1903A4 clone ...

[steppenwolf]

Had it for about a year and have put about 250-rds of ball and match-type 30'06 ammo through it.



It has a period-correct 03A3 receiver, Redfield mount, rings and screws trigger guard, etc., (no ChiCom stuff). The local 03A4 guy that built it relates that the stock was one of five unissued stocks (w/ handguards) that he picked up about 10yrs ago, made by a company that supplied them to the military.

Barrel is a Criterion. It shot 1957 FN '06 ball ammo (pictured in the foreground) shockingly well, grouping 5-rds into just over an inch @ 100yds once I'd gotten it sighted-in on paper @ 50yds. The scope I already had. It's a Lyman 3x Alaskan, w/ the very fine crosshairs and a "dot" in the center, which actually helped me keep the rounds in the bull @ 100yds. I know the Alaskan is not the scope they assigned for 03A4 usage, but it sports a similar appearance and this one is old enough to be "close." Glass is still decent too.



Obviously not correct are the Eagle stock pack, the camo tape and, I think, the sling, all of which I added. The camo tape was just a visual experiment.

For the first 50-rds or so, I shot the rifle using the sling but without the stockpack. Then I tried shooting it with the stock pack after tucking some foam underneath it. This worked great as it raised my eye to a level where the sight-picture in the Lyman is clear and doesn't wink-out. It also gave me a consistent cheekweld.

Sorry for the crappy pics, but despite the sunny day it was about 25-degrees and the deck was frozen over w/ snow & ice.

I've seen and handled several of the Gibbs 03A4s and while they were okay I never got one. For some reason, when the local guy had this one out for sale, it appealed to me.

I'm trying to enjoy it for what it is - old school cool ... plus I'm real happy that it's also a shooter.

 

[Tx_Flyboy]

That's a sexy rifle steppennwolf!

Can you also post pictures of groups you've shot?

Have you had a chance to develop loads for her?

 

[steppenwolf]

Thanks! Will take pics of groups on the next outing, whenever the range thaws enough.

In the early 2000s I was out @ Camp Perry just before the Nat'l Matches and picked up 2 cases (2000-rds) of 30.06 ammo. This was CMP fodder made here using L.C. brass, not the later Korean import stuff. For a long time I've had that FN '06 ammo in the picture, which the 04 shot great with.

Haven't tried handloads yet; I'm saving that adventure for down the road.
I will say the reputation of Criterion barrels is well-deserved. The biggest limitation on accuracy with this rifle is, first, me the shooter, and then probably the trigger. Beyond 100yds a further limitation is (for my eyes, anyway) the scope.

Smoothing out the trigger and then bedding the stock would probably tighten groups, but I'm not sure I want to go that route for the sort of shooting I envision doing with it.
We'll see what happens as I invest more trigger-time in it.

 

[kraigWY]

Betcha is will shoot better if you take all that tape off the forearm. Springfield's don't like stuff touching the forearm for some reason.

I found that out it developing a position for the CMP Vintage Sniper Matches with my 'a4 and working up loads for my M1903A3.

My rifles shoot better using a sling instead of sand bags...............haven't tried the tape.

Not to mention the M1903s and 'A4s are beautiful rifles, if the fore arm and upper hand guard is broke there are reasonably priced replacements.

If its for decorations that's different, its your rifle and should fit your eye, not mine or anyone else's.

FWIW, yes the Lyman Alaskan was not an "issue" scope, but was used on the 'A4. The CMP calls it a "non-issue" but legal scope for their Vintage Sniper Matches (as was the Weaver K2.5 pictured below). Different scopes (non-issue) were used because suppliers couldn't produce scopes fast enough to fill the need at the time. I don't have one, but the Lyman Alaskan's I've seen were good scopes.

 

[steppenwolf]

Kraig - thanks for the information & comments.

Yeah, the camo tape was just for looks, nothing broken on the front handguard, and the tape isn't wrapped so tight that it's affected accuracy (as far as I can tell anyway @ 100yds).

Didn't know the Alaskan scope was now CMP "legal" for the Vintage match - good to know. I had heard that they modifiy the list of what scopes are allowed from time to time, but never checked.

While the 3x magnification sort of limits me on distance and the glass isn't as clear as what you find on "sniper" scopes now, the combo of the fine crosshairs with the dot in the center does provide a sort of reference point for holdovering at longer distance. This old scope isn't the kind which allows for easy dialing, nor realistically would you have time to dail (say, in a hunting situation or during a competition where you're engaging targets @ different ranges against the clock). Using the dot as a reference point (I'm guessing it's 3MOA, maybe 4MOA?) and firing a given load zero-ed for 100yds, you could determine where to hold that dot to be "on" @ 200yds, etc., at least within minute-of-beast. Not as precise as a mil system, but seems like it would be a more effective reticle than just the crosshairs alone.

 

[JGaynor]

View attachment M1903A4 Sniper Rifle Adoption - 10 December 1942.pdfOne note of caution regarding the CMP's Vintage sniper rules. The document should not be used as a general reference as it is incomplete and has a number of errors.

For example The 2.5x Lyman Alaskan WAS approved for use on the A4 and by mid 1943 was militarized as the Telescope, M73. None were delivered prior to the end of A4 manufacture but M73's were among the first scopes used on the M1C in 1945.

CMP legalized the use of the commercial Alaskans mainly to accommodate shooters who were reluctant to risk shooting aging and delicate M73B1 scopes (Militarized Weaver 330C).

So if your building a rifle go by the rules. If you are interested in history toss the rulebook in the trash.

Attached is a photo of an A4 with a Lyman Alaskan (M73) from an Oct 43 Technical manual. Shortly after this manual was published it was determined that the Alaskans would not be delivered by the end of A4 production.

Also Attached minutes of the meeting in Dec 42 where specs for the A4 and scopes were approved.

Regards,
Jim

 

[kraigWY]

If you know the size of your reticle, and the size of your target, you have a range finder that will work as well as the mil dot with practice.

Reticles change with distance, target size doesn't, meaning MOA changes in that 1 moa is 1 in (1.047) at 100, 2 inches (2.094) at 200 etc. etc.

An 18 inch wide target is 18 inches wide whether its 100, 200, 300 or how ever far you want to go.

A 3 MOA dot will be 1/6 the size of the 18 inch target at 100, 1/3 at 200, and 1/2 at 300. You get the idea, it just takes practice.

 

[steppenwolf]

It may be some time before I can get back out to the range and provide an update. We've got another snow storm heading in w/ something called a "polar vortex" behind it. Also wanted to thank Kraig & Jim for their input!

 

[mallrat]

I'm starting a new 1903 project, and I'm glad to have such a rich source of information. Probably won't be competing, just trying to get the right look and function.