doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Low Serial Number 1903 Receivers

Good morning All ...

I am sure this topic has come up over the last many years at least once and I would also bet that Michael Petrov responded to it. Many people continue to believe that low serial numbered 1903 receivers are too brittle and unsafe to shoot ... much like others may say never shoot damascus barreled shotguns.

Can anyone point me to a previous posting on this subject?

I am sure the answer will be "it depends" on caliber, charge, etc and I agree.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you ...
Joe D

old thread on the subject... http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...true#Post136118

another thread..

I just shoot them, but don't tell my mom. (She still doesn't know her 61 year old son runs with scissors too!)

Knowing you Gary, you can also chew gum while running with the scissors

My as well as other readers' fondest memories are of Michael's comments about shooting low number 1903 Springfields. If it weren't for MP, I would never have owned a Sedgley or other early custom Springfield. Bill Murphy

Guys won't shoot low number 03s with low pressure loads and cast bullets but will shoot Trapdoors and Krags low pressure and cast. Go figure.

Having said that full power 30 1906 cartridges are a whole different critter than 45/70 or 30 US Army. When I had a dozen or so 03s I rarely shot the low number guns. Down to two 03's now 1930's NRA Sporter and a 1922 shot both. The 30 cal use low pressure loads to protect the stock wood.

Boats

Didn't P.O. Ackley write about rapping the action rails of an '03 with a screwdriver handle and having the rails break?

MP served as the low number "repository" for a number of years. We have now moved that to East Texas. So anyone that is fearful of custom stocked low number Springfield's please call and provide pictures. I am happy to serve my fellow man.

There was an article in 'Rifle' magazine where that was the 'test' of several L/N recv'rs and how they broke. 1980's article I think,,can't recall the author.
Seems there was a separate article in the same issue, a followup of sorts on the 1917 US Enfield and how they could be brittle and break as well. I seem to remember the use of a railroad track as the bang-em anvil.
The recv'r ring crack from bbl removal(?) on them was also mentioned IIRC

The article is one of the more often noted ones in the constant back and forth over wether the L/N '03s are hand held fragmentation bombs or not.
Like the use of damascus bbls w/modern smokeless powders (or any powders at all maybe),,it's one argument that'll never be totally settled to the satisfaction of all.

I have & shoot a Sedgley Sporter.
FWIW, the recv'r isn't glass hard, it will cut w/a sharp file. Probably 're-heat treated' by Sedgley on a stove burner or some such arrangement. Nice rifle.