OK, Who Said 1903 Sights Suck?

[Mountain]

OK, who said 1903 sights suck?

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First target ever on the 1903 NM I recently picked up. 100 yards off sand bags. Totally pushed the first shot but next 4 are the ones in the tight group.

OK, the 1903 does suck as far as adjusting and returning to zero goes. However, seems like holding a consistent point of aim isn't a problem. I used the flip-up small rear peep, more or less moved to bottom. Windage adjusted to mechanical zero.

Bore was pretty dirty and took a few passes with JB & many passes with #9 to clean it up last night. I took a couple shots with HXP at the 50 yard berm to make sure I'd be on paper at 100, followed by the 5 shots above. Looks like I won't have any reason to bitch about my equipment at a match. Awesome news that the NM is a great shooter. Good news that I can use the same loads I use in my Garand (HXP brass, 168 SMK's, Varget).

Now the terrible news...

That target might be the last I can shoot via the 1903 NM for several months. I have had a rotator cuff problem for a couple years that eventually would require surgery. It's annoying and woke me up sometimes but hasn't stopped me from shooting and working from the prone position in practice and matches. A few weeks back I had a pretty bad crash when ski racing & my shoulder is now a terrible mess. Thanks to handfuls of Advil I didn't miss any races and even got a bronze medal in the Mass Sr. Olympics Super-G race. (Sr. = age 40 and up). However, when shooting the '03 today the pain was excruciating and made it hard to stay relaxed for the next shot. LOL, after the first two shots I was going to quit but the third was right on top of the second shot so... Anyway, I see the orthopedic surgeon end of this month. My goal is to recover in time for the New England CMP Games this September.

 

[mac1911]

whoohoo

I will say the sights suck....... cause I cant see them. I would have to get thew USMC .100" front sight with out a doubt


Heres the top ten from the 2015 nationas Springfield match

1 Aussieker, Mark (123392) Wenona, IL 100 - 3 95 - 1 99 - 3 294 - 7
2 Ellis, William, CIV (106051) Langley, Eng 99 - 3 100 - 5 94 - 1 293 - 9
3 Betzold, Victor, CIV (12130) Bel Air, MD 100 - 6 98 - 1 92 - 2 290 - 9
4 Laws, John, III (125852) Port Allen, LA 99 - 4 98 - 4 92 - 1 289 - 9
5 Szablewski, Fred (3942) Skippack, PA 100 - 1 99 - 3 90 - 2 289 - 6
6 LaBeff, Donald (3705) Saginaw, MI 100 - 4 95 - 1 94 - 0 289 - 5
7 Leidy, Roy (185651) Northampton, PA 97 - 2 99 - 3 93 - 0 289 - 5
8 Dobish, Brian (10294) Oshkosh, WI 98 - 2 98 - 1 93 - 1 289 - 4
9 Shomber, Kent, CIV (6724) Guthrie, OK 99 - 5 94 - 1 95 - 0 288 - 6
10 Karmolinski, Daniel, Jr. (53880) Crestview, FL 100 - 6 93 - 1 94 - 0 287 - 7

 

[Mountain]

whoohoo

I will say the sights suck....... cause I cant see them. I would have to get thew USMC .100" front sight with out a doubt

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LOL, whoohoo turned to boohoo when I realized how badly I have F-ed up my shoulder. Oh well, the doc can fix it and the NM will be GTG when I am.

Somehow your software reminds of the stuff cops use to read plates. I figured my 4 good shots were a little over 3/4 MOA- now confirmed.

I shot my Kreiger barreled AR service rifle just after shooting the above target. My AR group was bigger, so maybe I need a hair thin front post for that? I can certainly imagine how that '03 front post might start to disappear when my eyes really start to go.

 

[majspud]

I actually prefer the M03 than the 03As. I use the rear triangle and keep the sight protector on when I shoot. I don't like the free floating front blade without 'wings' like the M1carbine or Garand.

OP, I wish you luck on your upcoming ortho. I have had both shoulders done, a c5/6 discectomy and fusion, and my left elbow tendon reattached. If you want, PM, and I can give you information from personal experience that they won't tell you prior to surgery.

T

 

[mac1911]

LOL, whoohoo turned to boohoo when I realized how badly I have F-ed up my shoulder. Oh well, the doc can fix it and the NM will be GTG when I am.

Somehow your software reminds of the stuff cops use to read plates. I figured my 4 good shots were a little over 3/4 MOA- now confirmed.

I shot my Kreiger barreled AR service rifle just after shooting the above target. My AR group was bigger, so maybe I need a hair thin front post for that? I can certainly imagine how that '03 front post might start to disappear when my eyes really start to go.

I started shooting a fat post before the eyes went. My scores went up and I won my first gold with the AR with the fat post.
It allowed me to use a center hold again and I pick up my left to right movement better. I loose the spaghetti post in the wash out of the black bull.

The software is old, free and gives me something to do. I don't get out to the range much at all, except with the pellet guns. today I just popped at the spinners at 25 yards with the cheap pellets.

 

[Mountain]

Actually I think Hickok45 says the '03 sights suck too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mbaO7qLzS8

Had a really nice time at the range today with my son and one of his buds. Kinda fun that everyone was shooting misc rifles with irons at 100 yards. Good to know that there will be at least some kids who care about basic marksmanship skills. Son's friend won an Appleseed once too.

Majspud- Thanks for the offer. I'll pm you sometime after I know more post ortho visit. I had fairly extensive surgery on my other shoulder many years ago. It's still in great shape.

 

[mac1911]

Actually I think Hickok45 says the '03 sights suck too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mbaO7qLzS8

Had a really nice time at the range today with my son and one of his buds. Kinda fun that everyone was shooting misc rifles with irons at 100 yards. Good to know that there will be at least some kids who care about basic marksmanship skills. Son's friend won an Appleseed once too.

Majspud- Thanks for the offer. I'll pm you sometime after I know more post ortho visit. I had fairly extensive surgery on my other shoulder many years ago. It's still in great shape.

you might be getting into cast loads sooner than you think. The loads I shot on the last cmp springfield match where less than a AR. the bullet smacking the paper was loader than the muzzle report!

 

[Mountain]

you might be getting into cast loads sooner than you think. The loads I shot on the last cmp springfield match where less than a AR. the bullet smacking the paper was loader than the muzzle report!

I was thinking about the cast loads. My hand loads are a little easier on the shoulder than were the HXP's. Cast even better. I do have the 155 Palmas to check out, but that's going to be a while.

Regardless, I'm pretty stoked that something made in '33 shot so well right out of the box, so to speak.

 

[mac1911]

I was thinking about the cast loads. My hand loads are a little easier on the shoulder than were the HXP's. Cast even better. I do have the 155 Palmas to check out, but that's going to be a while.

Regardless, I'm pretty stoked that something made in '33 shot so well right out of the box, so to speak.

You can even shoot reduced loads with H4895. I can't copy the link for what ever reason. Check out hodgdon load data section for youth loads or just Google H4895 reduced loads and follow the instructions.....or just switch shoulders...