Finally, it shoots great. My son and I recently shot it at the MWR range at Fort Jackson -- probably the first time the old Springfield had been back to a military post in 75 years.
Awesome review of the 1903'. BTW, the used of the cartridge blocker was to allow the operator to mount a grenade cup to launch genade using a blank round. Boy i'd love to have one these in my collection
My grandfather had one prior to WWI during the Mexican Campaign trying to kill/capture Pancho Villa on the border. His unit was called up to active duty during WWI and he was fighting the Germans. He was awarded 2 silver stars along with other medals. He never talked about his service, but my Dad told me that he was a Lt. and that he had many horses shot out from under him, but he continued to advance his men. He flew down from Pa in 1982 for our wedding, oxygen and all. He was my hero.
It's soooo much fun to fire one of these on a line with other rifles. Heads turn around and you can see guys going 'what the heck was that'??! I have an all original M1 version of the 1903 that is in excellent shape and so much fun to shoot. Great vid, and that rifle of yours is in beautiful shape.
I believe the official designation is "U.S. Rifle Caliber 30 M1903-A3" and was produced by Springfield, Remington, and Smith-Corona. After production ceased many surplus parts were sold to National Ordnance who produced their own receiver and built rifles for sale commercially. He said his was a Remington so I looked at my Remington and on the receiver is "U.S. Remington Model 03-A3."
The M1903 was originally chambered in .30-03. It was a short lived round that fired a 220 grain round nose. They shortened the neck and replaced the 220 grain with a 150 grain bullet and reclassified it as .30-06.
One of the many rifles left me by my grandfather. This 1903-a3 however had been “sport-eriZed cutting off the back of the stock and losing the top of the stock. I ordered replacement stocks, and in the meantime restored the steel which was rusted with some bronze wool. Not a speck of rust was left and all the green and Black parkerizing was still beautifully in place. After the new stock, and authentic but plate, and an authentic cleaning kit, It looks too good to shoot. But when I took it out for the first time I put a full clip within a 2 1/2 inch circle! 50 feet away! And I am not your best shot It may sound strange, the only thing I wish you would do for me, it’s tell me where it’s been and what it’s done.
My 1903 is about the smoothest bolt gun I have ever shot. Funny how some people think a lever gun is faster but this gun will out-do any lever gun made.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It was very informative and I really liked seeing the 1903 in action. I hope to own an operational one myself one day! I look forward to your next video!
If I'm not mistaken the reason why the rifle handles so well is that it's weight is equally balanced. Probably why they still use if for ceremonies where they do the fancy rifle spinning drills.
Sootch00, Forget the Rem 700 for a moment. TONS of "sporterized" 1903A3's that are scoped. I picked up a tack driver with a Redfield 2x7 in NRA Very good. $225 out the door. I now have 3 of these for less that $1,000. Fantastic prepper rifle.
Most of the parts on the 1903A3 were stamped. If there were machined parts used, they were left over from WWI production. Remington was commissioned just before we entered the war to produce these rifles, to supplement the lack of Garands amongst the troops, and were given the left-over tooling that was owned by the government to do so. Remington was the sole manufacturer of 1903A3s
It will absolutely handle pretty much any 30-06 round you can throw at it. Its a mauser style action with massive dual opposing locking lugs... actions don't come much stronger than that. The only thing you need to look out for is very early M1903's (rifles without the rear aperture sight). Within a certain range of production the actions might be brittle due to poor heat treating at the factory. Just to be safe most people say not to fire M1903's within that serial number range.
Sweet rifle. I love the American arms that were manufactured around WWII. This rifle, the M1 Garand, and the M1 Carbine are on my gun bucket list. Thanks for the vid.
@AntiBSGroup yeh . i love the feel of when you pull the bolt back, and you hear everything click into place . and just the fact that my great grandfather fought and lived using a Lee endfeild . i have the bayonet that he used too .104 years old now
The early 03's were made from plain old carbon steel. Some early rifles had brittle receivers due to improperly heat treatment (got too hot) and some receivers shattered. Around 1918 they were double heat treated. Keep in mind that some of these guns have seen many rounds with the original receiver and bolt so please be cautious. Pressures for modern ammo exced ammo for what this rifle was intenended for.
the 30.06 is a rimless cartridge, while the 7.62r like the .303 British, are rimmed cartridges. plus the dimensions of the cartridges themselves are vastly different. It's not hard to go to google images and compare the two.
Jacob, during the years after the Springfield was issued and well into the middle of the century and WWII, scopes on military rifles were only issued to snipers. Almost everyone used iron sights, even expert marksmen in the military. The M1903 was capable of going out past 1000 yards using iron sights, if the marksman was proficient-enough and had the necessary visual acuity. One competitor at Camp Perry in the 1920s scored more than 25 straight bull's-eyes at 1000 yds. w/ iron sights only.
@Jesses001 I agree. The M1903 is essentially a reverse-engineered Spanish Mauser and as such is beautifully made and highly accurate. The Lee-Enfield is more rugged and has a smoother action. The British proudly point out that by the height of WWII, a British Tommy could get off 30 accurate shots a minute, which is extremely impressive for a bolt action rifle firing stripper clips (especially considering that the British packed .303 in 5-rd clips for a 10-rd magazine).
Yep I got one early WWII update, the m103 thing don't feel bad happens to the best of us. Mine has a warn out magazine and was a part gun other than barrel and bolt, I still love it magnificent rifle. As good for hunting as it was for war in the right hands deadly accurate out to a mile is the moto.
MrDF, our soldiers and Marines did indeed use Springfield rifles during WWI against the Kaiser's forces, but they weren't M1903A3s - but simply M1903s. The A3 variant didn't come along until WWII. The M1903 contained no stamped metal parts; everything was forged or milled from solid steel; the M1903A3, on the other hand, made use of some stamped parts to save on costs, labor and time of manufacture.
The Marines on Guadalcanal used mostly Springfields; very few Garands made it into USMC units before that battle, which took place predominantly in 1942.
i believe its a sporting stock. its just the under with no handguard. i have one thats the same way- no bands, just the pistol grip handle made of walnut. the whole top of the barrel is exposed. it also came with a redfield iron sight, looks like a scope could screw inside, but i just dont know enough to be sure!
We're talking about area suppression here, indirect fire, not about aimed shots. Doesn't matter how well trained you are, if your sight post appears to be several times wider than your target and you struggle to see it, you're going to have a hard time trying to hit it. Now obviously, if the target is big enough (I'm stressing big enough) and you're good enough you may as well pull a 25 long streak:)
you right, but only up until 1906, the first varient of the rifle fired the 30.03,but in 1906 they were all rechambered to fire the new 30.06, which is what the1903 and 1903A3 shoot today
Beautiful rifle.. I have not run through the comment so i do not know if anyone has updated you..Stacking swivelis the loop by the bayonet lug. The switch or lever on the side is the magazine cut-offI. It keeps a full magazine on hand while indiviualy loading for Volley fire. Love your videos
my grandfather served in Guadalcanal and said he had to use the POS 1903A3(his words not mine) he called it that because the US Army came latter in the battle and they had the M1 Grande.
JetMech, interesting to hear that your 1903s jammed. Ever find out why? It could be that your teams were using modern, commercial blanks with higher chamber pressure than mil-spec rounds, and thus greater expansion of the cases in the chamber upon firing. Modern, non-military 30-06 has thinner brass than mil-spec stuff...
@HatrXx78 10 round mag mostly and the accuracy is awesome not saying the 1903 are not accurate. the SMLE are used to this day making it the longest serving military bolt-action rifle still in official service. It was also used by the brits as a sniper rifle(in 7.62) till the 90's when they swaped it for the L96/AW. Also Im aussie and so its kinda like how you guys feel about the 1903's or the germans feel about the k98's Knight.
I used to toss this rifle around in boot camp. It was very well balanced. I could do the 16 count manual with it. It was in rather beaten an battered shape though. Never fired it.
The Magazine Cut-off is an artifact of an obsolete 19th century doctrine which advocated training riflemen to use their rifles primarily as single-shot weapons except in emergency close combat when he could access the rounds in the mag by flipping the magazine cut-off lever.
Fpopee, your '03 might be "sporterized," meaning someone took a stock surplus 1903A3 after the war and cut it down for use as a hunting or target rifle. A common fate for surplus 1903s at one time. You can purchase a historically-correct replica stock if you choose. A number of vendors have them.
Had the opportunity to look at one of these at my local gun store while looking for a mosin. I wanted it so badly but i don't have the $800 right now for it
the safety on my bolt is the opposite way. My bolt handle is also swept back a bit more. the bottom of my floor plate is also smooth, no bump. Also mine has a remington style bolt but the cocker is a smith corona style based on what I have seen. not sure whats up with mine but it seems it has been heavily modified or something by the last owner. my receiver is also drilled and tapped
Sounds like the previous owner sporterized it a bit by adding their own personal preferences. Its nothing new, Springfields are one of the most common military rifles to be sporterized. Personally I would never do something like that to an old piece of history like the Springfield. But back in the day it was common to do it because Springfields were so common and cheap after the World Wars!
The inverted safety was common on the National Match models for competition shooting - kept the switch from being in the shooter's face if he had a particular cheek weld. The original 1903 floor plates were milled, rather than stamped like the 03A3s, which might mean your rifle has a replacement floor plate and trigger guard from an older M1903. It may just be a bit of a parts gun, if it seems like bits and pieces from here and there.
My grandmother has a A3 in her closet but someone has removed the entire front half of the wooden stock, you can see where it was roughly sawed off, i dont know who did it or why but i was wondering if i could fix this?
@robin6512 for the most part i am. but there are differences throughout the 3 main bolt rifles of ww2 and 1 . if they could combine the k 98, lee-enfeild and m1903 .they would make a rifle that could beat any modern rifle hands down . ( that is bolt action of course )
Where did you get such a BEAUTIFUL 1903A3?????????? The bluing and the stock are nearly 100% I only noticed maybe three or so gouges in the stock. Even the buttplate was around 70-80%! Any leads on where to find one in this condition would be appreciated! Great video. Don't worry about the incorrect statement on the rifles designation. You caught it, and clearly beat yourself up a bit afterwards. We ALL have our "brain farts." It usually happens at the worst possible time too.lol
I have a 1903, but the magazine plate is machined. On this rifle it seems to be stamped. Did't the 1903 A3 have a machined plate? Mine does not have the rear sight behind the bolt. What do I have?
You have what you stated: a M1903. Beginning with the M1903-A3 was the rear sight moved to the back. And, no, the M1903 A3 did not have a machined plate. It in fact used stamped metal to make production easier and this changeover occurred back with the later M1903 when manufacturers moved from milled metal parts to stamp metal to speed up production. If you have milled parts on your M1903,, then it is one of the earlier production before the gradual change to stamp metal.
According to Filipino veterans at the beginning of World War II the US and Filipino troops in the Philippines were carrying Springfield and Winchester rifles. I think this is that exact gun. There were very few garands (M 1) which for them was very amazing because it is semi auto. They were aware that they were not given the most modern weapons which later on turned out to be sent to Europe first. At the later part of the war modern weapons started arriving to the guerrillas. I'm curious what those exact weapons are, they were just generally called carbin, thompson, but no specifics on what kind of carbine or thompson.
ponyongberdugo, the Thompson submachine gun and Krag lever action 35 carbine were smuggled in by submarine. The Krag 35 was a Calvary carbine that was in arsenal and available at the beginning of the war. The Thompson was scarce but limited supply was made available. Many Colt 38 cal revolvers were sent and winchester 12gauge shotguns. Later the M1 carbine were made available. Though not officially noted a considerable amount of non- military firearms were smuggled also, consisting of 22lr and 32cal rifles and pistols and some single barrel shotguns.
Waynehn, by "this rifle," you mean an M1903 Springfield, right? If so, standard-issue government surplus 150-grain ball (FMJ) will do more than work at 200 yards. Soldiers issued the '03 were expected to shoot accurately - using only iron sights - out past 500 yards, and the very best could go out past 1000 yards (esp. using heavier loads). The M1903 is renown as one of the most-accurate bolt-action rifles ever made - a reputation it still carries today. A scope only makes it better.
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Just a point of note: that upper swivel is a stacking swivel for connecting 3 rifles together in a tripod, it is not for a sling.
I completely forgot about that until I read your post. I remember slightly doing that years ago for training with honor guard/color guard and basic drill training for JROTC. We had probably about 50 of these 1903's in lockup upstairs. Thanks for the comment.
I too was on the drill team, honor guard and color guard in military boarding school. That rifle is in stellar condition, in my opinion.
@sootch00, that forward " sling point " is actually a stacking swivel.
Search I know that you made this video in 2011 and now it's almost 20/20 in one more hour. A friend of mine whose father had recently passed sold me one of these rifles. She didn't know what to do with it and she was offered $200. I told her hell no I'll give you 1500 even though I don't know anything about it. Even though it sporterized I can't find anything like it anywhere on the internet. But I cannot believe the Machining skills back in 1903. Absolutely meticulous and incredible. But when I go to gun dealers they fluctuate from $200 to 3000 to 5000. Personally I don't think any of them know what the hell they're looking at. God bless you and I hope you have a wonderful New Year.
I hate to say it and I know this video was from a few years back but this one is pretty rough. The "M103" every two secs really got me lol. Usually has awesome content but this one was pretty rough
The swivel at the most forward position, just behind the barrel, was not meant for a sling. It is meant for stacking three rifles up, hence it is called the stacking swivel. The other two swivels are sling swivels.
Hey Sootch. I am not saying this with certainty but I read that the front sling swivel on
milsurp rifles is not actually a sling swivel. It is actually a stacking swivel. That is why there
is an opening in it. Soldiers would use the opening on one rifle to connect two other rifles
when ordered to " Stack.....( wait for the command) ARMS ".
Repeat after me... "em nineteen-oh-three ay-three" :o)
Thank you 😂😂😂😂😂
Yes, thank you from me as well. Half of the sling is inside out, as well.
So.... I'm sitting here, watching this video, telling myself, "self, I've never heard anyone call a 1903 - A3 this before." Glad you pointed this out. 🤣😂😅
Nice Video. I myself have a Springfield 1903A1 and I am more than satisfied with this excellent rifle. Best regards from Germany!
A couple weeks ago, I read a bunch about the M1903 in an older American Rifleman issue I had laying around. It served capably for decades for both regular army and snipers.Thanks for showing this rifle.
I won the Scot trophy in the early sixties with a modified o3a3 . First round I shot a perfect score at 600 yards . Great rifle!
The attachment up front is not for a shoulder strap. It is there so the soldiers could attach it to, two other rifles and stand all three in a tripod fashion.
That split ring just behind the bayonet mount is NOT for a sling it is what is called a stacking swivel. This enabled soldiers to stack their rifles together (with the butt on the ground) simply by interlocking their stacking swivels rather than laying them directly on the ground. The M-1 Garand had the same thing.
I have a 1943 production model of the same rifle. Magnificent shooter. I even managed to find the correct bayonet and scabbard. The only thing I've changed was to have a Marine Corps front sight blade installed which is taller and wider. It drops the overall long distance effective range by a couple hundred yards but greatly improves target acquisition, especially in low light conditions, and quick shooting.
You can also un-cock the bolt by holding the trigger in while closing the bolt handle. Extreme care must still be taken if there's a round chambered but there's no chance of the bolt slipping out of your fingers this way.
Or you could just grip the striker thats behind the bolt handle
That blade front sight looks like it has a bead on top. If so, it is not original.
Great review. There is alot of history in your hands.
I've got an heirloom Springfield NRA Sporter made in march 1927. Star gauge match grade barrel, match trigger, Lyman peep sights, and a period offset Weaver 3x scope so the Lyman sights can still be used with the scope still attached.
As usual, great video!
I inherited one of these rifles in really great condition. the barrel, bolt etc. were almost unused. I'm certain they were reconditioned back in early to mid 40's and must not have seen much action after. what a fun gun to shoot!
You lost me as soon as you called it an M103a3. Sad. A M103 is a tank.
It might be a tank, you never know people are getting very clever these days. :D
lol
You mean m1903 Springfield
What a beauty that rifle is.
i shot one of these and an M1 Garand a few weeks ago. its a beautiful weapon.
My father bought me one these when I 13-14 years old. I'm 24 now. Too this day this is one of the smoothest functioning rifles Ive ever owned. Great gun. Impressive for the time period for sure
carried my dads 03 A3 in my patrol car for years to fill the void in dept issue armament. what a driver, good to see its not forgotten.
I have one of these that's fresh out of the packing crate.
It was made by Remington.
The early rifles didn't have heat treated receivers, the later models did.
For those wondering... you can easily get a front sight hood. They clip right on. You can still find original pre-WW2 units for under 15 bucks.
Now you made me want to go shoot my Garand.
The A3 is a great rifle, and the effect Cosmoline had on that finish is just great.
I love how you even mentioned Brazil. My wife, though she is American, her entire family on her side is Brazilian, and they were there, fighting their hearts out, as well as winning, along side American's and the Allies in many conflicts in Europe during WWII. They remembered with great fondness how much they absolutely loved that rifle in combat, and also continue to have such a deep respect for the US military, as well as made many great friends with US soldiers during that time. This video was a real treat to watch!
The snake has smoked, mate
Mine is a Smith Corona 03-A3 receiver November 1944 barrel HR 1944. Still shoots great
I have one of the Remington 1903-A3 I think mine might be older but it has a different peep sight in the rear. Anyway I was under the impression that the 2 groove rifling made it only accurate enough up to 600 yards. I have never tested mine at that distance but it seems fairly accurate with iron sights!
I’ve got a 1903A3 and 1903A4 with a Weaver Scope ( the scope was made in my city El Paso , Texas )
Beautiful weapons !!
This tops my list of "want to get" bolt action rifles. Nice video.
The magazine cutoff was designed so that a soldier could load the rifle with a single cartridge at a time while keeping a full magazine of 5 rounds. The cutoff doesn’t allow the bolt to strip cartridges out of the magazine. This would be handy for long range shooting where you’re loading slower. The cutoff could be turned off when the enemy was closer or you wanted to take more rapid shots.
Bought one 25 yrs ago and shot it yesterday for the first time. Super accurate, kicks like a 5,000lb mule. Needs a recoil pad bad. Can not imagine going to war with it. Very light weight.
When my grandfather ordered his upon his return from WW2 it came in a block of cosmoline... good times.
Great rifle. I have a World War II M-1903 rebuild -- essentially an older case hardened '03 action that was rebarreled with a parkerized replacement High Standard barrel, older '03 barrel mounted rear sight, a stamped '03-A3 trigger guard and floor plate, older '03 barrel bands, front sight hood, butt plate and stock cap, replacement "scant" stock, Remington '03-A3 bolt, and a commercial M-1907 adjustable sling. I managed to locate a couple dozen original brass charger clips, M-1905 bayonet and scabbard, and a cotton canvas cartridge belt and harness.
Various parts of my rebuild could have seen service in the Philippine Insurrection, the 1916 Mexico Expedition, World War I, Haitian Insurgency, Nicaraguan Insurgency, and World War II.
Finally, it shoots great. My son and I recently shot it at the MWR range at Fort Jackson -- probably the first time the old Springfield had been back to a military post in 75 years.
I remember having to take apart the bolt in JROTC back in high school on one of these bad boys (M1903A3).
Wildest narration I've ever heard.
Awesome review of the 1903'. BTW, the used of the cartridge blocker was to allow the operator to mount a grenade cup to launch genade using a blank round. Boy i'd love to have one these in my collection
Incorrect, it was for single shot firing
My grandfather had one prior to WWI during the Mexican Campaign trying to kill/capture Pancho Villa on the border. His unit was called up to active duty during WWI and he was fighting the Germans. He was awarded 2 silver stars along with other medals. He never talked about his service, but my Dad told me that he was a Lt. and that he had many horses shot out from under him, but he continued to advance his men. He flew down from Pa in 1982 for our wedding, oxygen and all. He was my hero.
It's soooo much fun to fire one of these on a line with other rifles. Heads turn around and you can see guys going 'what the heck was that'??! I have an all original M1 version of the 1903 that is in excellent shape and so much fun to shoot. Great vid, and that rifle of yours is in beautiful shape.
Nice video...I'm working on getting one of these and an M1 Garand. Love these classic, historical rifles. Just have to dig up the 30-06 to shoot them!
I believe the official designation is "U.S. Rifle Caliber 30 M1903-A3" and was produced by Springfield, Remington, and Smith-Corona. After production ceased many surplus parts were sold to National Ordnance who produced their own receiver and built rifles for sale commercially. He said his was a Remington so I looked at my Remington and on the receiver is "U.S. Remington Model 03-A3."
The M1903 was originally chambered in .30-03. It was a short lived round that fired a 220 grain round nose. They shortened the neck and replaced the 220 grain with a 150 grain bullet and reclassified it as .30-06.
One of the many rifles left me by my grandfather. This 1903-a3 however had been “sport-eriZed cutting off the back of the stock and losing the top of the stock.
I ordered replacement stocks, and in the meantime restored the steel which was rusted with some bronze wool. Not a speck of rust was left and all the green and Black parkerizing was still beautifully in place.
After the new stock, and authentic but plate, and an authentic cleaning kit, It looks too good to shoot. But when I took it out for the first time I put a full clip within a 2 1/2 inch circle! 50 feet away! And I am not your best shot
It may sound strange, the only thing I wish you would do for me, it’s tell me where it’s been and what it’s done.
Fantastic old rifle . My only complaint is that the bolt isn't as smooth as most , but honestly , the accuracy on it is outstanding.
My 1903 is about the smoothest bolt gun I have ever shot. Funny how some people think a lever gun is faster but this gun will out-do any lever gun made.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It was very informative and I really liked seeing the 1903 in action. I hope to own an operational one myself one day! I look forward to your next video!
If I'm not mistaken the reason why the rifle handles so well is that it's weight is equally balanced. Probably why they still use if for ceremonies where they do the fancy rifle spinning drills.
Sootch00, Forget the Rem 700 for a moment. TONS of "sporterized" 1903A3's that are scoped. I picked up a tack driver with a Redfield 2x7 in NRA Very good. $225 out the door. I now have 3 of these for less that $1,000. Fantastic prepper rifle.
2500 yards, that I did not know, that is sick. Great rifle, I have had a couple over the years but not in as nice of shape as yours. Great review Don.
Most of the parts on the 1903A3 were stamped. If there were machined parts used, they were left over from WWI production. Remington was commissioned just before we entered the war to produce these rifles, to supplement the lack of Garands amongst the troops, and were given the left-over tooling that was owned by the government to do so. Remington was the sole manufacturer of 1903A3s
It will absolutely handle pretty much any 30-06 round you can throw at it. Its a mauser style action with massive dual opposing locking lugs... actions don't come much stronger than that. The only thing you need to look out for is very early M1903's (rifles without the rear aperture sight). Within a certain range of production the actions might be brittle due to poor heat treating at the factory. Just to be safe most people say not to fire M1903's within that serial number range.
Stacking swivel is behind bayonet lug. Not a sling mount. Same as M-1 Garand.
I like those sights. I wish they still made rifles like those.
Sweet rifle. I love the American arms that were manufactured around WWII. This rifle, the M1 Garand, and the M1 Carbine are on my gun bucket list. Thanks for the vid.
Love the 1903 and 1903A3... Enjoyed the video!
@AntiBSGroup yeh . i love the feel of when you pull the bolt back, and you hear everything click into place . and just the fact that my great grandfather fought and lived using a Lee endfeild . i have the bayonet that he used too .104 years old now
The forward swivel is a stacking swivel, not an alternate sling swivel.
I have fired a Springfield 1903A3 rifle and I had a very sore shoulder that day and the next day.
I learned something new! What the heck that open sling swivel is at the front of some rifles. A stacking stud!
The early 03's were made from plain old carbon steel. Some early rifles had brittle receivers due to improperly heat treatment (got too hot) and some receivers shattered. Around 1918 they were double heat treated. Keep in mind that some of these guns have seen many rounds with the original receiver and bolt so please be cautious. Pressures for modern ammo exced ammo for what this rifle was intenended for.
the 30.06 is a rimless cartridge, while the 7.62r like the .303 British, are rimmed cartridges. plus the dimensions of the cartridges themselves are vastly different. It's not hard to go to google images and compare the two.
that is a fine looking rifle,thanks for showing and telling us about it
That's a great video SOOCH! I LOVE my 03A3. It's got a 03A4 Leupold mount added to it, and a nice 10x scope, it'll drive nails. Good Job!
Jacob, during the years after the Springfield was issued and well into the middle of the century and WWII, scopes on military rifles were only issued to snipers. Almost everyone used iron sights, even expert marksmen in the military. The M1903 was capable of going out past 1000 yards using iron sights, if the marksman was proficient-enough and had the necessary visual acuity. One competitor at Camp Perry in the 1920s scored more than 25 straight bull's-eyes at 1000 yds. w/ iron sights only.
Probably the first high powered rifle I ever fire. My cousin had one back in the 70s when they sold for about 80 bucks...
That's about how much I paid for one in the mid 70's. Still hunt Elk with it.
gotta love the .30-06!
@Jesses001 I agree. The M1903 is essentially a reverse-engineered Spanish Mauser and as such is beautifully made and highly accurate. The Lee-Enfield is more rugged and has a smoother action. The British proudly point out that by the height of WWII, a British Tommy could get off 30 accurate shots a minute, which is extremely impressive for a bolt action rifle firing stripper clips (especially considering that the British packed .303 in 5-rd clips for a 10-rd magazine).
Yep I got one early WWII update, the m103 thing don't feel bad happens to the best of us.
Mine has a warn out magazine and was a part gun other than barrel and bolt, I still love it magnificent rifle.
As good for hunting as it was for war in the right hands deadly accurate out to a mile is the moto.
MrDF, our soldiers and Marines did indeed use Springfield rifles during WWI against the Kaiser's forces, but they weren't M1903A3s - but simply M1903s. The A3 variant didn't come along until WWII. The M1903 contained no stamped metal parts; everything was forged or milled from solid steel; the M1903A3, on the other hand, made use of some stamped parts to save on costs, labor and time of manufacture.
The Marines on Guadalcanal used mostly Springfields; very few Garands made it into USMC units before that battle, which took place predominantly in 1942.
Just got me one of these as a rebuild from James River Armories.
How much did that cost if you don't mind me asking you
i believe its a sporting stock. its just the under with no handguard. i have one thats the same way- no bands, just the pistol grip handle made of walnut. the whole top of the barrel is exposed. it also came with a redfield iron sight, looks like a scope could screw inside, but i just dont know enough to be sure!
you can also pull the bolt up and not back hold the trigger and ease the bolt back down
We're talking about area suppression here, indirect fire, not about aimed shots. Doesn't matter how well trained you are, if your sight post appears to be several times wider than your target and you struggle to see it, you're going to have a hard time trying to hit it. Now obviously, if the target is big enough (I'm stressing big enough) and you're good enough you may as well pull a 25 long streak:)
you right, but only up until 1906, the first varient of the rifle fired the 30.03,but in 1906 they were all rechambered to fire the new 30.06, which is what the1903 and 1903A3 shoot today
nice I have always wanted one but I do have a 1903-A4 Gibbs Sniper Rifle on the way to my FFL Dealer can't wait to get it to the range
Good review! Thanks for posting. Keep up the good work and keep sharing the knowledge!!!
Dude, thats not a M103?!?
it looks like a really smooth bolt!!!
Beautiful rifle.. I have not run through the comment so i do not know if anyone has updated you..Stacking swivelis the loop by the bayonet lug. The switch or lever on the side is the magazine cut-offI. It keeps a full magazine on hand while indiviualy loading for Volley fire.
Love your videos
my grandfather served in Guadalcanal and said he had to use the POS 1903A3(his words not mine) he called it that because the US Army came latter in the battle and they had the M1 Grande.
JetMech, interesting to hear that your 1903s jammed. Ever find out why? It could be that your teams were using modern, commercial blanks with higher chamber pressure than mil-spec rounds, and thus greater expansion of the cases in the chamber upon firing. Modern, non-military 30-06 has thinner brass than mil-spec stuff...
@HatrXx78 10 round mag mostly and the accuracy is awesome not saying the 1903 are not accurate. the SMLE are used to this day making it the longest serving military bolt-action rifle still in official service. It was also used by the brits as a sniper rifle(in 7.62) till the 90's when they swaped it for the L96/AW.
Also Im aussie and so its kinda like how you guys feel about the 1903's or the germans feel about the k98's
Knight.
I had a rifle exactly like that loved it and was accurate never did get to hunt with it great rifle I want one again . God Bless
I used to toss this rifle around in boot camp. It was very well balanced. I could do the 16 count manual with it. It was in rather beaten an battered shape though. Never fired it.
That is a gorgeous rifle my man!
The Magazine Cut-off is an artifact of an obsolete 19th century doctrine which advocated training riflemen to use their rifles primarily as single-shot weapons except in emergency close combat when he could access the rounds in the mag by flipping the magazine cut-off lever.
Fpopee, your '03 might be "sporterized," meaning someone took a stock surplus 1903A3 after the war and cut it down for use as a hunting or target rifle. A common fate for surplus 1903s at one time. You can purchase a historically-correct replica stock if you choose. A number of vendors have them.
Had the opportunity to look at one of these at my local gun store while looking for a mosin. I wanted it so badly but i don't have the $800 right now for it
I feel your pain. That's about $400 more than I have. :P
On the older ones with the traditional rear sight the front sight is almost impossible to find.
Why is there a gap behind your rear lug when the bolt is closed? My gun has it and I've always wondered about it, but nobody can tell me about it.
the safety on my bolt is the opposite way. My bolt handle is also swept back a bit more. the bottom of my floor plate is also smooth, no bump. Also mine has a remington style bolt but the cocker is a smith corona style based on what I have seen. not sure whats up with mine but it seems it has been heavily modified or something by the last owner. my receiver is also drilled and tapped
Sounds like the previous owner sporterized it a bit by adding their own personal preferences. Its nothing new, Springfields are one of the most common military rifles to be sporterized. Personally I would never do something like that to an old piece of history like the Springfield. But back in the day it was common to do it because Springfields were so common and cheap after the World Wars!
Yeah. It's still one of my favs though. Love the "mauser" actions.
The inverted safety was common on the National Match models for competition shooting - kept the switch from being in the shooter's face if he had a particular cheek weld. The original 1903 floor plates were milled, rather than stamped like the 03A3s, which might mean your rifle has a replacement floor plate and trigger guard from an older M1903.
It may just be a bit of a parts gun, if it seems like bits and pieces from here and there.
My grandmother has a A3 in her closet but someone has removed the entire front half of the wooden stock, you can see where it was roughly sawed off, i dont know who did it or why but i was wondering if i could fix this?
@robin6512 for the most part i am. but there are differences throughout the 3 main bolt rifles of ww2 and 1 . if they could combine the k 98, lee-enfeild and m1903 .they would make a rifle that could beat any modern rifle hands down . ( that is bolt action of course )
Where did you get such a BEAUTIFUL 1903A3?????????? The bluing and the stock are nearly 100% I only noticed maybe three or so gouges in the stock. Even the buttplate was around 70-80%! Any leads on where to find one in this condition would be appreciated! Great video. Don't worry about the incorrect statement on the rifles designation. You caught it, and clearly beat yourself up a bit afterwards. We ALL have our "brain farts." It usually happens at the worst possible time too.lol
Those are still nice rifles, good review
I have a 1903, but the magazine plate is machined. On this rifle it seems to be stamped. Did't the 1903 A3 have a machined plate? Mine does not have the rear sight behind the bolt. What do I have?
You have what you stated: a M1903. Beginning with the M1903-A3 was the rear sight moved to the back. And, no, the M1903 A3 did not have a machined plate. It in fact used stamped metal to make production easier and this changeover occurred back with the later M1903 when manufacturers moved from milled metal parts to stamp metal to speed up production. If you have milled parts on your M1903,, then it is one of the earlier production before the gradual change to stamp metal.
According to Filipino veterans at the beginning of World War II the US and Filipino troops in the Philippines were carrying Springfield and Winchester rifles. I think this is that exact gun. There were very few garands (M 1) which for them was very amazing because it is semi auto. They were aware that they were not given the most modern weapons which later on turned out to be sent to Europe first. At the later part of the war modern weapons started arriving to the guerrillas. I'm curious what those exact weapons are, they were just generally called carbin, thompson, but no specifics on what kind of carbine or thompson.
Wiki says the M1903-A3 was the very last of the Springfields. Manufactured in 1942 with some design changes to streamline manufacture.
ponyongberdugo, the Thompson submachine gun and Krag lever action 35 carbine were smuggled in by submarine. The Krag 35 was a Calvary carbine that was in arsenal and available at the beginning of the war. The Thompson was scarce but limited supply was made available. Many Colt 38 cal revolvers were sent and winchester 12gauge shotguns. Later the M1 carbine were made available. Though not officially noted a considerable amount of non- military firearms were smuggled also, consisting of 22lr and 32cal rifles and pistols and some single barrel shotguns.
That tan rubber mesh in the background is hard on the eyes. Good video
Waynehn, by "this rifle," you mean an M1903 Springfield, right? If so, standard-issue government surplus 150-grain ball (FMJ) will do more than work at 200 yards. Soldiers issued the '03 were expected to shoot accurately - using only iron sights - out past 500 yards, and the very best could go out past 1000 yards (esp. using heavier loads). The M1903 is renown as one of the most-accurate bolt-action rifles ever made - a reputation it still carries today. A scope only makes it better.
I know this would be extremely hard to do, but if you could, could you review a Dreyse needle rifle?