I just purchased a refurbished 1903a4 from aim that was done by Rock ridge machine works.  What is some decent non corrosive ammo that can be found that would mimic the ammo that would have been used in this rifle.  Don't care if it is new production or surplus.  Also what bullet weights were used during ww2 and the Korean war?

The reality is, the 03 isn't finicky about pressures like the M1...so you can feed it anything it eats well...

You can look for new production M2 Ball, which is loaded to the M2 Specs, or any US Surplus dated after 1953 would be non-corrosive....

I don't recall the weight of the M2 projectile off the top of my head...

PPU from SGAMMO. Works well. Good price. Good brass to reload

I seem to recall WWII snipers would use M2 AP as it was more accurate.

The AP ammo was heavier than the standard ball ammo, too.  Not much, but enough to help it out at longer ranges??

The most accurate ammo I every ran through my 03A4 was my reloads using Sierra 180 grain match kings with IMR4350 powder.

Heavier bullets should be more accurate at longer ranges.  They'll make it kick your shoulder harder, too.  Learn to use that sling to help control recoil.  Maybe put a rubber pull over kickpad on it if you can find one that will fit the stock - or wear a coat/jacket with a padded shoulder.  Seriously, my 03A4 is way more noticeable to me than my M1 Garand (and people say those kick hard).

While the issue scope makes it look correct, you'd be better off with a more modern scope with bigger lens, better clarity, more light transmission, etc.

Thanks for all the input guys.  Im not concerned about ultimate accuracy or better glass.  I have custom 308s and 6.5mms and have shot competition out to 1200yds with $2000 dollar glass.  I like to experience what those of the time had to work with.  Helps me appreciate what we have today.  I got a Russian 91/30 with the PU scope.  Run old surplus through that and you would pick the cheapest Savage with the cheapest optic off the shelf to go to war with over the 91/30.

EDIT -
HA!  guy below is more correct.  Though, I'm not so sure about the sights - could have sworn I read they were graduated for M1 Ball...

This post is mostly incorrect....

M1 Ball was 174grn FMJ boat tail.  M2 Ball is ~152grn FB FMJ and is an upgraded copy of the M1906 Ball round.  Garand sights are calibrated for M2 Ball NOT M1 ball.

Most of WW1 was NOT done with M1 ball as it was not adopted until AFTER WW1 was over.

M2 AP is ~ 163grn and not a boat tail.

If you don't mind spending a little money any of the 168 Gold Medal Match or 175grn Match ammo would really show what the rifle can do.

what he said,

FWIW , most of my 03's and 03A3's shoot better with AP,

and shoot even better with 173gr match ammo (USGI)
you can reload or buy 175gr that will shoot similar to the usgi match load,

or, handload of course

They used it because that's what was available in the war zone (and it was pretty accurate).

Op, just shoot what you find best for the rifle/scope combo.  Its a 03aA4 combo guys so any suggestion as to what sights are calibrated for is moot since there is no iron sights on a A4, just a 2.5x scope.  We still had couple in the arms room as late as the late 90s in SF.  Remember taking them to the range and shooting them with whatever .30 cal the ASP had.

CD

As your question was essentially, "What can I shoot that is close to the service ammo of the day...."  I'll address what you asked.

30-06 war surplus is drying up.  I just bought a CMP Garand and have spend most of the weekend hunting ammo for it.

American Eagle 150gr FMJ is a Garand safe modern loading of M2 ball.

Prvi Partizan (PPU) Rifle Line 150gr FMJ is likewise a M2 equivalent load.

Sellier and Bellot has a 150gr M2 load.

Remington UMC 150gr *might* be equivalent.  Some dealers are selling it as one, I'm waiting to hear straight from Remington.

That's the service round.  M2 ball, a 150 gr flat-base FMJ at about 2750-ish fps.

Someone else posted that the Black-tip AP is a FB, steel-core bullet of approx 163gr.  Which is correct, as is the assertion that it was considered more accurate (the equal of match ammo) due to the carefully machined and centered steel core.

A boat-tail match round of 168 to 175 grains will probably be more accurate (I personally like 168 SMKs over 46.6gr of Varget out of my bolt guns).  That's not the "service" round you asked about.

So there ya go!

John

PS.  If you go surplus, the HPX (Greek) is not bad, but I was not stunned by the accuracy.  The AMA (Danish) was noticeably better, but is harder to find.

been told the AP is not so much about the machined center steel core, as it is the weight and longer bearing surface compared to ball,

and lets not forget the standard match load (M72 iirc or commonly called White Box) that is a 173 gr boat tail bullet,