Figured I would do an update on the Springfield 03 Custom in 35 Whelen Imp I found in a pawn shop awhile back.
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=374767#Post374767
Been laid up recovering from shoulder surgery and finally got to the point I could shoot a couple months ago.
Loaded up some 35 Whelen brass and some necked up 30-06 using Redding 35 Whelen Imp dies, real easy to neck up the 30-06. Fired the rifle and it fire forms both sets of brass beautifully,chamber appears to be perfect.
Found out that rifle had never been sighted in,elevation was all the way bottomed out and windage all the way to the right so not even close to the target. Centered the scope and used the adjustable mount screws to set windage so got that ok however could not get elevation down enough , ran out of low adjustment.
Went home and thought about it, decided to order a set of the Burris rings with 20 moa inserts, installed them in the front ring raising the front of the scope.
Went back to the range and was pleased to find it was now able to be sighted in with plenty of adjustment left. Looks like whoever had the gun built never took the time to sight it in, actually don't think the rifle had 20 rounds thru it. Accuracy is very good, sub moa at 100yds with my hand loads. Recoil is not too bad even with the 250 grain bullets.
I finally did take the action out of the wood and found the McGowen barrel is dated 1982 underneath, the stock had been bedded and it has a Jaeger trigger not a Timney as I was told. Seems pretty late for someone to build a custom like this with an 03 action, pretty much thought that had fallen out of favor by 1982.
All in all very pleased with the rifle and love messing around with the 35 Whelen Imp cartridge, very easy wildcat to get my feet wet with.
100 yard 6 shot target from a cold, clean bore,35 Whelen brass not fire formed yet.



Picture of brass showing progression from 30-06 to 35 Whelen Imp

johnr,
Good show.Have fun, don't forget to give cast bullets a try.I know all about recovering from surgery(although not shoulder).
Mike

Great target! Pretty bullets.
Whoops, out of fashion rifle…
Nice that it shoots so well.

If I had shot that target, I'd set it by my dinner plate and look at it for a week!

Agreed on the styling, almost did not buy it because of that but the quality of the work won me over and I'm glad I did buy it now. The stock has grown on me and it is fairly comfortable to shoot,maybe one day I'll have it restocked in a classic style stock.

Ugly stocks can cause a dilemma. Probably the ugliest stock I own is on an original 1916 Newton barrelled action, caliber .256 Newton. It has grooves cut in the fore end and pistol grip where the fingers are supposed to go. Problem is, the stock fits like a glove and the rifle shoots like a house afire. Someday I may restock it, but in the mean time, I have a rifle I can take out in any weather conditions with no concerns about damaging the stock, and it is hell on whitetails.

Handsome is as handsome does!! I'd not touch anything on that rifle. It is what it is......an accurate hunting rifle. Good shooting!!!!!!!

xausa,
Just keep it, if you keep it long enough, it will come back into style.My grandson wears "skinny"jeans, and I can remember his greatgrandad(my dad)complaining about people wearing "pistol legged britches".I've known people to turn down 1950s era name brand very good condition drilling with good grand scope; only because it had 1950s era recoil pad, with white line spacer.The point is, if the style is correct for the period, it is correct;keep it.
Mike

I was at a show not long ago where a young man had a table FULL of '03 and Mauser sporters in the 50's. 60's style. Most were 30-06 or 8mm but a few 270 and 308. Not a one was over $250 and that was the asking price. A few had sights worth half that. They had been his dad's guns. I passed them by because I have a closet full and I was looking for a shotgun that day. Small gun shows will turn up stuff like that especially near retirement communities. I got a Winchester 70 in 220 Swift with 5 22magnum inserts that way a few years ago. The inserts are worth almost what I paid for the rifle.
A few years ago I was at a show in Salem ,Or where I saw a REAL Newton rifle in 30 Newton. The asking price was $400. I didnt' have anyway to bring it home ( I didnt' think until later my friend there would have kept it for me) so i let it go.
"Sometime you eat the bear,sometimes the bear eats you".