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Posted: 10/27/2014 10:41:23 PM EDT
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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! |
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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? |
| 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. |
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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.
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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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