An old '03 Sporter

[cellar701]

Here's one I picked up - just one of those old scratched up War rifles.

I don't know any history on it, but it's kind of easy on the eyes and nice to hold and handle.

 

[HIVO]

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HIVO

 

[bennettfam]

Thaaaaaaaaat's a keeper.

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Hi VERRRRRY NICE thats my kind of rifle thats as nice as any sedgley custom I have ever seen

GRAMPS

 

[Hugh]

Although the 1903 is my favorite, the one I have is a 1917. Wonderful rifle, congratulations.

 

[I_Like_Pie]

Wow...someone spent a fair deal of time on that rifle.

 

[don44]

That is nice.

 

[Highstandardguy]

Pretty neat scratching.

 

[BigJ71]

That's actually a sporterized 1903-A3....very nicely done I might add.

Congrats on the fine rifle!

 

[cellar701]

Yes, it is an A3 with rear of receiver (where rear sight was mounted) milled flat and engraved. Also has the two groove barrel - bright and shiny bore. Hard to say how it shoots - I haven't shot it and looking at bolt face it doesn't look like it's been shot since it was sporterized/fixed up, and with the express sights it would be hard to check for accuracy.

Some upgrades I am considering are checkered horn buttplate and gripcap, and it looks like it needs a front sight hood. The front sight is milled for a hood, but isn't marked/marred in the sight grooves like one was ever installed. If I can find someone to match the engraving I might consider adding an engraved sight hood.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

At a guess, I would say that rifle was sporterized in Germany or Austria. That was very common back in the day--there was a lot of gunsmithing talent sitting around in those countries with little work because of the confiscation of civil firearms, first by the Nazis, and then by the Allied occupation forces.

So US GIs could get a rifle sporterized cheaply and well there. This one was probably done in the 1950s when the Western occupation had relaxed the rules on German gunsmiths somewhat, and Springfields were widely available cheap as surplus. Some US companies even advertised gunsmithing services and then shipped the gun to Germany or Austria to have the work--engraving especially--done there.

Whoever did it, it has a very Germanic flavor. A rifle to be proud of.

 

[Boxhead]

Nice. A vintage, properly sporterized "03 has been on my Bucket List for years. Still looking.

 

[deserttrans]

Really nice job...

 

[SteveRuger]

Very Nice & Great Photos! Thanks for Sharing.

 

[cruzerlou]

very nice!