S&.T M1903 Springfield

[pilotmanner]

Got mine, love it! very nice shoots trough the bottom and top of a cola can out of the box. Got 4 extra magazines, feels great, cyle is not too heavy. I keep mine unmodded, don`t want to invest too much money into a airsoft rifle, i much rather have 1/2 more ww2 airsoft clone rifles for that kind of money.

I would say best BA airsoft ww2 rifle on the market now!

[2nd Bat]

Good to see additional feedback from other sources on this rifle. I remain very pleased with mine and am considering buying another with the idea of converting it to a M1903A1 (Ww1 variant which also saw service in WW2)

[Dracul]

Sorry for my delay. So, I just got around to chopping down the M150 spring...

It fits and cocks back, but when I go to pull the trigger, the trigger pulls, but the sears don't release. T

I don't know whats up at this point. The trigger box passes the functionality test when disconnected from the receiver, but not when connected....

At this point, I'm just about tempted to cut this whole spring business, no pun intended. I don't think its meant to be. Only thing left to do is a mod like Droopaille did for the hopup. 

[stuka]

have you tried putting the old parts back in to make sure it's the new parts versus maybe an error in installation?

[Dracul]

The new parts were definitely installed correctly and passed the function check.

[2nd Bat]

Sorry to see you having to be the ship wreck to warn others about the dangerous reef but your exploration and sharing is much appreciated.

[Dracul]

Its alright. I have a nut that I JB Welded above the hopup arm right now, its curing at the moment. If I screw this up, I'm willing to send the handguard off to someone who can do this mod correctly and commission them for it.

[Dracul]

Alright, well that idea, didn't work. So, I made an attempt of wrapping electrical tape around the hopup adjuster (arm part where it pushes down on the hopup arm), and not only did I not see any FPS increase, I got another catastrophic multiple feed. Which is something I thought I was only getting with AEG buckings. When you get a double (or whatever feed) in this, you have to take the whole thing apart to clear it.

I'm not going to lie. I'm just about done with this and ready to use the externals for a BAR-10 mod and sell off the custom cylinder internals, and salvage the inner barrel for another AEG build.

I guess if anyone is interested in the aforementioned parts, let me know.

[2nd Bat]

Ouch!!!! That's a shame. When I headed off for my trip I was adequately pleased with the performance on my S&T without any significant modifications. My biggest disappointment being the hop up which is not particularly precise. Obviously a little more FPS would be nice as well but it was definitely skirmishable. When I get home I will apply some TLC to the existing parts and attempt Droppailles hop up mod and call it good.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another based on the experiences with mine and I put a lot of rounds through it before I left.

[Dracul]

Literally, right now, I figured out a potential fix to the to the multiple feed problem. Not exactly a fix, but something that will allow one to apply the appropriate action to it in the event it does happen. Its not a pretty one, but it will breath new life into this. See, with standard VSR's, you can just remove the magazine and clear the "chamber," but you can't do that with this. So, the idea is drill a hole in the bottom that will allow me to access the area where all the BB's burst into when the double/multiple feed occurs.

So, I went to disassemble the rifle, inserted a fully loaded mag, cocked the bolt back, and removed the mag. You see the mag "dock" here, and you see that metal piece the spring is pushing into the BB hole? 



That is what prevents the BBs from coming back down or to roll out of that area if the BB doesn't go into the hopup bucking like it should. 

Here, I'm holding the action up in the air, with the mag dock pointed towards the ground, as is if was in the stock.



The BBs are not falling down and out of the dock! The moment I pull back on that BB retainer mechanism, the BBs fall out. 

Remember that hole I mentioned about drilling? I haven't done it yet, but my idea is drill out a big enough hole, where I can stick a finger into this hole to push/pull the retainer mechanism, to all BBs to roll out in case of magazines pushing too many BBs. 

Might still need to take a few slaps to the stock and a few rattles, but in theory it should be able to clear out that area like that. Then you can reinsert a mag and get back into the action without having to leave the game and completely take apart the rifle. 

This also makes me wonder about just cutting out a portion of the receiver, to allow the BBs to drain out more easily...

[2nd Bat]

Still not clear to me why it double feeds in the first place? I know you have several spare magazines. Have you tried different ones to insure its not a bad magazine? Glad my S&T shoots fine although I have noticed not as well as my converted BAR 10s

I just bought another BAR 10 to to use for fitting some lower stocks for your SMLEs and before taking the guts out I dinked around with it shooting it at long range and wow! It shoots better than any out of the box bolt actions I have ever had.

Ribbon straight and it just goes and goes.

[Dracul]

I have no idea either, and this happened with all three of my mags. Its possible I'm just having really bad luck with it, but with the ability to take action to the double feeds really breathes new life into this.

Now, I'm hoping someone in the States can duplicate Droopaille's mechanism. I'd definitely be willing to pay to get something like that installed into my handguard.

[2nd Bat]

Droop made it sound simple enough but I have to admit I am not clear about what he did. I understand conceptually what he did but executing it escapes me.

[dutchmaster]

Dracul, i think you are referring to the TDC mod, Top Dead Center www.airsoftsniperforum.com/32-general-sniper-talk/4634-top-dead-center-mod-tdc-guide.html
i have done this in my TM vsr-10 if u can use an old hopup chamber its really easy.. but i think you should measure this one out..

I'm thinking of buying a Springfield 1903.. but since im from the netherlands and after seeing your work.. it is a pain..

i have a TM vsr-10 fully laylax.. it shoots 90m accurate.. i would only buy if i could fit these parts in..
but even a zero trigger is impossible

[Dracul]

Conceptually, the 1903 hopup chamber operates the same as a VSR hopup chamber. Just the chamber is thinner and the adjuster sticks out the other side, so no reason why the TDC shouldn't work. 

Giving the thickness of the gun, its still mind boggling that they felt the actions needed to be scaled down from a standard VSR action. They could have easily made this true VSR-10 clone and I don't think a lot of people would have minded the mag sticking out a bit. 

[2nd Bat]

our audience is a little odd in that we appreciate authentic detail but balance it with skirmishability. Most buyers of the collectible, more vintage replicas seem to value authenticity above all else. When you see posts about new offerings the whinning about the slightest visual infidelities are endless. Few comments are posted about slow loading. Inability to upgrade or spare magazines. It seems display ability and backyard plinking are the criteria for most of these buyers. Hence the atrocious D Boys Kar 98 and Marushin gas blow backs. Both quite well suited to the non skirmishers audience.

Provided I can locate it precisely enough and can create an effective thread pattern the TDC hop up mod should make a big difference on my gun. For me the weak hop up remains my biggest complaint.

[reichelderfer]

Dracul is your bucking still the same? Is it soft or hard? Most of the double feeding issues I come across are from thin, malformed or too soft of a bucking, which includes the lips.

If your bucking is still the same, then its more than likely it is soft and a new harder one should do the trick.

[Dracul]

The problem with that is that I was getting double feeds with other buckings I tried to use (cur down AEG buckings). One if which was a hard bucking.

It either has to be feeding mechanism, or the hop up adjustment arm bending and not being able to keep pressure down on the hop up arm. Which is why Droopaille made his mod, to counter this.

[2nd Bat]

My rifle which I haven't really tweaked at all continues to shoot fine. Actually a bit better with use. I say that as I don't want our members to needlessly fear this gun. Unless of course a significant number of them are problematic.

[Dracul]

Well, it seems like the weak point in a lot of these rifles is the hopup adjustment arm. Mine is suffering from it and so was Droop's rifle. Either we got bad parts, or you got lucky.

I hate to say things like this...but it makes me wonder what problems, if any, are others are finding with this 1903.

[droopaille]

On mine, the arm was to soft to my mind, but it fired correctly
now it is not better accurate but very regular, so you can anticipate your shots

next 2 we, I ve my scottish OP and I will use good bbs. The last one I forgot the 0.30

did you realize the modification Dracul ?

[2nd Bat]

With the revised hop up and heavier BBs I think I will be even more pleased with it.

[Dracul]

I tried something, but it didn't work. I'm not good at engineering things. Luckily, it didn't ruin anything.

[2nd Bat]

So obviously something got knocked out of kilter with your upgrade efforts. Hopefully you can figure it out and make it right. When I bought mine I did so with the fall back that if the gun sucked I could use all the parts and marry it with a BAR 10. The price on this rifle being less than I could typically get the Needed Springfield parts for. Thankfully I didn't need to go that route.

[Dracul]

Well, that was the beauty of this gun if did happen to really, really suck. I mean even how the front part of the stock comes off, with the peg and everything, nice and easy, and right next to a stock band. Its almost ready to be used for a BAR-10 conversion as is! I'm not saying thats what they were planning, but its definitely a question raised.

The Top Dead Center mod attempt was the only real modification I did it to. Everything else was just part replacement. Seeing how my hole in the handguard was pretty spot on, I'm sure that a TDC mod can still be done to it, but I'll leave that in someone else's hand....

[powell]

Sorry for reviving old tread but im looking forward to buy S&T M1903 rifle. I see Dracul did a great job, but im still dont understand - where did you get piston and spring guide? Is it possible to use MP001 piston and spring guide? I saw photo with L96, BAR-10 and MP001 pistons and MP001 piston - tinest. Or diameter of cylinder is to unike? Sorry for all of those questions, but im really sad about diameter and chanses to upgrade.

[2nd Bat]

The BAR 10 VsR piston bits and cylinders are NOT interchangeable in this gun as the parts are similar but NOT identical.

I have done no mods whatsoever to my S&T Springfield other than a thorough cleaning and light oiling and it shoots fine. I wish it had a little more power and a more precise hop up but given other peoples snags trying to modify things I have opted to leave mine alone.

[wwiiguy]

how long is the inner barrel so i can get a tightbore?

[Dracul]

If I remember correctly, its about 500mm, 509mm, or 510mm. About your standard M16 length. I can check later when I get home. NOTE, that this takes AEG inner barrels, and not anything else.

Its one of the few things they have done right with this rifle.

[halfnelson]

Howdy fellas!
I managed to fit a AEG Madbull TB barrel in my S&T Springfield but had to ask a friend to CNC new "stabilizing" grooves on the sides of the barrel to make it fit inside the hopup chamber without the barrel sitting way far back. Looking at the hopup bucking it looks a bit strange as it's alot "fatter" at the front where the BB's feed in. Anyone know what type of bucking the Springfield takes? I can't see a standard AEG bucking fit without BB's not feeding properly.

Thanks a bunch in advance!