modifying bolt shroud on 1903 springfield

[DanielLudwig]

Just had my '03 drilled and tapped, and looking for a fix for the safety clearance issues with the eyepiece. Looked at low clearance safeties, then came across the Timney triggers with side safety and that led me to looking for a '03 shroud without safety..cant find one. so i was wondering about taking the safety off the original bolt shroud, welding the safety holes shut, and grinding it down smooth, along with removing the cocking piece off the back. can this be done safely? havent took it all apart yet to examine the inner workings and was just looking for someone that might have a clue already.
Thanks
Daniel

 

[tysue]

Why go to all that bother. Just leave the safety on there, on there. It isn't going to hurt anything, and it and the cocking piece, give the Springfield part of it's personality. I think I'd have gone with a low swing safety, as the trigger safety not as "safe" as the original bolt one. The one on the bolt, swings into a cut in the firing pin, which locks it and makes it entirely fire proof. Probably most trigger safeties are pretty safe too. But when you "lock" the firing pin, so it can't move, you're entirely safe. also, the middle position on the safety will let you remove the bolt, or work it, without it being able to be fired. I think there is also a "winchester model 70" side swing safety made for the Springfield. I got one for a 721 Remington, and it looks nice, and is a safe as the wing type. It locks the firing pin.

 

[shortgrass]

Just had my '03 drilled and tapped, and looking for a fix for the safety clearance issues with the eyepiece. Looked at low clearance safeties, then came across the Timney triggers with side safety and that led me to looking for a '03 shroud without safety..cant find one. so i was wondering about taking the safety off the original bolt shroud, welding the safety holes shut, and grinding it down smooth, along with removing the cocking piece off the back. can this be done safely? havent took it all apart yet to examine the inner workings and was just looking for someone that might have a clue already.
Thanks
Daniel

Using a Springfield as the basis of a custom is, almost, a thing of the past. I think I'd stick to the firing pin block safety. Sounds like alot of clean-up work after welding and the two different types of steel (welding rod & bolt shroud) my show different colors when blued. Also, welding (complete penetration) on a piece of steel that has been heat treated and tempered will anneal it (make it soft). Warpage form welding might be another concern. If you look closely you will see the firing pin and that knob (what you are calling the cocking piece) are two parts that have been joined together. Don't know if I'd wack that knob off or not. You might look up Ed DeLorge on the web, don't know if he's still around or not. An old school gunsmith who made a complete bolt shroud w/safety like the Win. 70. Pricey, but very nice. I use many Springfields and Mauser '98's in the past, but, a good one, that's not a rusty pirce of junk, is getting too valuable, in it's original form, to convert to a a sporter. And they take alot of extra work (bolt handle, safety, trigger, drilling and tapping, one choice in scope mounts) that is expensive if you can not do the work yourself. The first rifle I ever barreled and stocked (Black Walnut) was a Rock Island. Probably not the best for ones first stock job. Many details to the bottom side of those actions and not flat. Wouldn't trade that rifle for the world. They (Springfields & Mauser '98s) do make a classy sporter if the work is properly executed. Don't modify the bolt shroud or firing pin knob. Sarco used to have parts for Springfields, many were new. I'd get a spare 'this and that' before I started modifing parts. just my 2 cents