I am planning on buying a M1903a3 from the CMP, but I want to clarify a few things first.
The page for the M1903a3 specifies they "meet service grade or higher criteria". Since I will be using it for shooting I am not concerned about collector's value, but I'm curious what kind of variance there might be. The disclaimer states that some of them may not be safe to shoot. My understanding is that this is a general statement and not necessarily applicable to every grade of rifle. Is this an accurate assessment? Also, is it worth asking for specific characteristics in the special instructions portion, and if so, what would be the most important to mention?
I also looked at 30-06 that would be compatible with surplus rifles and some brands like Sellier and Bellot seem to be viable options, at a decent price. Are there any others I missed?