Winchester 63 and 03 parts interchangeability
Does any one know which parts from Winchester models 63 and 03 are not interchangeable?
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a429cougar,
I have a Winchester Catalog of Component Parts dated July 1, 1942. In it are listed both the 03 Rifle and 63 Rifle parts. I can find no parts that have the same part number for both rifles.0 -
According to Philip B Sharpe's great book "The Rifle in American" the two models have very little in common parts.He states that over 2/3rds of the parts are not common and no effort should be made to change either into the other, mainly due to the balanced recoil required in the 03 to function properly. 0 -
I converted a 1903 years ago. It took a barrel from a 63, and an ejector. The cartridge stop is totally different, so i used the 1903 stop, and tig welded more material onto it, then hand filed it down to the same shape, but a little bit longer to work with LR instead of WRF. Took a little off the operating spring as well, but that was trial and error, taking about 1/4 to 1/2 of a coil at a time. This was on a junker 1903 that had already had it's barrel replaced at some time in the past. DO NOT destroy a good 1903! With the 22 WRF ammo now available it is much cheaper and better to just shoot the ammo it was made for. i think i have about a dozen boxes of it at the shop if you are interested in any. 0 -
I am asking about interchangeability because I just picked up a parts lot that included an 03 stock and a bubbadup 63 barrel and some other parts including 3 receivers and an assembled trigger group. Rather than sell the parts I thought I might try to put together a shooter just for fun. Some of the parts are from a 63 and others are from the 03 and I am not sure which are which. There was no bolt so I bought an assembled bolt that was listed as a 63 but it doesn't match up with the 63 barrel. I am thinking that it might be an 03 bolt. Im starting to think I might try to build an 03 rather than a 63 like I was originally hoping. Some sort of detailed parts reference would be great so I can figure out what I have and what I need.
Thanks0 -
quote:Originally posted by jeffb1911
I converted a 1903 years ago. It took a barrel from a 63, and an ejector. The cartridge stop is totally different, so i used the 1903 stop, and tig welded more material onto it, then hand filed it down to the same shape, but a little bit longer to work with LR instead of WRF. Took a little off the operating spring as well, but that was trial and error, taking about 1/4 to 1/2 of a coil at a time. This was on a junker 1903 that had already had it's barrel replaced at some time in the past. DO NOT destroy a good 1903! With the 22 WRF ammo now available it is much cheaper and better to just shoot the ammo it was made for. i think i have about a dozen boxes of it at the shop if you are interested in any.
I have to call Bull Poop on your post[xx(].
The Model 1903 was never chambered for the 22 WRF cartridge. Instead, it was chambered for the 22 Winchester Automatic cartridge. Additionally, it would not be necessary to cut or alter the original spring when converting to 22 LR. The two cartridges were nearly identical ballistically.0 -
quote:Originally posted by a429cougar
I am asking about interchangeability because I just picked up a parts lot that included an 03 stock and a bubbadup 63 barrel and some other parts including 3 receivers and an assembled trigger group. Rather than sell the parts I thought I might try to put together a shooter just for fun. Some of the parts are from a 63 and others are from the 03 and I am not sure which are which. There was no bolt so I bought an assembled bolt that was listed as a 63 but it doesn't match up with the 63 barrel. I am thinking that it might be an 03 bolt. Im starting to think I might try to build an 03 rather than a 63 like I was originally hoping. Some sort of detailed parts reference would be great so I can figure out what I have and what I need.
Thanks
Build it as a 63... finding ammo for the 1903 is very problematic.0 -
I may have been mistaken on what to call the round, but WRF is Winchester Rim Fire. AKA 22 Winchester Auto, and a few other names. It is NOT the 22 Magnum (Winchester Rimfire Magnum, WRFM, WRM, and a host of other names for the MAGNUM) I think originally it was listed as 22 Winchester Auto actually, but it was also used in several other guns (the Pump 22, 1906 (i think-memory not cooperating this morning) as well as a few other designs) so they changed the name and took auto out of it. The reason was the 22 LR at the time was 1) loaded with black powder and 2) too inconsistent in power to reliably cycle a semi auto action. Later when Winchester wanted to do the 22 Magnum round they used an internal bullet design, just like the 22 WRF round, and that is why the 22 Magnum is a larger diameter than the 22 LR round which uses an external bullet style. Kind of the same reasoning why what we know as 38 caliber is actually .357-going from a black powder external lubricated bullet to an internal lubed bullet, they just made the bullet smaller to fit inside the case.
I do know in the conversion of my 1903 that the chamber for the original round was too large, and split cases when i fired LR in it originally. After changing the barrel to a 63 barrel, i again loaded the gun, and the LR rounds would not be stopped by the cartridge stop. When i got that problem fixed, the ejector was not hitting the fired casings and thereby ejecting them when the gun fired. Swapping the ejector for a model 63 ejector solved that problem, and the 63 ejector was just a bit wider, or longer, where it reached into the action and therefore bolt slot where the ejector rides. If i remember correctly, it did not take much work with a dremel making the ejector slot in the bolt a hair or two deeper so it would work. Kind of wish i had not traded that gun off. It was in great shape mechanically, but like most of us, we do stupid things sometimes when we are young.
BTW, the cartridge stop for the 1903 was a solid milled piece of steel that fit in a slot on top of the magazine tube/feed ramp, while the 63 was a stamped curved piece that fit over it if i remember correctly. Make sure you use the right lower end. It does sound like you have a very fun project on your hands though.0 -
quote:Originally posted by jeffb1911
I may have been mistaken on what to call the round, but WRF is Winchester Rim Fire. AKA 22 Winchester Auto, and a few other names. It is NOT the 22 Magnum (Winchester Rimfire Magnum, WRFM, WRM, and a host of other names for the MAGNUM) I think originally it was listed as 22 Winchester Auto actually, but it was also used in several other guns (the Pump 22, 1906 (i think-memory not cooperating this morning) as well as a few other designs) so they changed the name and took auto out of it.
You are still very sadly mistaken (or confused).
The 22 WRF was designed for the Model 1890 slide-action rifle, and it is NOT the same cartridge as the 22 Winchester Auto, which was specifically designed for the Model 1903 semi-auto. The 22 WRF was the black powder predecessor of the 22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire), and it is idential to the Remington 22 Special. 22 WRF ammo can be used in any firearm chambered for the 22 WMR, but not vice versa. The 22 WRF is .10" shorter than a 22 WMR. It is essentially like shooting a 22 Short in a 22 LR chamber.
The 22 Win Auto was never used in any other make or model, most especially any of the slide-action models (1890, 1906, 61, or 62).
The 1890 was chambered for the 22 Short, 22 Long, 22 Long Rifle (1917), or 22 WRF cartridge (individually).
The Model 1906 was initially chambered for 22 Short only, then in 1908, it was chambered for 22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle interchangeably.
The Model 1903 Was soley chambered for the 22 Win Auto, and it was replaced by the Model 63 in 1933, which was chambered for the 22 Long Rifle Super-X.0 -
As I recall, the .22 Winchester Auto was on the same case, rim, and bullet DIAMETERS as the .22 WRF but shorter to run through the 1903.
(There is a still different .22 Remington Auto for their 1916.)0 -
quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
As I recall, the .22 Winchester Auto was on the same case, rim, and bullet DIAMETERS as the .22 WRF but shorter to run through the 1903.
That is correct... the 22 Win Auto case is the same diameter as the 22 WRF, but it is considerably shorter in OAL.0
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