1903a4 Springfield build

[hairy apple]

M1903a4 Project.

Got a good start on it tonight. They sent me the wrong handguard so I'll have to do with an 1903 handguard rather then the A3 handguard for now. The handguard is going to be hard hardest part for sure. There is a lot of wood to remove. Until I get some differant dremel tools I can't do much else today.

Turning this:


Into this:










Once I get the stock and body built, I'll swap the poopy clone internals for a TM VSR10. Upgrade it and have a pretty cool gun. I'm going to mod the reciever and build a ww2 style scope rail once I have the correct internals in place.

[hairy apple]

[hairy apple]

I got into a building craze with this thing. I can't stop working on it! It's coming along really fast actually. Every little snag I've run into I've got figured out really quick. I think once I sand and bondo the stock where the real springfield stock meets the VSR stock and give it a good coat of paint, it will look very nice.

[kalbs]

It looks awsome so far. Please keep us up dated on the progress, it's fun to watch and learn.

[Sgt_Tom]

Awesome job! Its about the same approach I am thinking on taking with mine when I start it. Oh and is that a working AEG M1 Garand in the 7th Photo? lol j/k

Anyways nice job can't wait to see it finished.

[nuke0070]

I figured I would put this link here but here are some really cheap plastic 1903 stocks. I made my 1903 out of one of thease and it was a pretty easy build.

www.dupagetrading.com/handyman-page/fiberglass-03a3-stocks.html

[hairy apple]

Yeah, this has been pretty easy so far. Everytime I hit a snag, I had it worked out within a few minutes. I figured out a major help with the handguard issue, I removed more of the outer barrel and it's almost fitting on there now. A little more dremel work tomarrow and everything should come together nicely. As you can see, the stock on the VSR is way wider then the 1903 front end, I think with some bondo and some sanding I can make it meet up without much of a seam.

[deacon]

I think Im gonna have to make one of these. But by golly I dont want to cut up an original springfield stock. I would have to go with the plastic one.

[hairy apple]

www.dupagetrading.com/03-parts/1903-butt-stock-forends.html

I didn't cut up anything...

Those fiberglass ones are sweet though, I wish I had found that before I started this, I might have gone with that route.

[hairy apple]

[hairy apple]

No more electical tape holding it together! I got the stock glued and bondoed. The wood filler I used was old and didn't really stick, so I'll have to go buy some fresh stuff in the morning and redo it tomorrow. Some sanding and paint and I'm done with the main part of the body. I still will have the butt plate and the scope rail and scope. When I get some extra money I'll buy a TM VSR10, upgrade it and swap the internals. Once I have the TM guts in it I'll modify the reciever to look more springfieldish.

[2nd Bat]

Very nice work. Thanks for sharing and inspiring others.

[biguk]

Im now going to be doing a similar conversion myself. Since my M1903A4 that i bought from MGW is not going to arrive.

Doesn't look to difficult

[Sgt_Tom]

Nice job so far Harry Apple!

[2nd Bat]

So you didn't have to cut up an actual stock? What did you use for the lower front section? It certainly looks like the forward section from a Springfield stock and sure matches the handguard nicely.

[hairy apple]

One thing I wanted to point out to anyone wanting to take on this project. I am building a 1903a4 (once I get the right handguard), so it has a pistol grip stock. However, on the VSR stock the pistol grip is hollow and there is plastic under, if you wanted to build and 03 or an a3 with the stright stock you could remove the pistol grip and bondo the area pretty easy.

[springfieldarmory]

Earlier he stated he used this:
www.dupagetrading.com/03-parts/1903-butt-stock-forends.html

[kalbs]

Harry Apple,

Try and use two part Epoxy putty instead of Bondo to build up areas, it's much stronger and can be filed, sanded and finished too. Bondo may crack when used in heavy thicknesses. I love the stuff.

[hairy apple]

Yeah, actually I'm using JB weld. I used bondo and when I started trying to sand/shape it it all broke apart and fell off. JB weld dries rock hard and doesn't chip and crack... and it's crazy strong stuff. I've used it to fix cracks in atv cases. I was just using the word bondo as a generic term for filler.

[Sgt_Tom]

I am greatly confused. When I think of two part epoxy and JB weld I see those to little plastic tooth paste type tubes. Do they make them in bigger containers like Bondo?

[hairy apple]

There are lots of different kinds of epoxy. I used JB weld because I have a bunch of it. There are some larger tubes, but mostly they are smallish.

[CharleyNovember]

You can get 2 part epoxy in fairly large amounts. JB weld no, but regular 2 part yeah.

[2nd Bat]

I find a two part paste called dyna glass is extremely hard and can be shaped, filed sanded etc. There are any of a number of materials to use. With the VSR stock you can't create the straight stock authentically but you can create a scant stock quite believably by eliminating the pistol grip knob and adding putty to the upper neck. The scant stock was quite common in both WW1 and WW2. The straight stock was also seen in WW2 but less frequently. For the A4 (marksman edition)the C stock (with pistol grip) was the usual stock version seen.

[Sgt_Tom]

Yea I've heard you use Dyna Glass, so you can just purchase it from an Auto Parts store?
Is two part epoxy a filler, or more like a glue, or both?

[kalbs]

Epoxy puddy comes in a cigar shaped clear tube. Both part A and Part B are together. You just cut off a slice of the amount needed and knead it together. Hardens very fast. I bought some at Lowes and HD at one time but can't remember the brand name. I'm using some stuff here (Made in China of course) that comes in Gray, Black, Brown and white colors.

Back on topic:

The build is looking awsome and destined to be a hall of famer in WW2AA

[2nd Bat]

Definitely sticky material! Anxious to see it completely done with the final details and finish. Dyna glass and a wide assortement of resins and putties are available at plastic supply shops. You also might find dyna glass at boating suppliers. Not typically used fror automotive applications. Some of the puytys simulate steel while others simulate wood fairly reasonably.

[hairy apple]

Painted up pretty good.


My fake wood grain paint next to the handguard. I didn't paint the handguard.





Still needs the butt plate, the scope rail and scope as well as the correct handguard.... Or it needs iron sights and leave the handguard the way it is and no scope.

I have made up my mind that I am going to build a few more of these. A couple of guys in my unit have expressed interest in getting one, and they are easy enough to do I might as well do a couple up as loaners too. That way I can make an 03, and an a3 style as well.

[WEW]

I'm a douchebag spambot and I'm the reason we shouldn't allow guests to post.

[CptJericho]

nice hairy apple, i say go rifleman style, no scope mount and put on some front iron sights!

[Retrohead]

Nice work there Hairyapple!