OntarioHunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2020
- Messages
- 5,980
Having quite a discussion with my gunsmith African hunting buddy about repairing my old Springfield. Dad mail ordered two of them that were WWII surplus from an ad in American Rifleman circa 1962. Then he and a coworker sporterized them in the Hungry Horse Dam machine shop during off duty hours. I have hunted with it almost exclusively since 1964. Shot a ton of animals but most less than 100 yards ... a few less than 20 yards. So being a tack driver was never a big thing. A couple of years ago I noticed an occasional wild one when sighting the gun in. Blamed it on poor reloading. But after upgrading to an electronic scale it became clear that wasn't the issue. This was a late production 1903A3 with only two rifle lands (the other one that my brother now owns has four lands). The bore never looked good to me.
Now I'm getting ready to go to Africa again and took it to the range a few weeks ago when the snow went out at the gravel pit (and snow is now back again!). At 25 yards I blew the center out of the bull but at 100 yards the group was maybe five inches + low and to the left about ten inches. One shot was way wild low left and almost off the paper (need to check the empty brass - might be a split case). Not very good. At 200 yards, which is almost a short shot for African plains game, who knows where I'd be hitting an animal ... if I hit the animal. A good deal came up on ebay for a sporterized Springfield barrel with four lands. Images posted of bore looked very good. Price was right and I snapped it up. Shipped the rifle to my buddy and he claims the barrel bore is one of worst he's seen. Definitely shot out. He's still waiting for the ebay barrel.
So now we're having a discussion about how to proceed. First, money is no object. I have lots. Gary thinks this gun has seen its day and I should buy something new. Must take "the best" with me on this hunt of a lifetime. But what is the "best?" Is the "best" shooting gun actually that important? I would love to take my dad with me ... but he died on West Glacier Golf Course in June 1999. Figure if I take his gun (again) he'll be along. Also my buddy is living on borrowed time with multiple heart problems. If he fixes this gun up to shoot respectable (maybe not "best"), he'll be along too. And eventually when my daughter gets the gun after I'm gone, she will have a piece of three men she has known and loved keep as well as all the trophies from both sides of the world that it took.
So ... what do you think? What's an acceptable threshold for something that's maybe not the "best" ... but good enough? Two inch group? Before you ask, yes I had a rock solid setup at the range. Very good new two year-old scope, tight bases and rings. No shot should have been outside the diamond at 100 yards. Personally, I think it will be worth whatever it costs to bring this old gun back to life. It's a way of keeping me alive. Not sure why that should be so important. Guess we only get one chance at life. Why waste it being forgotten? Or doing forgettable things.
Now I'm getting ready to go to Africa again and took it to the range a few weeks ago when the snow went out at the gravel pit (and snow is now back again!). At 25 yards I blew the center out of the bull but at 100 yards the group was maybe five inches + low and to the left about ten inches. One shot was way wild low left and almost off the paper (need to check the empty brass - might be a split case). Not very good. At 200 yards, which is almost a short shot for African plains game, who knows where I'd be hitting an animal ... if I hit the animal. A good deal came up on ebay for a sporterized Springfield barrel with four lands. Images posted of bore looked very good. Price was right and I snapped it up. Shipped the rifle to my buddy and he claims the barrel bore is one of worst he's seen. Definitely shot out. He's still waiting for the ebay barrel.
So now we're having a discussion about how to proceed. First, money is no object. I have lots. Gary thinks this gun has seen its day and I should buy something new. Must take "the best" with me on this hunt of a lifetime. But what is the "best?" Is the "best" shooting gun actually that important? I would love to take my dad with me ... but he died on West Glacier Golf Course in June 1999. Figure if I take his gun (again) he'll be along. Also my buddy is living on borrowed time with multiple heart problems. If he fixes this gun up to shoot respectable (maybe not "best"), he'll be along too. And eventually when my daughter gets the gun after I'm gone, she will have a piece of three men she has known and loved keep as well as all the trophies from both sides of the world that it took.
So ... what do you think? What's an acceptable threshold for something that's maybe not the "best" ... but good enough? Two inch group? Before you ask, yes I had a rock solid setup at the range. Very good new two year-old scope, tight bases and rings. No shot should have been outside the diamond at 100 yards. Personally, I think it will be worth whatever it costs to bring this old gun back to life. It's a way of keeping me alive. Not sure why that should be so important. Guess we only get one chance at life. Why waste it being forgotten? Or doing forgettable things.
