doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Factory ammo in an 03

I have a sporterized, '03, Rock Island rifle. I am considering loaning it to a colleague who wants to hunt pigs in TX (I assume over bait).

The rifle has the original arsenal barrel on it.

Were I to be wanting to hunt this rifle, I would buy a custom mould for it and use a flat-nosed, gas-checked bullet of some sort for that job. And I may yet do that. But I'm unlikely to ever hunt a bolt rifle so I wondering if there is an off-the-shelf ammo, undoubtedly copper jacketed, that would be sufficient for this purpose and safe in this rifle. Could anyone make a recommendation or two or are there none?

Thanks,
Brent

Yes I'm aware of this issue. It is not one that Michael Petrov agreed with at all and I tend to side with him as such. I know this is highly controversial topic that I don't want to debate given the inability to objectively assess this independently.

What I don't know is whether these rifles, in good nick, can withstand any and all modern factory loads. Smokeless cartridges really aren't my game.

The answer is above in the link
Low number Rock Islands NO
Other than low number in good condition YES

I have shot full up loads in my low number gun, but
would NEVER lend a gun to a friend that has such history

Mike

I do not know the pressure of this low/managed recoil ammo
http://chuckhawks.com/federal_low_recoil.htm
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/...047700363509.do

An '03 in good shape is safe with any factory ammunition available. The possible exception would be the "Low Number" rifles but even this is controversial as you noted. If your rifle is a high number don't worry. The rifle is at least as safe as a pre 64 Mod 70.

Jerry Liles

I would be very surprised if the rifle would have "lived" this long, if it was dangerous. Most had the bolt replaced, when the problem was identified.
Mike

I was just searching through some posts on this forum and the rifle was fired by Michael with his pet load of 44 gr of 4895 and a 150 gr FMJ bullet of some sort (Rem Corelok?). I don't know what pressure that would have produced but it is another benchmark for that specific rifle.

That's a rather low moderate load and certainly under the load used for M2 Ball ammo which was about 46 or 47 grains of IMR4895 with a 150 grain bullet. Should be very pleasant to shoot at around 2600fps.

The Lee manual shows a max load for this powder of 53grs at 3000fps and 56700psi. My old Hornady manual shows almost 49grs IMR4895 as the top load at 2900fps.

In my Springfield sporter I load 55grs H4350 with a 165gr bullet with no qualms. The manual shows a max of almost 59grs.

The '03 has been digesting these loads for a long, long time.

Jerry Liles