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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

03 Springfield Serial # Safety


spitfire_er

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I was given a nicely sportized 03 Springfield reciever recently and know they generally consider 800k serial #'s and lower to be unsafe. Mine is in the 815k range. It has been nicely drilled and tapped, with a really nice high polish blue. It has obviously been together in this form due to some raceway bluing wear.

 

Is there a general consensus that this would be safe? If I did build something would most likely be a low pressure round.

 

I know failure rates were very miniscule, and this action has most likely been used up until several years ago, but wanted to get a few more opinions on it. I've built many rifles, just never messed around with 03's.

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I've been shooting my 03, 10/09 serial numbered and in the 200,000 range for years. I read all the bad press on the net, talked to rifle builder Harry McGowen and others name I don't recall. Some refereed to the early number's "glass bolt" as the problem. I replaced the stock chrome bolt with a WW2 surplus 03A3 bolt assembly and have felt perfectly confident shooting it. One of the 80's rifle builders, might have been McGowen. Told me to whack the receiver firmly with a plastic hammer, check for cracks and if not sure have it magnafluxed. I gave it a good beating with a plastic hammer, didn't shatter as many gun rag articles claimed it would, saw no cracks and have been shooting it since.

 

Have no idea of how many rds through it but in the 70's I was buying French surplus 06 for $2 per 20rd box. Today it still shoots like brand new, incredibly accurate.

 

Former regular and gunsmith Z1R had a lot of knowledge of the early Springfields if you can track him down. Think it was him but might be somebody else. Recommended a magnafluxing the receiver, if it checked out ok get it heat treated and use an 03A3 bolt.

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I was given a nicely sportized 03 Springfield reciever recently and know they generally consider 800k serial #'s and lower to be unsafe. Mine is in the 815k range. It has been nicely drilled and tapped, with a really nice high polish blue. It has obviously been together in this form due to some raceway bluing wear.

 

Is there a general consensus that this would be safe? If I did build something would most likely be a low pressure round.

 

I know failure rates were very miniscule, and this action has most likely been used up until several years ago, but wanted to get a few more opinions on it. I've built many rifles, just never messed around with 03's.

http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/

 

"The change in heat treating was instituted between serial number 750,00 and 800,000 at Springfield and by serial number 285,506 at Rock Island Arsenal. Rifles manufactured after these serial numbers are referred to as "high numbered" receivers and are commonly stated to be safe to shoot."

 

At 815k and per generally accepted serial number ranges, you have a double heat treated 03 and it's in the "high" range. You should be fine.

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