The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Curios and Relics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 20, 2013, 08:04 PM   #1
2ndsojourn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 15, 2013
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 1,416
Low serial # Springfield 1903

One of the guns I inherited from my grandfather years ago is a Model 1903 serial # 497xxx. Barrel date 9-11. It's in almost pristine condition, with only a couple small nicks on the buttstock, and appears to be not issued and rarely fired. Is it feasible to have the receiver magna-fluxed or x-rayed and heat treated to make it safe to shoot?
2ndsojourn is offline  
Old April 21, 2013, 04:53 PM   #2
m&p45acp10+1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 3, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,930
Doing that would ruin the value of the gun. Leave it as is. Have it checked out by a reputable gun smith. If it is in great condition, and the parts all match it has higher monetary value to a collector. The number of unaltered rifles like those are getting to be fewer, and fewer.
__________________
No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.
m&p45acp10+1 is offline  
Old April 21, 2013, 05:41 PM   #3
tahunua001
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Idaho
Posts: 7,839
it's one of those things where it is impossible to know for certain if it's safe to shoot or not. there isn't any way of re treating them, if there was the war dept would have done it.

I personally shoot mine every once in a blue moon but that's just me, they have their risks and if you believe the risk is neglegible enough to shoot then do it, other wise have a nice case made up along with a nice little plaque showing the guns history and the loved one that carried it and enjoy it for what it is, a beautiful collectors piece.
__________________
ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar.
I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein
You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin
tahunua001 is offline  
Old April 21, 2013, 09:01 PM   #4
SIGSHR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 13, 2005
Posts: 4,700
On another board I asked about heat treating Low Number M1903s,it can't be done, Uncle Sam considered it, found it was not feasible.
SIGSHR is offline  
Old April 22, 2013, 06:27 AM   #5
2ndsojourn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 15, 2013
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 1,416
OK, thanks.
2ndsojourn is offline  
Old April 22, 2013, 07:53 AM   #6
madcratebuilder
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 2, 2007
Location: Northern Orygun
Posts: 4,923
Some of the "low number" '03 had too high of temp during the heat treatment, this made them brittle and reportedly unsafe to fire. No way to know if a certain rifle was over heated. You may be able to have a machine shop do a Rockwell hardness test.

This unsafe to fire '03 was pretty much unheard of until CMP outlawed them at matches. It has been exaggerated by the internet IMHO. I understand why CMP took this stand. They can not exposes themselves to the possible litigation from a injury or death.

Lot's of folks shoot low number '03's and a lot don't.
madcratebuilder is offline  
Old April 22, 2013, 01:54 PM   #7
Hardcase
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 14, 2009
Location: Sunny Southern Idaho
Posts: 1,909
Here is a link to what I think is an excellent, dispassionate analysis of the low number receiver issue: http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/

A quick summary is that some early receivers were inadequately hardened, but that WWI-era ammunition played a significant role in the observed failures.
__________________
Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae
Hardcase is offline  
Old April 22, 2013, 02:25 PM   #8
SIGSHR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 13, 2005
Posts: 4,700
Hatcher's Notebook is a primary source for this topic, by a man Who Was There. IIRC he found a few bad production runs.
SIGSHR is offline  
Old April 22, 2013, 02:26 PM   #9
mapsjanhere
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 6, 2009
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,832
The problem with fixing the receivers is not that it's not possible but impractical. In order to reverse the phase changes and fix the receivers you would have to bring it to high heat, than very slowly back down below the the "correct" temperature for the heat treatment, then redo the heat treatment procedure. The problem is that at those temperatures the receiver softens after a while, and will deform to the point where you need to remachine all mating surfaces, threads etc. By the time all that work is done you put more money in than it costs to machine a new one from scratch.
Now, if you have unlimited funds or really good connections, you can send it to the space station where they do the treatment in an inert atmosphere and zero gravity, but even there uneven heat flows might distort the shape.
__________________
I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.
mapsjanhere is offline  
Old April 22, 2013, 02:50 PM   #10
2ndsojourn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 15, 2013
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 1,416
Yeah, I saw that article before and it made part of me wanting to shoot mine anyway.

I didn't remember the part about the failures due to over heating, but the double heat treating stuck in my mind, that's why I asked. When I make up my mind to shoot it, I'll resurrect this thread and let y'all know what happened.

Thanks.
2ndsojourn is offline  
Old April 22, 2013, 04:43 PM   #11
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
The problem was not that those rifles were "inadequately hardened" but that they were over-hardened and hence brittle. Nor is it a matter of ammunition pressure; they were proof tested and passed. Nor is the age of the rifle or the number of rounds fired of any help. With brittleness, there is no way to really know when something will let go. A rifle may fire 10,000 rounds OK and let go on 10,001.

Jim
James K is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.05190 seconds with 9 queries