So I was at cabelas a month or so ago and they had a sporterized Remington 03-A3 on the rack with a lyman junior target spot 10x for $549. It'd been re-barreled to 22-250, which I have no interest in. Decent price, but what am I going to do with it.
Couple of weeks later, my young neighbor has just turned 18 and wants to buy my sporterized Mauser in 35 Whelen. He saw the deer I shot with it and now has to have a 35. I told him it don't matter what you shoot them with. He didn't listen and I sold it to him. The minute he walked out with it, I regretted it.
So, now I have to have another 35 Whelen. Another buddy has a sporterized '03 that I always thought was pretty classy, so that is the direction I'm headed.
Went back down to Cabela's, and I'm surprised the sporterized 03-A3 is still there. I talked them down to $499 and walked out the door with it. I knew I could unload the scope and recoup part of my purchase price.
P.S. Cabela's now boxes up all rifles so's you can walk out the door by yourself like a big boy or girl, and not have to be "escorted".
I yanked off the scope and put it on ebay. Got $700 for it! Take away fees and I probably see $650. So Cabela's paid me $150 to take their rifle, is how I look at it.
The plan: rebarrel this to 35 Whelen, of course.
First thing, that Dayton-Traister trigger is nice, but the speed-lock cocking piece has to go; just doesn't look right.
Easy fix; dig an original 03 cocking piece out of the parts box, dremel a new notch to accommodate the speed lock, and now it looks like it should.
Next, the stock looks like it was done up by a French whore. Red-line spacers? Seriously? I stopped it down and went with Tru-oil. Not as glossy anymore and I got rid of the red. I might get a new grip cap and butt pad in the future.
Next: get a .35 cal barrel blank and get it on there. Need to wait for my buddy with the lathe to get back from his ship. Should be interesting as there is an extractor cut that needs to be done in the proper place.
STAY TUNED…..
Couple of weeks later, my young neighbor has just turned 18 and wants to buy my sporterized Mauser in 35 Whelen. He saw the deer I shot with it and now has to have a 35. I told him it don't matter what you shoot them with. He didn't listen and I sold it to him. The minute he walked out with it, I regretted it.
So, now I have to have another 35 Whelen. Another buddy has a sporterized '03 that I always thought was pretty classy, so that is the direction I'm headed.
Went back down to Cabela's, and I'm surprised the sporterized 03-A3 is still there. I talked them down to $499 and walked out the door with it. I knew I could unload the scope and recoup part of my purchase price.
P.S. Cabela's now boxes up all rifles so's you can walk out the door by yourself like a big boy or girl, and not have to be "escorted".
I yanked off the scope and put it on ebay. Got $700 for it! Take away fees and I probably see $650. So Cabela's paid me $150 to take their rifle, is how I look at it.
The plan: rebarrel this to 35 Whelen, of course.
First thing, that Dayton-Traister trigger is nice, but the speed-lock cocking piece has to go; just doesn't look right.
Easy fix; dig an original 03 cocking piece out of the parts box, dremel a new notch to accommodate the speed lock, and now it looks like it should.
Next, the stock looks like it was done up by a French whore. Red-line spacers? Seriously? I stopped it down and went with Tru-oil. Not as glossy anymore and I got rid of the red. I might get a new grip cap and butt pad in the future.
Next: get a .35 cal barrel blank and get it on there. Need to wait for my buddy with the lathe to get back from his ship. Should be interesting as there is an extractor cut that needs to be done in the proper place.
STAY TUNED…..
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