[76834]

Been thinking along the same lines myself.
I am not a "spring chicken" by any means and prefer older weapons. Have been looking around for old .03 Springfields, .303 British or the best of all, a M1 Garand.
These are getting very hard to find and what I have seen are very pricy and not in good shape.
Will probly settle for a 700 Remington chambered for 30.06.
Just think that I need something with a little more punch considering the world situation.

[Centurion2000]

Get a Springfield Armory M1 Garand. They are still making them, or you could enroll in the Civilian Marksmanship Program and order a surplus M1 Garand from WW2 (up to 5 annually actually)

Good luck ... I love my 30-06

[AnAmericanMother]

If you're looking for .303s, be careful.

A lot of the "sporterized" ones have been rebarreled for .308. And if it's been rebarreled or a new bolt put in (or even if not) they often have headspace problems because the locking lugs are at the rear of the bolt.

And there are fake No. 5 jungle carbines making the rounds out there too. If you go with a good quality No. 4 that would probably be your best bet. But have a gunsmith check it out.

I collect .303s (have 5) and shoot them all (I keep no cats that catch no mice), but I find it best to reload for my best one (the Long Branch sniper rifle) and head size the brass only. Much more accurate that way (if a tad more difficult to extract).

Best way to get a Garand is join your local shooting club and participate in a qualifying .22 LR match to get into the Civilian Marksmanship Program. We got a very nice Garand still in the Cosmoline through the CMP, and the price is just nominal because they are distributing surplus from the govt.

[tet68]

Garands are available through the CMP program for under $500. Excellent/like new bolt actions can be had for under
$100, with most going for $150 up.

check out www.Cruffler.com

And the BBT (big brown truck) brings them right to your hot
little hands.

Mausers and Moisins, invite one into your home and the next
thing you know, the whole family is living with you.

[ought-six]

You can be very well-armed with a .30-06. The 1903 Springfield and the M1 Garand are both chambered in .30-06. Get the Remington 700, it's a great gun. You should also be able to find a used '03 Springfield at any gun store, and Springfield Armory is reintroducing the M1 Garand on a limited basis (but it's procey: be prepared to pay $900 - $1,100).

[Chuckster]

Have been looking around for old .03 Springfields, .303 British or the best of all, a M1 Garand. These are getting very hard to find and what I have seen are very pricy and not in good shape.

Nonesense. CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) just released a batch of '03 "Springfields" of various manufacture, I picked up three, one real Springfield Armory and two Remingtons. They also have M1 Garands, though I got my Garand from Militech, more expensive but like new. British Enfield SMLEs in .303 Brit are still dirt cheap. Check out Gibbs Rifle Company on line.

I'm with you. Some of the finest firearms ever devised were designed at the turn of the 20th Century. It's hard to find a better (More accurate and reliable) rifle than the M1903 and the M1911 is arguably the best personal defense pistol available.

[8mmMauser]

303 brit is easy to find in Canada. Some are bound to float this way. Being a long time 30-06 user, I would gravitate towards that Remington 700 chambered for 308 or a Czech Brno Mauser barreled inexpensively for 308. Packs most of the punch of 30-06 with less punishment on the shoulder. Nato rounds, too.


Recently came across No 4 Mk 1 303 and 8mm's fairly cheap, good condition.