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Posted: 10/27/2014 10:41:23 PM EDT
So I recently purchased an M1903 (SN 135XXXX) - Serial No. greater than 800,000. I've Googled and tried to research whether the gun is a shooter or not. It has an HS marked barrel. I've learned that the rifle was manufactured sometime around 1931.What I can't determine is whether this rifle is safe to shoot or not. I've read that 1903's with low serial numbers present at risk of shooting them because they were not properly heat treated when manufactured. What I can't figure out is whether my 1903, with a serial number greater than 800,000, is safe to shoot.

Should my local gunsmith be able to inspect the rifle and tell me whether the rifle is safe to shoot or not?

I apologize in advance if this has been covered, but any information that I can read to make an informed decision and to determine whether this rifle is safe to shoot or not would be greatly appreciated.

If I've simply purchased a collectible, then so be it. I'm perfectly fine with that, but if possible, I would like to occassionally take it to the range and shoot. Thanks!
Link Posted: 10/27/2014 10:45:00 PM EDT
[#1]
You have a high SN rifle, so you are fine.  You can have someone check headspace if you want to be extra cautious, but the heat treat on yours should be fine.
Link Posted: 10/28/2014 7:49:35 AM EDT
[#2]
Yours is a "safe" rifle to shoot. I shoot my low number RIA 1903 111XXX often enough. Most all of the poorly treated guns were weeded out before WW2 even IIRC.
Link Posted: 10/28/2014 8:21:32 AM EDT
[#3]
Gentleman, thanks for the replies. Glad to hear she's a shooter. I do plan to have the headspace checked on the rifle.

Unlike my German K98 with all matching serial numbers, this 1903's bolt has a different stamped serial number. Is this pretty common in the 1903's?
Link Posted: 10/28/2014 8:40:54 AM EDT
[#4]
US military rifles like the 1903 only had 1 serial number and that was the big one on the receiver. If yours has a number on the bolt it was added by someone else in either another country or you got a old match rifle bolt. Check your headspace and if fine carry on or get a bolt that does not have another number on it.
Link Posted: 10/28/2014 9:13:04 AM EDT
[#5]
IIRC, many of the M1903s with bolts with serials were from the batch of rifles CMP got back from Greece. They did all sorts of wacky things to keep their M1903s going.
Link Posted: 10/28/2014 12:12:25 PM EDT
[#6]
HS (High Standard) marked barrels were WWII replacement barrels for the 1903, much like JA marked (Johnson Automatic) barrels were replacements for the M1917.  



Your rifle has been rebarreled at some point in its history, but that doesn't detract from it.  An original barrel would be marked SA with the date beneath it.  Along with checking for headspace- which will be no big issue anyway- have someone check the throat and muzzle readings (TE & ME) with a gauge.  This will give you an idea of the amount of wear the barrel has seen.  
Link Posted: 10/28/2014 3:38:59 PM EDT
[#7]
Man I wish the 1903-is-a-Corvair myth would die, but like all the other gun show/store/guru myths it just keeps on trucking.

http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/

Yes low numbers failed.  High numbers did as well.  Most of the failures are in specific ranges.  Lots of the failures can be attributed a multitude of causes.  The rushed and improper WWI manufactured 30-06 didn't help things either.  I also seem to remember some of the failures were from Doughboy's cramming 8mm accidentally into the rifle and pulling the trigger.

Unfortunately, rifles blow up.  You do something wrong to an AR-15 and they blow, as would most milsurp rifles.  Statistically, the rate of failures of the 1903 is trivial, but the myth has these arms as Glocks with wooden stocks.
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