Winchester mod. 1903 .22

RifleFanatic · 07-05-2004, 10:27 PM

I dont know much about this rifle. I found it in my grandma's closet. It must have been my grandpa's. It doest work all that well know but i am tearing it appart and repairing anything that needs to be. So does any one know anything about this rifle? I noticed it say automatic. Is it really an automatic, or a semi auto? Thanks for any help.

RifleFanatic · 07-06-2004, 03:38 PM

Would this be better in the General firearms .22 rimfire discusion area?

Shaun · 07-06-2004, 03:54 PM

Welcome -- and no this is a fine location -- I don't think they made an automatic. Can you p[ost pictures and more of the info on the receiver.

NRAJOE · 07-06-2004, 04:06 PM

Does it look like this?
http://www.simpsonltd.com/LongGuns/W.../C3360%20A.jpg

Went for $495 in 80% condition.

Why is the image code off in this section?

RifleFanatic · 07-06-2004, 10:56 PM

Yea thats is alright. I believe it hold 10 bullets. So it would be a semi automatic then even though it says automatic on it? It is in pretty good condition except it doesnt work right. Alot of stiff on it is sort of half frozen up but now that i know its worth that much in 80% condition i will repair it. I have a felling it will become my most used rifle to becuase my other one isnt all that great. Here is everything it says on it....
Manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms CO.
New Haven.Conn.U.S.A.Pat.AUG.27.01.FEB.25.02.FEB.3.17. DEC.22.03.

MOD. 1903 .22 cal. AUTOMATIC.
_____WINCHESTER______
Trade Mark REG. IN U.S. PAT. OFF.

NRAJOE · 07-06-2004, 11:48 PM

Yeah, its semi, in the olden days they used to put "Auto" on them there new fangled guns...

Nobody · 07-07-2004, 04:55 PM

The 1903 22Auto was Wichester's first autoloader. It is NOT 22LR caliber. The caliber is 22Auto. Think it may have been their first cartridge designed especially for smokless powder. The cartridge is slightly larger than a 22LR diameter wise. and the bullet may also be somewhat different. The Win Model 63 was developed from the 1903 pattern, for using the 22LR round. The '03 is an obsolete round and hasn't been mfg'd for many years, although Winchester did make a special run of the ammo a few years back, and it can still be found occasionally on the online auctions. Think Old Western Scrounger may still have a small stock but it is pricey :insane: . These are nice old rifles for collectors but not usually used as shooters.

NRAJOE · 07-07-2004, 04:58 PM

Thanks Nobody....:right:

RifleFanatic · 07-07-2004, 05:29 PM

Alright thanks for the info. Could it be that i tried shooting a 22LR bullet out of it and thats why everything didnt seem to work. It seemed the autoloader wouldnt ever want to stop loading and the auto ejecter never ejected the bullet.

Nobody · 07-08-2004, 11:50 AM

RifleFanatic -

Yeah, could be the reason. Best I remember a 22LR will fire in the '03 Auto but will not properly work the action, extract/eject, etc. The '03 Auto ammo was purposely made slightly larger so it wouldn't fit in the older 22's designed for black powder cartridges. I had an '03 back in the mid 1960's. Got to where I couldn't find ammo for it so wrote to Winchester about having it modified to shoot 22LR. They replied that it couldn't be done. Was later talking to the 'smith at Southwest Shooters in Oklahoma City about it and he said he'd done several. Don't remember exactly what he did about the internals but he replaced the '03 barrel with one from a Mod 63 and that thing shot like a house afire. Think it cost me around fifty bucks at the time (the modification that is; I picked up the rifle for near nothing; was an E-4 in the Air Force at the time and we didn't "make no money honey"

). I kept the rifle for several years afterward and shot lots of squirrels with it. Being short of cash one day (nothing unusual in those days), I finally sold it to a guy who wanted it more than I

. I've had for many years a nice old 1939 vintage Model 63 (born same year as me) that I dearly love but I still regret selling the old '03.

Jim Endress · 03-03-2005, 12:34 PM

RifleFantic -- Nobody is right. Winchester didn't want black powder in the gun and apparently 22LR was available in black powder when the gun first came out. B

Jim Endress · 03-03-2005, 12:40 PM

RifleFantic -- Nobody is right. Winchester didn't want black powder in the gun and apparently 22LR was available in black powder when the gun first came out. BE VERY CAREFUL SHOOTING 22LR IN IT. Mine has a nice buldge about 3" from the muzzle because a high school buddy got a 22LR stuck in it and "drove" it out with a second shot.
It's a nice little rifle but more of a family treasure than a working piece. I think Taurus makes a copy in 22LR if you want a shooting version. (Sorry about the first post -- don't know what I hit that made it do that.) --- Jim

07-05-2004, 10:27 PM	#1
RifleFanatic Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 65	Winchester mod. 1903 .22 I dont know much about this rifle. I found it in my grandma's closet. It must have been my grandpa's. It doest work all that well know but i am tearing it appart and repairing anything that needs to be. So does any one know anything about this rifle? I noticed it say automatic. Is it really an automatic, or a semi auto? Thanks for any help.

07-06-2004, 03:54 PM	#3
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,621 Images: 1	Welcome -- and no this is a fine location -- I don't think they made an automatic. Can you p[ost pictures and more of the info on the receiver. __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

07-06-2004, 04:06 PM	#4
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,255 Images: 3	Does it look like this? http://www.simpsonltd.com/LongGuns/W.../C3360%20A.jpg Went for $495 in 80% condition. Why is the image code off in this section? __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

07-06-2004, 11:48 PM	#6
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,255 Images: 3	Yeah, its semi, in the olden days they used to put "Auto" on them there new fangled guns... __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

07-07-2004, 04:55 PM	#7
Nobody Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Arkansas Posts: 20	The 1903 22Auto was Wichester's first autoloader. It is NOT 22LR caliber. The caliber is 22Auto. Think it may have been their first cartridge designed especially for smokless powder. The cartridge is slightly larger than a 22LR diameter wise. and the bullet may also be somewhat different. The Win Model 63 was developed from the 1903 pattern, for using the 22LR round. The '03 is an obsolete round and hasn't been mfg'd for many years, although Winchester did make a special run of the ammo a few years back, and it can still be found occasionally on the online auctions. Think Old Western Scrounger may still have a small stock but it is pricey :insane: . These are nice old rifles for collectors but not usually used as shooters. __________________ Exercising maximum personal freedom, means . . . . . Accepting total personal responsiibility!

07-06-2004, 03:38 PM	#2
RifleFanatic Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 65	Would this be better in the General firearms .22 rimfire discusion area?

07-06-2004, 10:56 PM	#5
RifleFanatic Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 65	Yea thats is alright. I believe it hold 10 bullets. So it would be a semi automatic then even though it says automatic on it? It is in pretty good condition except it doesnt work right. Alot of stiff on it is sort of half frozen up but now that i know its worth that much in 80% condition i will repair it. I have a felling it will become my most used rifle to becuase my other one isnt all that great. Here is everything it says on it.... Manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms CO. New Haven.Conn.U.S.A.Pat.AUG.27.01.FEB.25.02.FEB.3.17. DEC.22.03. MOD. 1903 .22 cal. AUTOMATIC. _____WINCHESTER______ Trade Mark REG. IN U.S. PAT. OFF.

07-07-2004, 04:58 PM	#8
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,255 Images: 3	Thanks Nobody....:right: __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

07-07-2004, 05:29 PM	#9
RifleFanatic Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 65	Alright thanks for the info. Could it be that i tried shooting a 22LR bullet out of it and thats why everything didnt seem to work. It seemed the autoloader wouldnt ever want to stop loading and the auto ejecter never ejected the bullet.

07-08-2004, 11:50 AM	#10
Nobody Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Arkansas Posts: 20	RifleFanatic - Yeah, could be the reason. Best I remember a 22LR will fire in the '03 Auto but will not properly work the action, extract/eject, etc. The '03 Auto ammo was purposely made slightly larger so it wouldn't fit in the older 22's designed for black powder cartridges. I had an '03 back in the mid 1960's. Got to where I couldn't find ammo for it so wrote to Winchester about having it modified to shoot 22LR. They replied that it couldn't be done. Was later talking to the 'smith at Southwest Shooters in Oklahoma City about it and he said he'd done several. Don't remember exactly what he did about the internals but he replaced the '03 barrel with one from a Mod 63 and that thing shot like a house afire. Think it cost me around fifty bucks at the time (the modification that is; I picked up the rifle for near nothing; was an E-4 in the Air Force at the time and we didn't "make no money honey" ). I kept the rifle for several years afterward and shot lots of squirrels with it. Being short of cash one day (nothing unusual in those days), I finally sold it to a guy who wanted it more than I . I've had for many years a nice old 1939 vintage Model 63 (born same year as me) that I dearly love but I still regret selling the old '03. __________________ Exercising maximum personal freedom, means . . . . . Accepting total personal responsiibility!

03-03-2005, 12:34 PM	#11
Jim Endress Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4	RifleFantic -- Nobody is right. Winchester didn't want black powder in the gun and apparently 22LR was available in black powder when the gun first came out. B

03-03-2005, 12:40 PM	#12
Jim Endress Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4	RifleFantic -- Nobody is right. Winchester didn't want black powder in the gun and apparently 22LR was available in black powder when the gun first came out. BE VERY CAREFUL SHOOTING 22LR IN IT. Mine has a nice buldge about 3" from the muzzle because a high school buddy got a 22LR stuck in it and "drove" it out with a second shot. It's a nice little rifle but more of a family treasure than a working piece. I think Taurus makes a copy in 22LR if you want a shooting version. (Sorry about the first post -- don't know what I hit that made it do that.) --- Jim