M1903

[Trooper224]

This was a restoration project of mine from fifteen years back. I made the stock. I talked a collector from Arkansas out of a vintage NOS barrel. I then sent the action off to Chuck Moline, in Denver and had him swap the barrel. I've replaced other parts over the years, as I've found ones in better condition and appropriate vintage. I have allot of sweat equity in this one and it's my favorite rifle.

 

[Trooper224]

More.......

 

[AudieMurphy]

looks like it came right off the assembly line!

 

[Baxter6551]

Fantastic. That’s beautiful !

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

SPECTACULAR! AWESOME!

I love ‘03 rifles…along with the M1 Garands they’re the most magnificent rifles made. There are far more variations of the ‘03 than commonly known. They’re a true specialty among US military arms along the same lines as the SAA and 1911/1911A1.

 

[Empe]

it looks like you did a pretty nice job on it . It looks great in the pictures.

 

[Baxter6551]

Did you start with a 1903 stock and finished it ? Or made the stock from scratch ?

 

[brucev]

Beautiful 03 Springfield. Especially elegant when the quality was so very high. Sincerely. bruce.

 

[smithman 10]

If you made the stock my hats off to you

Did you start with a 1903 stock and finished it ? Or made the stock from scratch ?

Beautiful rifle.

 

[Trooper224]

Did you start with a 1903 stock and finished it ? Or made the stock from scratch ?

Whelp.....

I bought what was advertised as a ready to go,"drop in" stock from Dupage. It more resembled the stock blank from a black powder kit gun. Nothing was right on the exterior and the inletting proved to have a few issues as well. It took a lot of work to make it right. I put so much work into it that I have no problem simply saying,"I made it."

 

[Onomea]

Beautiful, Trooper224. Hats off!

 

[Trooper224]

I decided to mount the rifle in a C Stock.

I bought this from Kevin Blackhurst, of 1903 Part Shop. Kevin had Minelli replicate the stock from a National Match rifle is his personal collection. This is far superior to the WWII Keystone made stocks and their replicas. Any fitting required wasn't anything unexpected or outrageous. Far less than the stocks offered by Boyd's, which often have issues that can't be corrected. The biggest pain was removing the nasty brown spray stain Minelli puts on them. I really wish they'd offer them unfinished.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

The C-stock really transforms shooting a 1903…recoil control an overall shootability. It takes a great rifle and makes it even better. Kudos!

That buttplate is a national match piece…standard buttplates weren’t that sharply defined.

 

[tlawler]

Wow, that really is a good looking 1903!

 

[Baxter6551]

^^^ I second that !

 

[Trooper224]

The C-stock really transforms shooting a 1903…recoil control an overall shootability. It takes a great rifle and makes it even better. Kudos!

That buttplate is a national match piece…standard buttplates weren’t that sharply defined.

Why yes, it is.

I've discovered these things are now much more expensive than when I bought it fifteen years ago.