Remington 1903 Springfield

[ryan]

The guy who brings me hunting, fishing, etc...
just "inherited" a Remington made 1903 springfield (30-06). I am not sure the year it was made. It does have a new sporter stock but other than that it is original (sights, barrel, etc..)
Does anyone know much about these rifles? Quality, worth?
Thanks

[klsm54]

The Remington built '03 Springfields were made at the onset of WWII, Ryan, starting in 1941. The rifle is a good strong action, capable of handling any modern round.

The value can vary greatly though. Remington started making model 1903's that were known as "modified" models in 1941. Then late 1942, the sight was moved from in front of the reciever, to the rear reciever bridge, and the new model was known as the 1903A3. Remington also manufactured the 1903A4 sniper models. So the value of your friends rifle will depend on condition, of course, and the model, and whether it has been modified or if it is all original.

[calsibley]

Hello Scott,

Son of a gun, you live long enough you learn all kinds of choice goodies. I had a 1903 A3 assigned to me as a youngster in military school. I never knew what the designation A3 was for. Now I know. Thanks for that little tidbit. I knew there was a A1 and A3 model, but little else. Thanks again.

Cal - Montreal

[eagle16506]

My grandson wants to own one of the 03's and I would like to buy one

[klsm54]

Welcome to Hunting Firearms eagle... ...Hope you get the chance to visit with us often. The site is just getting going, but we have some great people coming on from a site that's no longer with us, so you should be able to get lot's of info here.

As far as the '03 Springfield goes, they are not too difficult to find. Prices vary, depending out what you want. I have seen sporterized ones going for $300-$400.00, and some pristine untouched one going for over a $1,000.00. It will pay to do some looking, and if your grandson is going to sporterize the rifle, I'd save some money and find one that already has the stock cut down to de-value it some.

Be careful of the original '03 models. The following tells about the ones to avoid, the Class C steel models. They are fine for artifacts, but choose higher serial numbers if you want to shoot modern ammo in them. When they say Springfield recievers, they are talking of those made by in the Springfield Armory.

Springfield receivers with serial numbers below 800,000 were made of Springfield Class 'C' steel. Later receivers were deemed suitable for stepped-up loads and could be used with any factory loaded .30-06 ammunition. Receivers of Rock Island manufacture, serial number 285,506 and lower, were also made with Class "C" steel.

[stumpjumper]

eagle16506 ~

Welcome to HF Jr. I hope you swing by this way often.

[calsibley]

Hello Eagle,

Welcome to Hunting Firearms. It's good to have you aboard. I don't like being the bearer of ill tidings, but a friend of mine had a 1903 Springfield come apart on him at the range last year. He's a good, experienced shooter who takes excelent care of his weapons. The barrel didn't split, but the action gave out, shattering the entire right side of the stock. I saw him a couple of weeks later, and he was healing up nicely. I also have a half dozen older military rifles from the early 1900's and am always worried that something similar will occur. You can really get attached to these older gems, but sometimes they just give out. Best wishes.
Stop in and visit us often.

Cal - Montreal

[klsm54]

Hi Cal,

Did your friends Springfield fit into the "Class C" steel group of serial numbers? It would be interesting to know. These guns are not safe for full bore modern loads, they are made of inferior steel. The later models, unless there is a problem that a qualified gunsmith could find, should withstand modern pressures with no problem.

Those in the Class C serial numbers from Springfield and Rock Island have failed on many occasions though.... .. With any gun as old as a 1903, or with any military gun that may have been fired excessively, or even abused, it sure would be worth a trip to a good gunsmith before taking it to the range.

[Bill]

KLSM54, If you ever read the full story on the Springfield O3 in referance to the weak actions you will find a note there. In all there were only 8 rifles IF I remember it right that ever blew up and there was no way to tell exactly how it happened.
Part of the problem was from the way it was case hardened. It was all done by eye and it was hard to teach someone overnight how to get it just right. I found the history on it very interesting.
Probably one of the hardest guns to find now days is an original pristein 03. Most were demiled / destroyed etc. I found one a year ago and resold it. the going price for one of the first ones in perfect condition was $1100. Not as a shooter but as a collectors gun.
Later ones with the good recivers and in original used condition fall between $500-800 but when modified or arsanal redo's drop by almost 20% and if sportarized you can drop that to about $300 unless its one that was done by someone well known which then gives it a collectors value.

[klsm54]

I did read about the problems years ago, Bill. I remember that it was a problem with the case-hardening process. I can't recall the number, but agree that it was low, of course that is rifles that had problems in military firing, no real way to know the number, or percentage, of the ones that got out that had problems. Of course, if so many had not been de-milled and destroyed, I'm sure some other bad ones would have showed up.

[ryan]

Thanks for all the information!
I did a little looking online as well. Looks like a good condition, un-modified 1903 can go around $1000, WOW. He said that his is restocked but the rest is original, but the bore needed some attending to so it is currently at the smith's.
I told him about the steel problems on some of the rifles with those serial numbers, he said thanks for that heads up.
Next week Plink and I are going up to the Deer cabin to repaint and Calk, but we will do some squirrell hunting on the side, cant wait.
Thanks

[calsibley]

Hello Scott,

I don't know if the guy's rifle was class "C" or not. I didn't really know enough about the rifle structurally to even ask the proper questions but will next time I see him. My curiosity is kind of piqued now so I'll get some details when I see him again. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[Bill]

Ryan, don't make the mistake a lot of people do. That $1000 price for an 03 is for one thats minty. Any changes to them like a restock drag's them down in value considerably.
I know so many people that buy something because they think wow top price on one of these guns is $XXXXX so this one should be worth that too, only to find out later on that it has little or no value at all.
I know of one guy that bought 2 Browning Sidelocks beliving that they were worth as much as the Belgium Browning Sidelock built today. He paid $6000 apeice for them. Later he found out that because they were the BC Mirouku BSS Sidlocks that the value on them was around $3000 each. Half of what he paid. Also a good reason to research what your buying. Only looking into it half way is more dangerous than not knowing at all.