doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Restoration by Committee!

I would take it all apart and give it a good cleaning inside out and re-assemble. Can't tell from the pics. but if the checkering is full of crude I would clean it up - nothing detracts from a gun worse than crappy looking dirty checkering. Some worn bluing on the metal and a few dings / scratches / worn finish on the stock give a gun character and indicate a past useful life. --- John Can.

I would do nothing more than remove the scope and mount, then fit a slide into the rear sight base and experience what the original owner felt when firing it for the first time. The 1-14" twist is odd but I would trust that old Harry knew what he was doing and at least give him the benefit of the doubt. I would think it would stabilize a 150gr bullet ok. Maybe a cast bullet at a sedate velocity. What form does the rifling take, what is the condition of the rifling and what grade steel was used are the questions I would ask before deciding what kind of load to put through it. But fire it I would.

Clean and check,,make sure all is well with the mechanics of the thing.
If you left the scope on..
I think that if scope was probably moved back in the mounts so the shooters cheek didn't have to rest on top of the bolt shroud to see the cross hairs it would help the looks. The short eye relief of the 330 is bad enough w/o haveing to eat the rear of the bolt upon firing too.
Moving the scope back might make the overall appearance of the rifle a bit more appealing in itself. Also removing the 'booster' would improve it in the looks dept. It may or maynot be from the original make up anyway.

If the front site is blocking the view through the 'scope,,then I'd consider the scope to be removed and the rifle put back to iron sites only, and the mount holes filled/ receiver blueing touched up. The iron sites I'd think were there first and if the front site blocks out the scope view, then the scope goes.

If it were mine I believe I would first replace the receiver with one that was undrilled and tapped for a scope mount. Undrilled DHT 1903 receivers like it can still be found and I would guess there is a good possibility that the rifle wore no scope when it was first assembled. Next I would rust blue all the metal and install a long slide in the Lyman 48 base. Lastly I would freshen up the stock to look as near to what I thought original was as possible.

I believe that when all the above was done it would be a fitting tribute to the original craftsmen and it would also be a great looking piece besides!!

Michael, was the 14 inch twist concieved with some particular type of bullet in mind? Possibly a certain cast bullet?

Clean it up. The stock may need a bit of oil and the checkering cleaned. If the bolt will clear, remount the scope correctly, otherwise use the irons. Just give the old lady some TLC. Then take her to the range. With a 14" twist I'd probably try loading some 120-130gr bullets.

Jerry Liles

I'll address the barrel then I have to do some work and will answer the other questions later.

Many Pope 30 caliber barrels are cut with a 1-14" twist, I think this was his standard twist for the 06. The barrels he made for the international match rifles circa 1923 had 1-14" twist. They are also right-hand twist, for a very good reason, anybody know that reason? And last, the bore seems to be perfect, nice smooth and shinny.

The torgue from a right twist barrel will keep the barrel screwed tightly in place. A 14" twist seems slow for heavy bullets, perhaps borderline for a 180gr spitzer?

Jerry Liles

Please bear in mind that the original 10" twist was a carryover from the Krag's 220-gr bullet and is considered too fast for gilt-edge accuracy with anything but the very heaviest bullets. The 12" twist is ~ 10% more accurate than the 10" with the 168-gr HPBTs of today, while the 16" twist is still popular with 30- & 32-cal Schuetzen shooters and their 160/180-gr bullets.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find that the 14" twist was almost perfect for the 150-gr bullet.

Michael, considering the fact that you already have plenty of conventionally-accoutered 1903 sporters, IMO a good plan would be to thoroughly clean what's already there, then find either a slide or a dummy slide for the 48 (even if only temporarily), then simply enjoy it without changing a thing. No, I don't like the buttplate or the swivels or the scope or the trigger stop or the front sight but that's why they call 'em custom. I wouldn't replace anything (at least not permanently) that didn't scream out to me that it didn't match.
Regards, Joe

Upon further investigation I found that the scope booster is a 6x by litschert (sp?).

I can’t take a picture now but the “W. D. Murphy” is right next to the Pope markings and done at the same time with the same size and style stamps.

The bolt is a National Match with the reverse safety and headless cocking piece and a lightened striker (firing-pin).

I still like the W.D. Murphy markings, especially when they are next to the Pope stampings. Bill Murphy