Springfield 1903 Bolt identification-safe to shoot?

[Hunthigh1]

I inherited a sporterized 1903 Springfield that I’ve been dreaming of shooting, and maybe even hunting, but i’m scared it is unsafe. Any knowledge or opinions is much appreciated.

1. The serial number on receiver is 837,658 so the receiver should be safe with heat treat according to CMP. (Post 800,000 =“high number”)

2. The barrel is stamped SA 2-18 indicating a February 1918 manufacture date at Springfield armory.

So now, based on my research the only part in question for safety is the bolt.

Anyone on here know how to identify if this bolt is safe? It appears to NOT be a “swept back” bolt that indicates a heat treat one, but I found this chart linked below and am rather confused by it. I’ve attached photos of bolt and rifle.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/188186768/Springfield-M1903A3-and-Variants-Steel-Lot-Codes-and-Bolt-Usage-Charts

 

[Tmac]

The serial number is good, but the bolt looks like a low number angle. I’d look for a gunsmith or collector that specializes in 1903’s to render an opinion.

There are also pressure and bullet weight limits. I use this as a reference source for mine.

M1903/M1903A3 Rifle Information - Civilian Marksmanship Program

The U.S. M1903 and M1903A3 “Springfield” rifles military issue bolt action rifles, used during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

thecmp.org

 

[Slickhill]

Nice looking sporter, far superior to some.

I’m betting it has been fired hundreds or maybe thousands of times and as long as headspace is good I wouldn’t give it a second thought. I wouldn’t be trying to make it a 300 magnum with Bob Hagel style handloads but I don’t do that anyway.

Back when I was gunsmithing for a living I had an elderly lady bring me a sporterized 03 chambered in 308 Norma mag for a new scope. Upon cursory inspection I noticed a pretty sizable crack in the front ring. When I showed it to her and explained that it wasn’t safe she understood but was distraught. Said it was a rifle her husband had had built in the 1950s and he and his family as well as clients he’d guided had killed countless moose, caribou, bears, and Dall sheep with it. No way of knowing but judging by the patina I’d almost guess it had been cracked for years.

 

[Hunthigh1]

The serial number is good, but the bolt looks like a low number angle. I’d look for a gunsmith or collector that specializes in 1903’s to render an opinion.

There are also pressure and bullet weight limits. I use this as a reference source for mine.

M1903/M1903A3 Rifle Information - Civilian Marksmanship Program

The U.S. M1903 and M1903A3 “Springfield” rifles military issue bolt action rifles, used during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

thecmp.org

Thank you! I cleaned the bore with bore tech eliminator and polished up the outside and bolt of the rifle today. Loving the peep sight and the rifle overall as I handle it more. I can tell that it has good accuracy potential with the thumb adjustable peep and long sight radius. I will seek out a 1903 historian or smith to try to verify if the bolt is safe before I fire it. Thank you for the input.

If I can’t verify the safety of the heat treat on the bolt, do you think if I bought a “swept back” post 1918 bolt to use with the rifle it would be good to go? In other words, are bolts are safely interchangeable between rifles?

 

[Hunthigh1]

Nice looking sporter, far superior to some.

I’m betting it has been fired hundreds or maybe thousands of times and as long as headspace is good I wouldn’t give it a second thought. I wouldn’t be trying to make it a 300 magnum with Bob Hagel style handloads but I don’t do that anyway.

Back when I was gunsmithing for a living I had an elderly lady bring me a sporterized 03 chambered in 308 Norma mag for a new scope. Upon cursory inspection I noticed a pretty sizable crack in the front ring. When I showed it to her and explained that it wasn’t safe she understood but was distraught. Said it was a rifle her husband had had built in the 1950s and he and his family as well as clients he’d guided had killed countless moose, caribou, bears, and Dall sheep with it. No way of knowing but judging by the patina I’d almost guess it had been cracked for years.

I think you are correct about this rifle having been fired a lot. It certainly shows field wear and plenty of copper fouling in the bore and crevices when I cleaned it today.

Is your comment about headspace suggesting I have a gunsmith check headspace?

Yikes! That’s a wild story! Thanks for sharing.

 

[TaperPin]

That’s a cool old rifle. I’d just shoot it, but look at it closely for cracks from time to time and not try to hot rod it if you handload. Factory ammo is slightly downloaded in pressure because of rifles like yours, and published reload charges are pressure tested to the same.

When problem rifles with cracks are talked about, it often includes the conversion to a magnum cartridge. The larger head diameter creates more force on the lugs even if pressures were the same as the ‘06, but the belted cartridges also operate at higher pressure, so it’s a double whammy. Add reloaders trying to get the absolute highest pressures and it’s a trifecta of action wrecking.

With rifles over 100 years old you’ll find bolt markings are not an exact science - the cost of having headspacing adjusted for a new bolt is still no guarantee the “good” bolt is better than the one already on the rifle. There’s also no guarantee the bolt currently in your rifle originally came with it. I tend to like keeping a rifle as is if it’s been functioning fine up to this point.

 

[Tmac]

Thank you! I cleaned the bore with bore tech eliminator and polished up the outside and bolt of the rifle today. Loving the peep sight and the rifle overall as I handle it more. I can tell that it has good accuracy potential with the thumb adjustable peep and long sight radius. I will seek out a 1903 historian or smith to try to verify if the bolt is safe before I fire it. Thank you for the input.

If I can’t verify the safety of the heat treat on the bolt, do you think if I bought a “swept back” post 1918 bolt to use with the rifle it would be good to go? In other words, are bolts are safely interchangeable between rifles?

Some bolts can be switched if headspace and lug engagement are checked out by a gunsmith. But a hand fitted gun, which you may have, would concern me, and off to the expert smith I’d go. I am not sure how close tolerances were held a hundred years ago between guns.

But yes, it is a possibility to carefuly check out.

 

[Hunthigh1]

That’s a cool old rifle. I’d just shoot it, but look at it closely for cracks from time to time and not try to hot rod it if you handload. Factory ammo is slightly downloaded in pressure because of rifles like yours, and published reload charges are pressure tested to the same.

When problem rifles with cracks are talked about, it often includes the conversion to a magnum cartridge. The larger head diameter creates more force on the lugs even if pressures were the same as the ‘06, but the belted cartridges also operate at higher pressure, so it’s a double whammy. Add reloaders trying to get the absolute highest pressures and it’s a trifecta of action wrecking.

With rifles over 100 years old you’ll find bolt markings are not an exact science - the cost of having headspacing adjusted for a new bolt is still no guarantee the “good” bolt is better than the one already on the rifle. There’s also no guarantee the bolt currently in your rifle originally came with it. I tend to like keeping a rifle as is if it’s been functioning fine up to this point.

Excellent points about bolts easily being swapped and hard to ID. When I read the chart and compared to my bolt stamps I can’t seem to find one that aligned with my reading of the stamp “8 Rb” or “B Rb”. The rifle has certainly been shot a bit or a lot in its current configuration as the sporterized stock shows field use and a significant crack that I hope to repair.

Nonetheless, I think I will seek out a smith. If nothing else he can maybe give me the confidence to not flinch when I finally pull the trigger and advise stock repair….

 

[Hunthigh1]

I am not sure how close tolerances were held a hundred years ago between guns.

But yes, it is a possibility to carefuly check out.

Thanks, based on responses to this thread the plan now is to find a smith to have a look and hopefully give me the confidence to fire this bad boy, even though I know others have fired it in the past.

The peep sight is amazing with its Thumb adjust elevation, flip down aperture, and 1911 patent stamp. Sight radius from rear to front measures 27.5” so I badly want to try it out for accuracy at distance!

Utah’s experimental no-scope deer seasons have me thinking about setting up an accurate open sighted rifle anyways in case other states implement these type of seasons and this would be a very cool rifle to take a buck with if I can get it dialed in safely.

I’ll post some more photos for fun below.

 

[waspocrew]

I have a 1903 that was sporterized. Was my grandfather's, although I don't believe he really hunted/shot it much at all. Serial number is low 1,000,000s and has the straight bolt. Didn't even realize there was a difference with the bolts. I've never fired it, but now you have me thinking.

 

[TaperPin]

Excellent points about bolts easily being swapped and hard to ID. When I read the chart and compared to my bolt stamps I can’t seem to find one that aligned with my reading of the stamp “8 Rb” or “B Rb”. The rifle has certainly been shot a bit or a lot in its current configuration as the sporterized stock shows field use and a significant crack that I hope to repair.

Nonetheless, I think I will seek out a smith. If nothing else he can maybe give me the confidence to not flinch when I finally pull the trigger and advise stock repair….

Many smiths with experience in old military rifles can advise on the hardness # of both the receiver and bolt. It wasn’t uncommon to check those prior to rebarreling a military receiver. Many young gunsmiths who rarely see military actions may have only read about it.

I think it’s cool to keep hunting rifles from that period.

 

[Hunthigh1]

 

[waspocrew]

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Nice rig, pretty good shape with the exception of the cracked stock.