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War Horses


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To the fire

 

Is anyone fixing them up besides me ? With the price of cowboy guns going out of sight , the only thing left to play with is old Mil. stuff , to be affordable , somewhat .

Real nice ones , around here are not to be had , sometimes at the gun shows , you can find stuff that has been sportized , But not so bad , that they can be kinda restored .

 

CB

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Aahhhh Chickasaw... :rolleyes:

 

Twenty-some years ago my pard Palouse asked me if I’d be interested in a barreled Springfield action…

 

“Why of COURSE I would! Why, do ya know where one might be available…?”

 

Well, it seems that some years before that his then-father in law and brother in law had acquired a couple of ‘03’s (not ‘03A3’s) that had been “surplus’d out” from a local Guard armory. Their intent was to “sporterize” ‘em, and to that end they removed as much of the hardware as they could, took the barreled actions to a buddy’s auto body shop and polished off the Parkerizing, then promptly lost interest and stuffed ‘em in a closet. Then, a few years later, along comes Palouse… and upon re-discovering the pieces during a closet cleaning or some such handed ‘em off to him.

 

So Palouse gave me one, and continued with the sporterizing of his… composite stock, modified bolt handle, scope mounts, the whole nine yards, including having it re-chambered to .300 Win Mag.

 

With the one he gave me, however, I went the opposite direction: It took me about three years, but I managed to find all the parts necessary to completely return the rifle to it’s original configuration – even had it re-Parkerized.

 

The final part I found in a small shop in Fresno… the tiny screw that secured the front sight blade. That was a happy day! ^_^

 

Someday, someday I hope to find one of the looooong bayonets for it…. :blush:

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To the fire

 

Is anyone fixing them up besides me ? With the price of cowboy guns going out of sight , the only thing left to play with is old Mil. stuff , to be affordable , somewhat .

Real nice ones , around here are not to be had , sometimes at the gun shows , you can find stuff that has been sportized , But not so bad , that they can be kinda restored .

 

CB

 

Best bargain available for high powered rifles imho.

And I like the historical connection.

If you get a C&R license there are some nice deals to be had.

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Dad recently offered me the 03A3 that my late Uncle Ben brought back from the Coast Guard at the end of WWII. Ben had started to sporterize it, and had cut the front of the stock down and floated the barrel, but had done nothing to the metal except remove the handguard ring. He moved to Florida in the early '70's and left it with Dad, so I expect I will bring it back next time I go to see him. I can get a new stock for it from CMP, and be good to go. Since I will have 2 03A3's, I might trade the one I got from CMP for an 03, a P17 Enfield, or maybe even a Krag, if I can find a decent one.

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UB

 

As to the C&R , I am not sure it would save me much , as few as I do for myself .

 

BMC

 

Let me look in the parts , I might have a unfinished grip there .

 

GG

 

I have a ring for the P-14/17 , not sure if it will interchange with a 03 , last time I looked Nimrich had some in stock .

 

 

One of these days I will get a 03 , and a real trapdoor , maybe .

 

CB

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I have an original '73 Trap door that I like to shoot.

I also have an almost complete receiver and barrel for another trapdoor. I seen pics of a trapdoor rifle that was customized with a carbine stock so I am in the process of building me one that looks like it

 

almost forgot I will be be putting in some double set triggers also

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GG

 

I have a ring for the P-14/17 , not sure if it will interchange with a 03 , last time I looked Nimrich had some in stock .

 

 

One of these days I will get a 03 , and a real trapdoor , maybe .

 

CB

===============================================================

Thanks for the offer, but I checked Numrich for the 03A3 ring too and will go ahead and get one from them. Will also have to find a front barrel band somewhere.

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To the fire

 

Is anyone fixing them up besides me ? With the price of cowboy guns going out of sight , the only thing left to play with is old Mil. stuff , to be affordable , somewhat .

Real nice ones , around here are not to be had , sometimes at the gun shows , you can find stuff that has been sportized , But not so bad , that they can be kinda restored .

 

CB

 

Chickasaw,

 

I started with a Mauser K98, then went on with an M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, SMLE MK III. I've redone the stocks on all of them. I've also got a S&W Model 1 1/2, a 1934 Beretta, a .30 cal Luger, a P38, a Russian 1985 Nagant revolver, a Walther PP. These on top of all my CAS pieces and about 20 more modern handguns and rifles, but I find I get a lot more satisfaction out of restoring the war horses and shooting them occassionally. I don't have anything that loses value by me messin with the wood, ect, but I really don't care. I like the wood grain come to life.

 

My next project is a Mosin Nagant with a hex receiver. That will be fun.

 

Dawg

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Aahhhh Chickasaw... :rolleyes:

 

Twenty-some years ago my pard Palouse asked me if I’d be interested in a barreled Springfield action…

 

“Why of COURSE I would! Why, do ya know where one might be available…?”

 

Well, it seems that some years before that his then-father in law and brother in law had acquired a couple of ‘03’s (not ‘03A3’s) that had been “surplus’d out” from a local Guard armory. Their intent was to “sporterize” ‘em, and to that end they removed as much of the hardware as they could, took the barreled actions to a buddy’s auto body shop and polished off the Parkerizing, then promptly lost interest and stuffed ‘em in a closet. Then, a few years later, along comes Palouse… and upon re-discovering the pieces during a closet cleaning or some such handed ‘em off to him.

 

So Palouse gave me one, and continued with the sporterizing of his… composite stock, modified bolt handle, scope mounts, the whole nine yards, including having it re-chambered to .300 Win Mag.

 

With the one he gave me, however, I went the opposite direction: It took me about three years, but I managed to find all the parts necessary to completely return the rifle to it’s original configuration – even had it re-Parkerized.

 

The final part I found in a small shop in Fresno… the tiny screw that secured the front sight blade. That was a happy day! ^_^

 

Someday, someday I hope to find one of the looooong bayonets for it…. :blush:

Long blade Springfield bayonets are now being reproduced.

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Long blade Springfield bayonets are now being reproduced.

No kiddin'??

 

Might you know where... or who...? :)

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HC

I saw an add the other day , I think it was Cheaper than Dirt , eather them or Sportsmans Guide , Had the re-pos on sale . If I was told right the 03 bayo will also fit the M1 rifle .

 

I havs been looking for a couple of them for the P14/17s , at a decant price , ain't found em yet .

 

CB

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No kiddin'??

 

Might you know where... or who...? :)

 

Sarco has them with the M-3 scabbard.

 

Sportsmans Guide is out of scabbards

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As to the C&R , I am not sure it would save me much , as few as I do for myself .

 

Buying surplus guns from the importers vs. gunshow prices, you would only need to buy one to pay for the C&R. Plus, if you buy things from Midway or Brownells, the dealer discount you get with a C&R easily pays for the license.

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Buying surplus guns from the importers vs. gunshow prices, you would only need to buy one to pay for the C&R. Plus, if you buy things from Midway or Brownells, the dealer discount you get with a C&R easily pays for the license.

 

Exactly. And if you find an 0old gun on line that you absolutely must have (and you will), you don't have to find and pay an FFL holder. Bada Bing, right top your door.

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Sarco has them with the M-3 scabbard.

 

Sportsmans Guide is out of scabbards

Very cool, Bob...! ^_^

 

For obvious reasons (wooden scales vs plastic... did they have plastic in WW I?) I like the Sportsmans Guide model... too danged bad they're outta leather scabbards! :(

 

Just might have to get one for a birthday presink for myself! :lol:

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Got the hankerin' for a Garand a few years ago and found a great deal on the Wire.

 

Then saw a '98 Krag that was just calling out to me.

 

The Krag begat a M1 Carbine from the same owner a little later.

 

Now I had a US military thing going so an '03 Springfield came into my sights while visiting a local gun shop for the first time.

 

Well, awhile later, someone had an Eddystone and an '03 with an untouched 18" bayonet so....

 

And then, a pre-war Garand and possible NM Garand popped up.

 

I did get one of the Colt 1911 model "O"'s, but that doesn't really count, does it.

 

In between, I strayed and acquired a Broomhandle and a Luger!

 

 

So, I guess I might have a little interest.

 

At least I have avoided being enticed by those Mosins, Mausers and other foreigners! So far!

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In between, I strayed and acquired a Broomhandle and a Luger!

 

 

That's not straying. That's expanding. :lol:

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I worked in a gun shop back in the '90's for a guy that had a thing for SMLE's. The boy musta had 25 or 30 of the things and all were different in some way (variant, manufacturer, year, ...). His biggest hang up for the longest time was that his collection of No.1 Mk III's was lacking 1 year of production from WWI (1916, if I remember correctly). We had a regular customer that was notorious for haunting out of the way shops, estate sales and flea markets and constantly coming up with the dangest stuff for next to nothing. He came beebopping in one day with a rifle wrapped in a blanket that not only was a 1916 manufacture No.1 Mark III but still had the cleaning kit in the butt trap.

 

This was also the guy that paid $35 for a M-1 carbine with the early cross bolt safety and flip up rear sight.

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IR

 

That will not last long , ya think ya is safe , and the BUG takes a big ol bite outta ya .

 

A bout the only thing that will stop ya is lack of funds .

 

CB

 

I know it won't last, only that I have not yet developed an interest in foreign military (nor AR style rifles).

 

I don't have a trapdoor - yet. But I do have a repro Henry and Spencer.

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IR

 

When I end up with one it is not planned , They just seem to follow me home . I lost all my stuff some years back so what little I get anymore , has to be worked over .

I will never be able to replace what was lost , so I am not going to worry about it , just pick one up every year or so .

 

It would be very intresting of they could tell you what they have seen , It would make your blood run cold , but think about the History .

 

CB

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At present, working on a Broomhandle for a friend that got it in pieces, with several internals I've had to replace, now putting in new firing pin then test it. Had a couple Lugers that needed some work, and owners are very happy with results. Found a M1 Carbine at gun show for under 100.00. Only good thing on it was the receiver. Barrel was bent, and front part of stock destroyed. Have a WW2 barrel and original stock. Now I need to get to work on restoring this.

These are fun to shoot and work on. I recommend finding parts that are original, and as clean as possible. I have this negative about restoring, yet using modern barrels, and stocks. MT

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Just got back from the post office. Good article on the M-1 in this month's Rifleman. :)

Shot one last weekend for the first time in quite a while, although it was just blanks. Sure feels good in your hands.

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Got the hankerin' for a Garand a few years ago and found a great deal on the Wire.

 

Then saw a '98 Krag that was just calling out to me.

 

The Krag begat a M1 Carbine from the same owner a little later.

 

Now I had a US military thing going so an '03 Springfield came into my sights while visiting a local gun shop for the first time.

 

Well, awhile later, someone had an Eddystone and an '03 with an untouched 18" bayonet so....

 

And then, a pre-war Garand and possible NM Garand popped up.

 

I did get one of the Colt 1911 model "O"'s, but that doesn't really count, does it.

 

In between, I strayed and acquired a Broomhandle and a Luger!

 

 

So, I guess I might have a little interest.

 

At least I have avoided being enticed by those Mosins, Mausers and other foreigners! So far!

========================================================

That's another thing on the want list for my budding kraut pistol collection that I haven't checked off; a Broomhandle! I've got an all-matching 1917 DWM Luger, and a 1944 Walther P38 with original soft brown leather holster and extra mag with eight rounds of 1943 dated ammo. The Broomhandles I see at shows all look like they've been used hard in third-world countries.

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========================================================

That's another thing on the want list for my budding kraut pistol collection that I haven't checked off; a Broomhandle! I've got an all-matching 1917 DWM Luger, and a 1944 Walther P38 with original soft brown leather holster and extra mag with eight rounds of 1943 dated ammo. The Broomhandles I see at shows all look like they've been used hard in third-world countries.

 

Yup. It's hard to find one in good shape without having to mortgage the farm.

Virtually all old military guns interest me because they are all interconnected through history.

And Utah likes that there history. :lol:

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========================================================

That's another thing on the want list for my budding kraut pistol collection that I haven't checked off; a Broomhandle! I've got an all-matching 1917 DWM Luger, and a 1944 Walther P38 with original soft brown leather holster and extra mag with eight rounds of 1943 dated ammo. The Broomhandles I see at shows all look like they've been used hard in third-world countries.

Broomhandles were extensively used with corrosive ammo. For the most part, barrels worn, just plain shot out. Outside frame corrosion, mostly those that were kept in leather holsters. Besides the barrel wearing or shot out, be sure to check under grips, this is were a lot of corrosion and rust will be. The barrels can be relined to were you won't be able to tell if original or not, the best being redman's rifling re-boring. Most often the firing pin is broke or cracked, replacements are easy to find, but must be filed down to fit into frame lock opening. This bolt lock should also be checked for cracks, and fatigue, since its what keeps the bolt from coming into a shooters face. Broomhandles are a work of art. There are some beauties out there, and still undervalued. They were still issued into WW2 to paratroopers, police units. Even after the war, local police were still using them. I have one that I've been shooting since early 70s without one failure, and accurate even though there's hardly any rifling left. MT

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My grandfather saw to it that I received his M1903 that he had brought home after WW1.

 

I have managed to complete it out:

 

My Springfield has a brand new barrel, a new bolt, a new ejector and extractor, a new firing pin and sear, a new walnut stock and a calibrated, tight rear sight-that little screw was one of the last parts to be found. This rifle is really accurate too, more so than I am. The accessories that I managed to find are: Oil & Thong Cleaning Kit, Combo Screwdriver, Stripper Clip, New Model 1907 Leather Sling, the FM, Web Accessory Case and Manual, and a padded Case w/Pine Crate.

 

...and yes it gets shot.

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