1903-A4 Rat Rifle

[gofst62]

Recent project was to build a replica 1903-A4 from an old pawn shop gun and a couple of broken stocks. This thing shoots great and seems to really like a load of 74gr. RE-22 behind a 168 SMK..MV avg. 2890 only about 45 ES.. Barrel looks like a near new Remington 4 groove and was just shortened and re-chambered. (.300 WM)

The bore looks perfect in this gun but it does seem to copper foul pretty badly. I wonder if I am pushing it too hard for a GI tube or if it just needs to be shot more.. Some of my tactical friends say just shoot it till accuracy falls off and then clean, maybe this is good advice?

Having a swell time spanking some of the local tac guys with their $$$$$$$ rifles!!

Suggestions welcome!!

 

[kraigWY]

How about pictures.

What kind of scope? I'd get a barrel from the CMP and put it back to '06 if it was me.

Kind of like this one I built. I put it together to shoot the CMP Vintage Sniper Matches.

 

[docdredd]

Damn thats sexy......

 

[onethousandmeters]

KraigWY - NICE rifle!

docdredd - some pics would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ranger1183]

... and seems to really like a load of 74gr. RE-22 behind a 168 SMK (emphasis added by ranger1183)..MV avg. 2890 only about 45 ES..

That is a death load there. "Guaranteed" to blow up in your face. Well over 100,000 psi chamber pressure. I think maybe a typo?

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Now's the time my past musings about a 1903 chambered in .260 keep resurfacing...

Greg

 

[ranger1183]

for what it's worth, (according to QuickLoad) 64 (not 74) grains of reloader 22 with a 168 grain SMK, looks like a perfect load giving you the speeds you quoted before.

 

[ranger1183]

Now's the time my past musings about a 1903 chambered in .260 keep resurfacing...

Greg

I love that idea! Didn't someone on here have a K98 re-chambered in 6mm Remington?

 

[gofst62]

Ranger, Recheck the numbers. This is in .300 WM my Sierra book lists the max at a bit over 77 gr. of RE-22 with the 168 MK> worked this up from a start load of 70 gr. and it show zero signs of pressure. Again it is NOT in .30-06..
Gofst

 

[gofst62]

Kraig,, Very Sweet!! I have one very much like yours also built from a donor rifle. Running an old Steel K4 Weaver that looks fairly close to vintage on the original Redfield base & Rings.. Love the old Springers!
Gofst