Springfield Armory 1903 Question

[Stormin_67]

I purchased this SA 1903 off a friend the other day, can anyone tell me why the stock looks different than most? Has very small pins near the action and no numbers on the stock? The barrel is dated 1935 and has the SA stamp on it.


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[seabee1]

prolly cracked and repaired

[Mojaveman]

I've seen a few Springfield stocks like that. I think the screws that were used in the older stocks were replaced with the pins as a cost cutting measure.

[musketjon]

Those "pins" are actually threaded inside. They're screwed into place and then finished flush with the wood. They are to reinforce weak points or stress points in the stock. Your stock doesn't look different. It looks to be a replacement stock.
Jon

[smle-man]

It is an early WW2 replacement stock that is inleted for both the 03 and 03A3. The pins didn't work to prevent stock splitting when used on grenade launching 03s so they went back to the stock cross bolt. I have one just like it on my WW2 03 rebuild.

[Stormin_67]

Excellent, thanks for all your valuable input!!!


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[Stormin_67]

One more question, it is my understanding that I can shoot this rifle, any ammo recommendations??


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[highpower]

One more question, it is my understanding that I can shoot this rifle, any ammo recommendations??


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What's the serial number? Springfield manufactured rifles under serial number 800000 are considered to be "low numbered" and are potentially unsafe. Rock Island rifles under 286506 are also considered to be unsafe.

I have my own opinion about this, but I am not going to debate it and IF you were to shoot a low number rifle, I would use gallery loads with cast bullets.

Generally speaking, any high number Springfield will be fine to shoot if you stick the M2 ball level loads. If you buy ammo that is made for a M1 Garand, you will be okay.

[rdfact]

I have an 1943 Remington 03A3 with those same stock pins, not bolts.

[Stormin_67]

What's the serial number? Springfield manufactured rifles under serial number 800000 are considered to be "low numbered" and are potentially unsafe. Rock Island rifles under 286506 are also considered to be unsafe.



I have my own opinion about this, but I am not going to debate it and IF you were to shoot a low number rifle, I would use gallery loads with cast bullets.



Generally speaking, any high number Springfield will be fine to shoot if you stick the M2 ball level loads. If you buy ammo that is made for a M1 Garand, you will be okay.

The serial number is near 1.5 million


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[Stormin_67]

I have an 1943 Remington 03A3 with those same stock pins, not bolts.

Interesting how yours has markings on it and mine has none??? Is yours a replacement stock too?


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[Jeff L]

This thread on CSP has a pic of the pins not installed.
Link

[rdfact]

Interesting how yours has markings on it and mine has none??? Is yours a replacement stock too?
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I have no idea, the stock was on the rifle when I got it.

This thread on CSP has a pic of the pins not installed.
Link

From that thread:
"Stock pins were substituted in late 1942 and stock bolts were re-introduced about mid-1943."

My 03A3 is dated to March 1943 so that is inline with the above quote.

[highpower]

The pins were used on early '03-A3's I am not exactly sure when they stopped, but it wasn't until late in 1943. Unmarked stocks are replacements. There were hundreds of thousands of stocks made as replacements including the scant style which were never used on new production rifles.

Both my Smith-Corona and one of my Remington '03-A3's have the type of stocks with pins. The other Remington with a later barrel date has the stock bolts. I can't say whether any of the stocks are original to the rifles.

1943 Remington, May Barrel date:


1943 Remington, September barrel date:


1943 Smith-Corona January barrel date:

[jon94520]

What's the serial number? Springfield manufactured rifles under serial number 800000 are considered to be "low numbered" and are potentially unsafe. Rock Island rifles under 286506 are also considered to be unsafe.

I have my own opinion about this, but I am not going to debate it and IF you were to shoot a low number rifle, I would use gallery loads with cast bullets.

Generally speaking, any high number Springfield will be fine to shoot if you stick the M2 ball level loads. If you buy ammo that is made for a M1 Garand, you will be okay.

I was always told most 30-06 is okay including hunting loads because of the strong action on the 03. I have had the best accuracy with Federal 180 grain for my 03