About 1976 I was working as a cop in Anchorage. I had decided to go Elk hunting on Afognak Island. A friend of mine and fellow cop said I shouldn’t go alone and offered to go with me. I asked if he had a rifle and he said he did, a 1903 Springfield.
Before I made a commitment I wanted to see him shoot so we scheduled a trip to the range. He shows up with a sporterized 1903A3, chambered for 308 Norma. That should work, except he had 308 Winchester ammo. I questioned the ammo bit and he told me 308 is 308.
Also I commented on the fact he had no scope nor iron sights, his reply was, Moose are big, you don’t need sights…………….I made my elk hunting trip alone.
Fast forward a few years. Another cop asked me about the above rifle and my friend was selling it. I told him the 1903a3 was a good rifle and the 308 Norma would work fine but he’d have to put a scope or some sort of sights on it. He bought the rifle and got a scope.
Now, again, fast forward a few more years (total time period is about 10 years) another friend, both a cop and member of my NG unit gets offered the gun. Being quite a bit smarter than the other two says he wants me to check out the gun before he buys it.
I take the gun home, and found that whoever re-chambered the gun “forgot” to open up the bolt face. I did that for him, checked the headspace (which was fine), took the rifle out and found it shot quite well (though it kicked a bit, it was made too light for the Norma mag. In my opinion.
Never trust what people tell you about a gun, also gunsmith's work should be checked.
People are funny creatures.
Before I made a commitment I wanted to see him shoot so we scheduled a trip to the range. He shows up with a sporterized 1903A3, chambered for 308 Norma. That should work, except he had 308 Winchester ammo. I questioned the ammo bit and he told me 308 is 308.
Also I commented on the fact he had no scope nor iron sights, his reply was, Moose are big, you don’t need sights…………….I made my elk hunting trip alone.
Fast forward a few years. Another cop asked me about the above rifle and my friend was selling it. I told him the 1903a3 was a good rifle and the 308 Norma would work fine but he’d have to put a scope or some sort of sights on it. He bought the rifle and got a scope.
Now, again, fast forward a few more years (total time period is about 10 years) another friend, both a cop and member of my NG unit gets offered the gun. Being quite a bit smarter than the other two says he wants me to check out the gun before he buys it.
I take the gun home, and found that whoever re-chambered the gun “forgot” to open up the bolt face. I did that for him, checked the headspace (which was fine), took the rifle out and found it shot quite well (though it kicked a bit, it was made too light for the Norma mag. In my opinion.
Never trust what people tell you about a gun, also gunsmith's work should be checked.
People are funny creatures.
