1903a3, been wanting one.

[Brother_Love]

I think I have found me a nice 03a3. It is all Remington with a great barrel and appears LN. The only drawback is the owner has never shot it and has not ever checked headspace. That makes me a little afraid but not afraid enough to keep from getting it. It is gonna cost me though. I will post pics when I get.

 

[Ben]

Malcolm ,

Take a couple of F/L sized 30-06 cases with you when you go to buy the rifle.

No powder, no primer, no bullet.
Empty cases only.

Also take a small roll of Masking Tape.
A F/L sized case should fit in the chamber and the bolt close with little to no resistance. To do this , remove the bolt, insert the case under the extractor claw and put the bolt back into the rifle and close the action.

Now put 1 ply of tape on the end of the case and repeat.
It may be tight or may not close at all. If it doesn't want to close at all , you have a rifle with tight head space.

If you can get two plys of tape on the end of the case and the bolt closes, I believe I'd stand clear of the rifle.

 

[Brother_Love]

Thanks Ben. Unforunately, it is a gun I will have to have shipped to me. I am trying to get him to have headspace checked on his end but he is resisting. My feet are starting to get cold!

 

[Ian]

Fantastic advice Ben!

 

[Ben]

Ask for a " 3 Day inspection period ", then you can check the headspace on your end of things.

If the rifle doesn't have good headspace when you check it on your end of things, return the rifle for a full refund.

If he won't agree to this , buyer beware.

Ben

 

[Ben]

I am trying to get him to have headspace checked on his end but he is resisting.

This has a bad smell to it......................

 

[Brother_Love]

I have already declined the deal. Thanks

 

[Ben]

Keep looking ! !

They are out there.

Ben

 

[quicksylver]

Yes gentle men ...they are worth waiting for....with all this talk I thought I would take out one of my safe queens and see what I could do with her..
This one is bone stock....A nice unmolested Remington 03A3 and it came with CMP papers from 1960..
It has Single Proofs on the stock..those going through rebuild have multiple..
It is Remington (R) marked on the parts that should have it..
Nice patina..as it should have...if you see one that is too good to be real it isn't..
It's not a parts gun...
The Muzzle wear is -.5 ..next to new..
The bore is 10 out of 10...
All in all an HONEST gun...
And apparently a shooter...not bad... battle sights and trigger (4.5#'s) on a bright day..(the front sight gets skinny)

The gun it's self...

The RA and FJA are present but faint

Single "P" proof

Blue brown patina

"R" marked..stricker housing,bolt, swivels , bayonet lug..etc

Papered....1960 and a safe gueen from then on..

Hard to come by like this ..either have miss matched stocks, parts, redone several times ( multiple proofs), shot out barrels
or made up from parts..still good shooters...just not original..

 

[Ben]

A rare and VERY nice rifle !
The guy shooting it isn't too bad of a shot either ! !

 

[quicksylver]

Thanks Ben....bet if I smoked the front sight and shot it a bit more..she would really shine..

 

[Ben]

An amazing group from a stock GI rifle !