1903a4?

[Bakwa]

I have this fantasy of picking up a 1903 rifle as a piece of history, maybe hunting with it, and printing decent groups [1.5MOA] on target with it. So I figure a 1903a4 would probably be the best candidate to start out with.

So where can I get a solid reproduction 1903a4 at? I've been looking into Rock Ridge, Mitchell, Gibbs, Creedmoor, James River, etc... I'm not sure if any are better than the next. The ready availability of any of the above is come and go as well. Does anyone here have any suggestions of what 1903 would be a better build or use better parts over another?
Maybe it would be a good idea to re-barrel a random 1903 and turn it into what I want?

I've only shot other peoples 1903's at the range enough to know that I really like them, and of course they look sexy.

I want a good shooter but don't really know what I'm looking for, so any help is appreciated.

 

[Sooter76]

Don't convert an existing a3 unless it's been sportarized already... Go over the the CMP forum and check out the classifieds. 1903a4 clones and occasionally real ones show up for decent prices. Alternately you can track down a (preferably sportarized) a3 and contact chuckindenver over there and he could build you a very good clone. Accuracy for 1903 rifles is largely about stock fit. My clone shoots about .5 MOA 3rd groups. When the barrel heats up I'm usually around 1-1.5 5rd groups.

 

[ScharfshutzeK98]

As far as the reproductions go I believe some of them were made with criterion barrels (I don't believe it was Gibbs). From what I have heard these rifles with the criterion barrels have been dominating the Vintage Sniper Matches. They pop up for sale from time to time in the $800-1200 range.

 

[Sooter76]

It really has nothing to do with the Criterion barrels. Don't get me wrong they're great barrels but my a4 has an original 2 groove barrel and I still get around 1 MOA consistently.

The rifles that are dominating are the USMC M1903a1 rifles, and mostly due to the 8x scope it's topped with. At this point there really needs to be separate matches for those shooting 2.5-3x scopes and those shooting the 8x and better. At 300meters there isn't a huge difference, but at 600 the 8x scopes really pull away.