Remington 03A3 purchase

[smle-man]

At the range today the owner mentioned that he had a nice 03A3 for sale. Even though I have no spare money I thought I should take a look at it. What I found appears to be an unfired DCM 03A3 but unfortunately without the box or papers. The barrel date is 9 43, it has a R marked sight cover, everything that should be marked R is, the wood is dry but essentially untouched. It is marked RA and FJA. Here is a vertical scratch on the right side of the butt and a tiny chip on the wood by the buttplate tang. A couple tiny scratches here and there and a small spattering of white paint like someone was painting a room and it got some flecks of paint on the wood. Otherwise it looks new. The stamps look like they were done last week. The plate itself has a small mark near the top where it looks like the rifle was stored standing up on a hard surface. The bolt face shows no sign of firing, the bore looks like the day it was made (2 groove). The finish is immaculate. It has a WW2 vintage bayonet also. The price was $650 and I bought it. I don't think I stole it but it was more than a fair price. I didn't have the money with me so I go back tomorrow to pay for it. Another guy at the range had a WW2 GI shoulder holster, a .45 holster from WW1 that was dyed black (too bad because otherwise it is about unused) and a WW2 .45 magazine pouch with two magazines (I bought that for $15). I told him to put the holsters on Ebay. Anyway, what are Remington 03A3s in this condition going for these days?

[BruceV]

Sounds like a nice rifle at an attractive price. You did very well on the WWII .45 magazine pouch and magazines. Sincerely. Bruce.

[irishsteve]

Your right in the ball park at 650.00 .The bayonet and scabbard if original,and unsharpened are 110.00 bucks alone,so you did well.

[smle-man]

Here are some pics of the rifle. The SN is in the 4million range. I thought that only A4s were in this sequence? Barrel date is 9 43

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington007.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington006.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington003.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington001.jpg

The bayonet

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington008.jpg

[Mike Haas]

Not A4 - Serial 4,093,485 puts into late 11/43 to early 12/43 and a 9/43 Barrel would likely be correct.
Good pix's!

[irishsteve]

Man,did you do well,or what !

[smle-man]

[QUOTE=smle-man;57451]Here are some pics of the rifle. The SN is in the 4million range. I thought that only A4s were in this sequence? Barrel date is 9 43

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington007.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington006.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington003.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3remington001.jpg

I picked the rifle up today (10 day gun jail here in KA) and realized something that was obvious in the pictures - the stock is two different shades on either side. The left side from the action to the lower band is a much lighter shade than the rest of the rifle, particularly the right side of the rifle. Is this a factor of the wood itself or how it was stored, perhaps the light area was subjected to sunlight or heat or both for many years? A mix of BLO and turp didn't significantly darken the light area when applied.

[Arisaka99]

That is a gorgeous rifle! It would easily bring $750 on one of the auction sites due to condition. THe bayonet would bring another $125. The scabbard is also a modified (cut down) M3 scabbard converted to M7. This was begun in August 1943 (per American Military Bayonets by Cunningham, page 58).

[Kirk]

Does the difference run the full length of the stock? Can you post pictures of the stock (bottom??) where the two colors meet? It may be that when the stock blank was cut, part of the wood is the sap wood & the rest heart wood. They would be different colors. Sunlight fading the stock is another possibility.

[Arisaka99]

High serial number range for Remington 1903A3s is 4209xxx.

[smle-man]

Does the difference run the full length of the stock? Can you post pictures of the stock (bottom??) where the two colors meet? It may be that when the stock blank was cut, part of the wood is the sap wood & the rest heart wood. They would be different colors. Sunlight fading the stock is another possibility.

It starts to darken past the wrist and forward past the lower band and on the bottom about 1/2 way around.

[Arisaka99]

Sounds like the wood itself. I would not mess with it any further; originality is key.

[Kirk]

Sounds Like sap wood/heart wood. A clue that would rule that out & favor being sun bleached is the hand guard. Is it two tone or all one color?

[smle-man]

I took some photos of both Remington 03A3s today. I have had one of them since 1980 when I bought it while on leave from the Army at a combination auto parts and gun shop in Washington PA. It is the one with the Boyt 1943 dated sling which it came with. The other is the one I picked up this weekend.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3pair001.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3pair002.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/smle-man/03a3pair003.jpg

[Arisaka99]

You sir, have both a good eye and good luck. Two real beauties! Your earlier purchase has a Smith Corona safety housing.