03A3 trouble

bakrzdzn · July 18, 2011, 09:02 PM

My father-in-law had a Remington 03A3 and it is now at my house. I could not get the bolt to open to confirm it being unloaded. I may not be smarter than the rifle, but after a few minutes of trying I got frustrated and put it back in the box it was shipped in. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance,
Roy

Slamfire · July 18, 2011, 09:08 PM

Was the safety on?

If the cocking piece is back and the safety in the safe position, you cannot open the bolt.

If you move the safety to fire, do not pull the trigger. Might be something in the chamber.

Posting a picture of the rifle and bolt mechanism might help.

Loader9 · July 18, 2011, 09:42 PM

The 03a3 Remingtons have a 3 position safety. In full safety with the lever horizontal and on the bolt handle side, it is in full safe and the bolt cannot be opened. I've heard that this was to keep the enemy from grabbing one of them and open fire on our guys. Don't know that to be correct. You can pull the lever on the back of the bolt to the vertical position and it's still in safe but you can operate the bolt. Off safe is the lever on the opposite side of the bolt handle.
Since you apparently know little of the 03 action, to remove the bolt you have a lever on the opposite side of the bolt handle on the action marked off and on. It too is a 3 position lever. Putting that lever in the center lets the bolt release. With that lever in the off position, the bolt is not allowed to come back far enough to pick up a round out of the magazine.
Hope this was helpful info.

bakrzdzn · July 19, 2011, 06:48 PM

Thanks to all of you for giving me a heads up on what should be a simple manipulation of a fine piece of history.(I will have to check to see if there is a date on the barrel) But it appears to be in fine shape, I will be glad to post pics when I can.

DnPRK · July 19, 2011, 10:04 PM

If it is in military-issued shape, do not let sandpaper or saw blade touch it. In these parts it would be worth about $650. But if you sand or cut the stock, the value drops to $250 for a bubba'd rifle.

bakrzdzn · July 23, 2011, 03:14 PM

I had a chance to look at the rifle today and the safety is in the left position, and the bolt only moves about 1/3 of the way. then it binds to the point of "if you push any harder something is going to break" I pulled on the striker and the safety will rotate to all positions. I removed the trigger guard and it is unloaded. What else should I try.

Thanks

James K · July 23, 2011, 07:14 PM

If you can get the safety to the middle (straight up) position, the bolt should unlock and come out when you put the cut-off in middle position also.

Removing the trigger guard will show only that the magazine is empty, but the chamber might still be loaded, so be careful.

Jim

T. O'Heir · July 24, 2011, 03:36 AM

"...Removing the trigger guard will show..." The trigger guard is part of the mag well assembly. You can't remove just the trigger guard.
http://stevespages.com/ipb-springfield-03a3.html

bakrzdzn · July 24, 2011, 07:52 PM

Thanks, I know that now, but did not think it necessary to explain that as part of the updated request for help.

Roy

Loader9 · July 24, 2011, 08:37 PM

Roy, you say the bolt only goes 1/3 of the way. Explain that please. Is the bolt handle only lifting 1/3 or is the bolt only sliding back 1/3? Is there a way you can post any pics of what you have? Does the rifle have military sights or does it have after market sights like a Lyman peep, scope, something else? I assume when you say it's unloaded you mean that there are no rounds in the mag-right? Or did you get to see the bottom of the bolt?

triggerman770 · July 25, 2011, 06:03 PM

since you have removed the bottom metal, you might try drifting out the sear pin and remov e the sear/trigger assembly and then, with the safety and thecutoff in thier middle positions thry pulling it out.( if the bolt is binding).
or as it sits put the safety and the cutoof in their middle positions hold the trigger back while at the same time raising your left eyebrow

. on Remingtons the sear usually block bolt removal

langenc · July 27, 2011, 10:26 PM

Take it to a good gunsmith before you are sorry for life.

F. Guffey · July 28, 2011, 02:32 AM

I would check to see if the rifle had a scope mounted on top of the receiver at one time or the other, someone could have removed the scope, rings and mount(s) THEN reinstalled the screws to fill the holes, one of the screws could be hitting one of the bolt lugs.

OR, the rifle could have a scope mounted with one screw that is too long.

F. Guffey

bakrzdzn · July 31, 2011, 12:15 AM

Thanks to all who have given great advise, I have the problem solved. It was a stuck bolt. a few lite taps with a leather mallet did the trick. there was a spent case in the chamber also, I don't know why it did not get taken out after it was last shot...one can only guess at this point.

F. Guffey · July 31, 2011, 10:04 AM

I do not know, but, the last round fired could have been too hot, the last person to fire the rifle could have experienced resistance to bolt opening and put the rifle away. There is spring back/recovery, my cases after being hammered have short memories measured in milliseconds so it is not likely a fire case recovered over a long period of time, enough to cause resistance to bolt opening.

Clean the chamber, examine the case for corrosion, oxidation or electrolysis due to dissimilar metals?

And examine the case head for signs of high pressure, flatten primer, case head expansion? and marring of the case head caused by the bolt, this happens when the case is locked to the chamber when the bolt is rotated.

F. Guffey

July 18, 2011, 09:02 PM	#1
bakrzdzn Junior Member Join Date: July 18, 2011 Location: NE Georgia Posts: 8	03A3 trouble My father-in-law had a Remington 03A3 and it is now at my house. I could not get the bolt to open to confirm it being unloaded. I may not be smarter than the rifle, but after a few minutes of trying I got frustrated and put it back in the box it was shipped in. What am I doing wrong? Thanks in advance, Roy

July 18, 2011, 09:08 PM	#2
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Was the safety on? If the cocking piece is back and the safety in the safe position, you cannot open the bolt. If you move the safety to fire, do not pull the trigger. Might be something in the chamber. Posting a picture of the rifle and bolt mechanism might help. __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

July 23, 2011, 03:14 PM	#6
bakrzdzn Junior Member Join Date: July 18, 2011 Location: NE Georgia Posts: 8	03A3 trouble update I had a chance to look at the rifle today and the safety is in the left position, and the bolt only moves about 1/3 of the way. then it binds to the point of "if you push any harder something is going to break" I pulled on the striker and the safety will rotate to all positions. I removed the trigger guard and it is unloaded. What else should I try. Thanks

July 24, 2011, 03:36 AM	#8
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...Removing the trigger guard will show..." The trigger guard is part of the mag well assembly. You can't remove just the trigger guard. http://stevespages.com/ipb-springfield-03a3.html __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

July 24, 2011, 07:52 PM	#9
bakrzdzn Junior Member Join Date: July 18, 2011 Location: NE Georgia Posts: 8	03A3 trouble update Thanks, I know that now, but did not think it necessary to explain that as part of the updated request for help. Roy

July 18, 2011, 09:42 PM	#3
Loader9 Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2008 Posts: 949	The 03a3 Remingtons have a 3 position safety. In full safety with the lever horizontal and on the bolt handle side, it is in full safe and the bolt cannot be opened. I've heard that this was to keep the enemy from grabbing one of them and open fire on our guys. Don't know that to be correct. You can pull the lever on the back of the bolt to the vertical position and it's still in safe but you can operate the bolt. Off safe is the lever on the opposite side of the bolt handle. Since you apparently know little of the 03 action, to remove the bolt you have a lever on the opposite side of the bolt handle on the action marked off and on. It too is a 3 position lever. Putting that lever in the center lets the bolt release. With that lever in the off position, the bolt is not allowed to come back far enough to pick up a round out of the magazine. Hope this was helpful info.

July 19, 2011, 06:48 PM	#4
bakrzdzn Junior Member Join Date: July 18, 2011 Location: NE Georgia Posts: 8	Thanks to all of you for giving me a heads up on what should be a simple manipulation of a fine piece of history.(I will have to check to see if there is a date on the barrel) But it appears to be in fine shape, I will be glad to post pics when I can.

July 19, 2011, 10:04 PM	#5
DnPRK Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2001 Location: LC, Ca Posts: 1,917	If it is in military-issued shape, do not let sandpaper or saw blade touch it. In these parts it would be worth about $650. But if you sand or cut the stock, the value drops to $250 for a bubba'd rifle.

July 23, 2011, 07:14 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	If you can get the safety to the middle (straight up) position, the bolt should unlock and come out when you put the cut-off in middle position also. Removing the trigger guard will show only that the magazine is empty, but the chamber might still be loaded, so be careful. Jim

July 24, 2011, 08:37 PM	#10
Loader9 Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2008 Posts: 949	Roy, you say the bolt only goes 1/3 of the way. Explain that please. Is the bolt handle only lifting 1/3 or is the bolt only sliding back 1/3? Is there a way you can post any pics of what you have? Does the rifle have military sights or does it have after market sights like a Lyman peep, scope, something else? I assume when you say it's unloaded you mean that there are no rounds in the mag-right? Or did you get to see the bottom of the bolt?

July 25, 2011, 06:03 PM	#11
triggerman770 Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 2009 Location: Metro Atlanta Area Posts: 125	03A3 since you have removed the bottom metal, you might try drifting out the sear pin and remov e the sear/trigger assembly and then, with the safety and thecutoff in thier middle positions thry pulling it out.( if the bolt is binding). or as it sits put the safety and the cutoof in their middle positions hold the trigger back while at the same time raising your left eyebrow. on Remingtons the sear usually block bolt removal __________________ Small Arms Restoration, Inc. smallarmsrestoration.net Proud member of Georgia Carry.org www.georgiacarry.org

July 27, 2011, 10:26 PM	#12
langenc Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2007 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 1,551	Take it to a good gunsmith before you are sorry for life.

July 28, 2011, 02:32 AM	#13
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	I would check to see if the rifle had a scope mounted on top of the receiver at one time or the other, someone could have removed the scope, rings and mount(s) THEN reinstalled the screws to fill the holes, one of the screws could be hitting one of the bolt lugs. OR, the rifle could have a scope mounted with one screw that is too long. F. Guffey

July 31, 2011, 12:15 AM	#14
bakrzdzn Junior Member Join Date: July 18, 2011 Location: NE Georgia Posts: 8	03A3 trouble update Thanks to all who have given great advise, I have the problem solved. It was a stuck bolt. a few lite taps with a leather mallet did the trick. there was a spent case in the chamber also, I don't know why it did not get taken out after it was last shot...one can only guess at this point.

July 31, 2011, 10:04 AM	#15
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	I do not know, but, the last round fired could have been too hot, the last person to fire the rifle could have experienced resistance to bolt opening and put the rifle away. There is spring back/recovery, my cases after being hammered have short memories measured in milliseconds so it is not likely a fire case recovered over a long period of time, enough to cause resistance to bolt opening. Clean the chamber, examine the case for corrosion, oxidation or electrolysis due to dissimilar metals? And examine the case head for signs of high pressure, flatten primer, case head expansion? and marring of the case head caused by the bolt, this happens when the case is locked to the chamber when the bolt is rotated. F. Guffey

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