springfield 1903 - The Firearms Forum

goofy · 01-10-2012, 09:42 AM

I have a springfield 1903 that the owner wants to have changed over to a mag.feed system.Is this possible ? .I have done little work on them and I am not sure if a replacement trigger housing will work one that is made for takeing mags.Numrich has both trigger guard and mags.will this work? also he wants a one piece scope mount so he can use a shorter scope(like a red dot).I have included pics.As you can see someone has done work on it even went as far as cutting the barrel(I think) it is 16.5 inches long.And ground down the bolt instead of cutting and welding.
Thanks for the help
GOOFY

StoneChimney · 01-10-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Numrich has both trigger guard and mags.will this work

Can you provide a link to this?

Jim K · 01-10-2012, 01:36 PM

There were extended magazines for the M1903, but they worked by substituting the magazine for the original floor plate. The magazine body did not extend up into the magazine well and the magazine could not be loaded off the gun and then inserted.

In other words, it was an extended magazine, not a detachable magazine.

Could the M1903 be modified to accept a detachable magazine? Probably, but at the cost of extensive removal of metal in the magazine box and receiver and making it difficult or impossible to restore the gun to the normal configuration.

The most common magazine for .30-'06 conversions is the BAR magazine. These were once common and cheap, but are now fairly expensive, around $25-30. The best thing for the customer to do would be to obtain one, and see for himself the problems that would be involved in trying to make it fit into that 1903.

Jim

goofy · 01-10-2012, 02:45 PM

Thanks for the info

Jim thanks for the help I now see that what I was looking at is not a removeable mag but a extended mag like as you said it is attached in place of the plate.

StoneChimney I do not know how to provide a link but the mag # is 884730 in Numrich gun parts corp. site

Now to figure out if the trigger housing on this gun is the same as the original If it is it should except the mag extension. If it is not then he will also have to get a original trigger housing. Does it look like the original(with out the fancy plate)? Or that it is the same disign as the original?

And do they make a scope rail that is one piece with the ability to mount a small (short) scope? I haven't seen one but I thought I would ask
Thanks again for all your help
GOOFY

Jim K · 01-11-2012, 03:43 PM

I don't know about a rail, but the M1903 has a detachable floor plate and should accept that extended magazine OK (some fitting may be required). The M1903A3 has a one-piece magazine box, trigger guard and floorplate made from stamped sheet steel; the floor plate is not detachable.

But make sure your customer understands that the extended magazine must be loaded from the top either with single rounds or by a 5-round stripper clip. It has no feed lips and can't be loaded off the rifle like the magazine of an M14 or M16. When it is not on the rifle, the cover (should come with the magazine) must be kept on. If it is not, the follower will pop out and flop around on the spring like a jack-in-the-box.

Jim

Helix_FR · 01-11-2012, 07:51 PM

Redfield and leupold both make a one piece base specifically for the 1903. You will have to change the safety out to a wiser 70 degree safety so it clears the scope.

goofy · 01-12-2012, 06:41 AM

Thank you all for your help

I have only worked on a few 1903s (and only did minor jobs on them) So all your ideas and info. are really appreciated

As for the scope rail it took stonechimney in a PM to unfreeze my brain

When he asked "You can use extension rings right"
So I talked to the owner and ordered the mag. And will probably go with the rings but he needs to decide what scope he wants first.
Again Thanks for all your help
GOOFY

01-10-2012, 09:42 AM	#1
goofy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Contributor Posts: 2,021	springfield 1903 I have a springfield 1903 that the owner wants to have changed over to a mag.feed system.Is this possible ? .I have done little work on them and I am not sure if a replacement trigger housing will work one that is made for takeing mags.Numrich has both trigger guard and mags.will this work? also he wants a one piece scope mount so he can use a shorter scope(like a red dot).I have included pics.As you can see someone has done work on it even went as far as cutting the barrel(I think) it is 16.5 inches long.And ground down the bolt instead of cutting and welding. Thanks for the help GOOFY Attached Images --> Last edited by goofy; 01-10-2012 at 09:44 AM..

01-10-2012, 01:36 PM	#3
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: springfield 1903 There were extended magazines for the M1903, but they worked by substituting the magazine for the original floor plate. The magazine body did not extend up into the magazine well and the magazine could not be loaded off the gun and then inserted. In other words, it was an extended magazine, not a detachable magazine. Could the M1903 be modified to accept a detachable magazine? Probably, but at the cost of extensive removal of metal in the magazine box and receiver and making it difficult or impossible to restore the gun to the normal configuration. The most common magazine for .30-'06 conversions is the BAR magazine. These were once common and cheap, but are now fairly expensive, around $25-30. The best thing for the customer to do would be to obtain one, and see for himself the problems that would be involved in trying to make it fit into that 1903. Jim

01-10-2012, 02:45 PM	#4
goofy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Contributor Posts: 2,021	Re: springfield 1903 Thanks for the info Jim thanks for the help I now see that what I was looking at is not a removeable mag but a extended mag like as you said it is attached in place of the plate. StoneChimney I do not know how to provide a link but the mag # is 884730 in Numrich gun parts corp. site Now to figure out if the trigger housing on this gun is the same as the original If it is it should except the mag extension. If it is not then he will also have to get a original trigger housing. Does it look like the original(with out the fancy plate)? Or that it is the same disign as the original? And do they make a scope rail that is one piece with the ability to mount a small (short) scope? I haven't seen one but I thought I would ask Thanks again for all your help GOOFY Last edited by goofy; 01-11-2012 at 05:40 AM..

01-11-2012, 03:43 PM	#5
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: springfield 1903 I don't know about a rail, but the M1903 has a detachable floor plate and should accept that extended magazine OK (some fitting may be required). The M1903A3 has a one-piece magazine box, trigger guard and floorplate made from stamped sheet steel; the floor plate is not detachable. But make sure your customer understands that the extended magazine must be loaded from the top either with single rounds or by a 5-round stripper clip. It has no feed lips and can't be loaded off the rifle like the magazine of an M14 or M16. When it is not on the rifle, the cover (should come with the magazine) must be kept on. If it is not, the follower will pop out and flop around on the spring like a jack-in-the-box. Jim

01-11-2012, 07:51 PM	#6
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,621	Re: springfield 1903 Redfield and leupold both make a one piece base specifically for the 1903. You will have to change the safety out to a wiser 70 degree safety so it clears the scope. __________________ Only cowards shoot with their eyes closed.... helixgunsmith.com

01-12-2012, 06:41 AM	#7
goofy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Contributor Posts: 2,021	Re: springfield 1903 Thank you all for your help I have only worked on a few 1903s (and only did minor jobs on them) So all your ideas and info. are really appreciated As for the scope rail it took stonechimney in a PM to unfreeze my brain When he asked "You can use extension rings right" So I talked to the owner and ordered the mag. And will probably go with the rings but he needs to decide what scope he wants first. Again Thanks for all your help GOOFY