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springfeild 1903 / a3 barrel

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7 comments

  • nmyers
    The only way is to look down the barrel with a bore light & count the grooves; no way to tell from the outside. But, it may not matter; I've been unable to determine any difference in accuracy.

    Neal
    0
  • pack rat633
    Nor I. The 2 groves shot just as good as any 4 grove.

    SEMPER FI MAC, SEMPER FI
    0
  • v35
    All A3 barrels should be two groove. It was part of the change to reduce manufacturing cost along with sheet metal hardware and a less expensive (but more effective) receiver mounted rear sight.
    0
  • 1KYDSTR
    Looking down the barrel you should see either 2 lands and 2 grooves, or 4 lands and 4 grooves. As to accuracy, I have found a fair increased degree of accuracy in the 2 groove barrels (as long as we are talking stock military barrels at least). Something about those 2 big fat continuos lands really biting into the jacket is my theory. I had a sporterized Enfield that had a Crown marked two groove barrel that I sold a few years ago (dumb, dumb, DUMB!!). With open sights and decent ammo it shot under 2 inches at a hundred. A buddy has an 03 that once he got the copper fouling out started turning out ONE inch groups at 100 with good hand loads. I am sure there is only a slight difference in reality, but I really like what I've seen from 2 groovers over the years!

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • Mobuck
    Beggin' your pardon v35 but the Smith-Corona 03-a3's have 4 groove barrels. For this reason they're the best in my opinion.

    Mobuck
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  • v35
    Mobuck- That may be but the specification is for two groove rifling for the A3.
    I can't explain the exception unless it was to use up existing inventory of four groove barrels that hadn't been profiled yet.
    In the Army I had a case of A-4s which I believe had four groove rifling.
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  • Hangfire
    My Smith-Corona 03/A3 is a 4 groove. Purchased from DCM in the early 60's.Absolutely like new, appears unfired[or at leasst unissued]!!!

    Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob
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