October 15th, 2011, 06:56 AM
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| Master Gunner
Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ozarks
Posts: 877
| Safe Queen Goes to the Range
A few years ago at an OK show, I bought a walk-in original '03 Springfield in attractive original condition quite reasonably. 03's are fairly common, but the serial number on this one was in the nickel steel range and the barrel date was late 1929. Stock is an original Springfield finger groove, with finely checkered buttplate and the bolt is the correct nickel steel model. Gauging it later I found both BE and TE to be solid 1's, so I put the rifle away. Being primarily an M-1 and M-14 but mainly pistol shooter, it sat until this week. I dug out some Lake City GI ball and brought it to the range with other rifles and shot it last. From a sand bag rest at 100M using the peep on the sight ladder, my first round was six o'clock and slightly below the X. I followed this with four more and all landed almost touching the first. By this time my buddies were taking turns with my spotting scope and one Marine who had never fired an '03 asked for a try. He complained a little about the recoil, but still shot very well. I have owned many '03s, 03A3's, a few 03A4's and a NM or two, but the safe queen shoots as well as the best I can recall. 
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