I Have This Old Gun

[rbp75503]

I have this old gun, which was 40 years old when I purchased it in 1966. A 6mmx284 based on a Rock Island Arsenal 1903 Springfield. My 1st wildcat. It served me well taking blacktails, black bear, and ground squirrels, what we called PDs back then.

It had sit in my safe many years without use and recently I started some load development to determine if the barrel was shot out.
It was bad, so I began teardown to rebarrel and repurpose the rifle.

I started to strip the stock to fix the dents and chips and to refinish.
http://i.imgur.com/1G3jrHD.jpg

In those days many builders bedded the whole rifle. I plan to free float the barrel so the bedding has got to go.

http://i.imgur.com/R1mEa9v.jpg

The rifle components.

http://i.imgur.com/N3FUMtB.jpg

Next up was to install a rear pillar.

http://i.imgur.com/Wdt1nP1.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lUIA2cr.jpg

Decided to remove the receiver myself and send the action for rebarreling to the smith.

http://i.imgur.com/fDPHpAI.jpg

Sprayed aerosol Kroil into the action threads and let sit overnight and then one wack from the # 2 rubber mallet is all it took to free the receiver from the barrel.

http://i.imgur.com/eLH29Ax.jpg

So there it is as sits today, hopefully the action gets sent off next week.

[jonesturf]

Nice! I bet that was a screamer. I love 1903s.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[rbp75503]

Yes it was a nice rifle in its day, I have a 1960s RCBS chrony work-up that predicted in the mid 3000s for 80gr-90gr bullets.

[rbp75503]

Received my barreled action back from the smith on Monday and began the process of re-assembly of the rifle. The 308win chrome molly Criterion is 24" with a slot for the front sight. If I get decent groups I will cut and crown at 20" and thread for a brake.

First up was to do some remedial work. When the action was originally drilled for scope base it was a butcher job. I attempted to fix with some JB Weld. It still was canted to the right. So I picked up a S&K no drill scope base. Heated the JB Weld to 500 deg. to remove the screws.

http://i.imgur.com/uGR2iDZ.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/M8L3tSn.jpg


S& K No Drill Mount.

http://i.imgur.com/6mq0Nvx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/S9vgfik.jpg

Time to install the scope mounts and scope
http://i.imgur.com/H7FV1Dg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lEFj6gg.jpg

I had refinished the stock with 8 coats of Tru-Oil and then waxed. Rifle assembled, but the rings are too high. I miss calculated the needed height to have the bolt clear the scope.

http://i.imgur.com/G3ZIL8l.jpg

[wbm]

Well done!

[rbp75503]

Well I was not satisfied with the accuracy of the crome-moly Criterion barrel so I sent off the action to Pac-Nor and had them fit a 22" SS barrel and to cerokote the action Savage stainless. Also installed a Holland brake. Weather has not been such that I have had a chance to get much range time.

http://i.imgur.com/5AjDDTP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YsAzhJd.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QhgZN3L.jpg

[Bolthead]

Absolutely gorgeous!! Nice job.

[cwlongshot]

Love these 60's styled stocks!! For me they just never grow old and are what a bolt action stock should look like!

I have a beauty wrapped up waiting to find a old Ruger 77 in a short caliber I want to drop in. Its a med action. I bought a 6MM but its slightly long. I did not realize Ruger had a mid length action... It WAS a 308, but I really dont need "another" one of those. :) I have had my eye out for a 358. ONE DAY...

Yours is beautifully figured, well done!

CW

[yobuck]

The 2 big name stock makers were E C Bishop, and Rhinhart Fajean, and I might have misspelled the later.
Ultimatly, Fajean bought out Bishop. That stock appears to be a Fajean.

[rbp75503]

I always believed it was a Bishop, although I didn't have any documentation to confirm that. Fajen or Bishop I guess it doesn't really matter to me as it still holds many great memories for me.

[Burr]

I'm not extremely educated in stock makers of old - but that stock for some reason screamed Fajen to me in the first picture - whether it's an accurate scream or not. With the joined ownership with Bishop many of the inspirations are the same. I have a couple of older Bishop stocked Savages. I don't know why they are so comfortable to shoot, and it doesn't matter. I just know that they are a pleasure to shoot and they won't be leaving me in my life time. They don't make em like that anymore. Nice job on your rifle.

[Adirondack]

Very nice build.

[rbp75503]

I have nearly finished load development with the 1903 and thought I would show a couple of loads that I have obtained the best accuracy. Only one more bullet combination to go, then I can go on and finish up load development of a 6.5 X47 Rem-McGowen. I am also in the build process of a savage flat back in 300 Blackout.
http://i.imgur.com/EJPv1gh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qeHLbvQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0PupQbS.jpg

[JeepsAndGuns]

Nice vintage rifle. I too have a vintage 1903 springfield sporter, mine was done in 1948, still in 30-06. Maybe I should take some pictures and post them up.

I am also glad to see someone else having good luck with IMR 3031 in 308. I was starting to think I was the only one. Everywhere on the net I see, everyone always uses 4064, 4895, or varget. Me, so far, my best groups have been with 3031. I have also had almost equal results with AR-comp, which from what I can tell, it almost identical to 3031 in the burn speed. Only difference is mine is a AR10 style rifle.

[rbp75503]

Finished up load development so have included results of my accuracy summary sheet.



Springfield 1903 308Win Pac-Nor 1-10" 22"




















Sierra 165gr SBT Gameking #SRA2145










Powder
C.O.L.
Start
Max
Most Accurate
Group






NoGo
IMR3031
2.750"
36.1
40.6
none
>1.00"







Varget
2.750"
38.5
43.0
42.5
.495"






NoGo
VihtN550
2.750"
40.7
46.7
none
>1.00"







IMR4064
2.750"
37.6
43.5
42.5
.447"






NoGo
Benchmark
2.750"
37.4
41.0
41.0
.915"






Lot #
Caliber
Case
Trim Length:
Neck Bushing
Headspace DL
O.A.L.
Ogive
Primer
Powder Type
Charge















Berger 308 168gr VLD Hunting #30510










Powder
C.O.L.
Start
Max
Most Accurate
Group






Reduced Load
H4895
2.810"
37.0
41.3
25.5
.349"







Varget
2.810"
38.0
42.5
41.5
.535"







VihtN135
2.810"
38.5
42.6
42.0
.696"







IMR4064
2.810"
38.5
42.6
42.0
.880"







BL-C(2)
2.810"
40.0
44.3
43.0
.924"







RE-15

40.0
43.8








Lot #
Caliber
Case
Trim Length:
Neck Bushing
Headspace DL
O.A.L.
Ogive
Primer
Powder Type
Charge


H4895
308 Win
Winchester
2.003"
.332"
1.622"

2.155"
CCI BR2
H4895
25.5















Berger 308 175gr VLD Hunting #30512










Powder
C.O.L.
Start
Max
Most Accurate
Group







H4895
2.810"
37.0
41.0
40.0
.379"







VihtN135
2.810"
37.5
41.6
41.0
.274"







IMR4064
2.810"
37.5
42.0
41.5
.508"







IMR3031
2.810"
36.5
40.5
39.0
.116"







RE-15
2.810"
39.0
43.3
43.0
.523"






Lot #
Caliber
Case
Trim Length:
Neck Bushing
Headspace DL
O.A.L.
Ogive
Primer
Powder Type
Charge


VihtN135
308 Win
Winchester
2.003"
.332"
1.622"

2.155"
CCI BR2
VihtN135
41.0


IMR3031
308 Win
Winchester
2.003"
.332"
1.622"

2.155"
CCI BR2
IMR3031
39.0


Hornady 178gr ELD-X #3074











Powder
C.O.L.
Start
Max
Most Accurate
Group







H4895
2.800"
33.6
40.7
38.5
.323"







Varget
2.800"
35.0
42.4
39.0
.252"






Lot #
Caliber
Case
Trim Length:
Neck Bushing
Headspace DL
O.A.L.
Ogive
Primer
Powder Type
Charge


Varget
308 Win
Winchester
2.003"
.332"
1.622"
2.800"
2.165"
CCI BR2
Varget
39.0















Sierra 180gr SBT #2160












Powder
C.O.L.
Start
Max
Most Accurate
Group







VihtN540
2.800"
36.5
41.0
39.5
.291"






NOGO
Varget
2.800"
36.3
41.7
None
>1.00"







VihtN550
2.800"
38.3
45.5
45.0
.472"







IMR4064
2.800"
35.7
42.8
41.0
.499"






Lot #
Caliber
Case
Trim Length:
Neck Bushing
Headspace DL
O.A.L.
Ogive
Primer
Powder Type
Charge


VihtN540
308 Win
Winchester
2.003"
.332"
1.623"

2.195"
CCI BR2
VihtN540
39.5















Swift Scirocco 180gr SBT #821803













Powder
C.O.L.
Start
Max
Most Accurate
Group







BL-C(2)
2.800"
40.9
44.0
43.5
.506"






NOGO
H4895
2.800"
39.5
42.5
none
>1.00"






NOGO
Varget
2.800"
40,9
44.0
none
>1.00"






NOGO
IMR3031
2.800"
38.1
41.0
none
>1.00"







IMR4064
2.800"
40.5
43.5
43.5
.454"







RE-15
2.800"
40.5
43.5
42.5
.885"






Lot #
Caliber
Case
Trim Length:
Neck Bushing
Headspace DL
O.A.L.
Ogive
Primer
Powder Type
Charge


IMR4064
308 Win
Winchester
2.003"
.332"
1.623"

2.155"
CCI BR2
IMR4064
43.5