I picked up a correct O3A3 Remington 3.8M SN and there is very good news and some bad news. First the good. R marked on all parts bolt and bolt parts. Gauges just over zero with a perfect bore, never went through rebuild. Parked action is showing some real nice patina and the overall metal is very excellent. Bolt and follower blue indicate very little wear. The bad.....the stock had been embellished with lacquer.:mad: There was no way I was going to leave this beauty with a lacquered stock.....so I stripped it! I got lucky....the lacquer was so cheap that it came off with bio friendly paint thinner and rinsed with DA. I got the color back with a very thin application of Military stock stain then started rubbing with Raw Linseed oil. I think the restoration looks very good. I saved the original stock......I like this gun! Regards, Rick.

Could someone please check 1903 Springfield No. 1429537 ? Looks like a WWII rebuild with an 8-44 date barrel.
Also 1903 SP No. 793114.
Does SRS list RIA rifle numbers?

THANKS! Salt Flat

A guy from work told me about a small gun shop in his hometown. I stopped on Friday after work. I purchased this rifle as is for $250.00, and a M954 Mauser for the same price. I will shoot it tomorrow and see how it goes. This is the first A4 I have owned. Im guessing the safety is wrong. What u think?

Hi all. I've never been in the 03.section before. I don't even own one, but maybe that will change. There is a 03 on GB right now that has me interested but I know nothing of 03's. I have read many posts from here and the CMP forum on 03's with a hatcher hole. It was used by the Marines, but the Army did it too. OK, really what I want to know is, is that one worth bidding on? GB # 341565721. Sorry, I have no idea how to make a.link to this thread. Auction ends tomorrow so I might have done this too late, but thanks for any help.


" Sir, Take a 30 inch step with the left foot, Aye, Aye, Sir"

There are different types of cut-off levers varying in lettering and finish. Is there any data on what was used when - particularly in the transition years?

(Finally!!) :D

I've been emailing with a nice gent on another forum who sent me some pictures of a low numbered Rock Island M1903. We stopped emailing for a couple of months and then, about a month ago, he wondered if I was interested in purchasing it. We worked out a trade (one of my NRA Sales rifles went down the road) and the RIA arrived at my door yesterday.

It is a very early Rock Island and probably started out as a M1903 in 30-03. It is one of those that was modified to 30-06. The barrel is a rare (or maybe uncommon) 6-05 RIA. One thing I noticed is that the usual prominent RIA steel lot code is missing from the area around the muzzle, where you see it on later RIA barrels. The bore, by the way, is in excellent shape and measures a 1.5 on my muzzle gauge and a 1 TE.

The stock is the early type with no stock bolts and the "straight/edge" left side. It has (as you can see) a 1908 Conrad Nelson inspection stamp - possibly the year it was modified to 30-06? The stock has the large S on the foretip and a "script" P just aft of the trigger guard.

All the parts appear to be original. I have not broken it down to see if it has the early rear sight base, but assume that it does. The bolt has no markings, which was often seen on very early Rock Island and Springfield M1903s.

The stock has hardly a mark on it. The trigger guard appears to have some "speckling" which may be rust. Haven't made up my mind how to handle that.

Some pictures below:















---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------

A few more pictures:

Hi, this is my first post, I have a 1903A3 that has ATL ORD stamped on it. I haven't been able to find any info, anyone know about this. Thanks

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my m1922 is starting to give me problems with extraction of the spent case,[ie not extracting],
i have cleaned, but do not know how to remove the extractor from bolt head.

this is using winchester t22 amo

any help would be appreciated.---charles

New to me 03a3 that I think may be original. Your thoughts would be apprecated. Photos here:

http://s61.photobucket.com/user/boba...46447163249473

I've taken it down and as far as I can see it's 100% Remington with the reciever and barrel parkerized, most everything else is blue. Bore is perfect and extreemly bright. It does have the OG stamp, but I've read that some as new rifles have the OG marking. Oh, it came with the sling too.

Barrel is dated 12/43 and reciever dates to 1/44.

Is it safe to shoot, and should I?
Thanks,
Bob

Okay, you guys talked me into it! I recently upgraded my collection with the addition of this beauty.



It is an original 03A4 receiver made in 7-43 with barrel in 6-43.





I'm no expert but it seems to have had a front sight on it at some time? Maybe it came (CMP?) sans scope and someone put front sight on to shoot it? Doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for it one bit.

Scope is an early one with the wire crosshairs and electro-penciled "M73B1" & serial number on the right side, in great condition.



With the help of a kind and patient range master I've got it sighted in pretty well. I don't plan on shooting it much but I just had to get sighted in! :)

Sorry, I just realized that I don't have a photo of the stock markings. Left wrist has crossed cannons, "RA", and "FJA". Pistol grip has "P" and there is at least one very faint(spl?) mark forward of trigger guard on bottom of stock.

Looking at two 1903's with two different stocks (both straight) but one has finger grooves and one does not. Was there a transition time in manufacture? The earlier one is without the grooves. Have not been able to locate a reference in my research.

I found this Remington in my LGS the other day. The stock had been cut, but otherwise it hadn't been molested too badly. It looks as though Bubba started his project with an unfired rifle. Fortunately, I keep a stash of 03 and 03-A3 parts around to aid me in putting these back together.

Serial number is from July '43 and barrel is May '43. I'm pretty sure that it is the original barrel for this rifle.



I had a pretty decent piece of wood waiting for a home and decided to use it on this.








Front sight cover was on it when I acquired it

I am awaiting the arrival of my 03. I got it on GB for a good price. I now it was made in 1934 at Springfield. It has been fitted with a Lyman sight. My newbies question is about the A designations, I.e., A1,A 3' etc. what do they signify and how do you know which rifle you have?

Attachment 42607Attachment 42608Attachment 42609Attachment 42610Unit marking on buttplate tang, stock is early and has one stock bolt.

Troop H

8th Cavalry

Trooper #18

8th Cavalry was in the Philippines 1913 and 1916 Mexican Punitive Expedition

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As I promised in the thread about USMC reproduction sights, here is a picture of my 1929 Springfield rifle. When I got it I was told it was "correct." The parkerizing is almost 100 percent - I'd guess around 95 or so. The biggest blemishes are on the left side of the front band and the edges of the swivels.

The barrel is in decent shape for a milsurp I suppose. There are a few pits, but nothing too extreme. The stock is in great shape, other than a few dings here and there. All in all, its not bad at all.







I am looking to get a Ray Vin micrometer for the rear sight, and a bayonet - and of course more ammo. Soon as I pick up those odds and ends, I think I will be set for a little while.

---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 PM ----------

Guess I can only do two pics a post ...

A gentleman who shoots at our range brought his 1903 Springfield and with it a magazine that holds 20 rounds. It is attached by first removing the floorplate. No one present had ever seen anything like it before. The owner said that it was an issue accessory that was manufactured at a time not long after the 1903 was in production and that it is now rare and expensive. I would assume that it would fit rifles of Rock island manufacture as well, but not O3-A3 rifles that have stamped one piece floor plates. Question; Is/was this magazine a genuine accessory or is it a reproduction of some kind of prototype/experiment and if so what would be its value? J. Cooper

Hello all,

I know these questions have been probably asked to death ... but either my search fu is weak, or what I am looking for is just not easy to find.

I'm looking to get a set of USMC style repro sights for my '03. I have been pointed towards a Mr. Bill Bentz, but the contact information for him seems to be contradictory, with an e-mail at comcast, and then one at gmail. Does anyone know if he is still in the business of making the front and rear sights, and the USMC protector as well? If he is, can someone let me know the right address - I sent an e-mail to the gmail one, but have not heard back.

My other questions are related to those sights, and please forgive my ignorance to the '03 rifle technical details as a whole. I have an old 1903A3 parts gun, and it has multiple front sight blades. Did the '03 rifle have those too - and how would I go about finding the right height USMC blade for my 1903? I want the more useful 200 yard battle sight zero and easy to see blade for some of the local shooting competitions I jump into on occasion.

Second, because that front sight blade is wider, is there a need to widen the rear battle sight notch? Not being a gunsmith, I don't have a lot of precision tools, so I would appreciate it if someone could give me an idea of what would need to be done so I can find someone with the tools and have it done. I would think a small/thin file, but don't know if there is a measurement I would be shooting for. I like using the battle sight notch for faster shooting, in particular on moving targets, but a 547 yard zero is a little ... excessive for most of the ranges I am at. 200-250 yards would be perfect.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll try and get some pictures up of my rifle soon ... because well, we all know "this thread is worthless without pics!" :D

I glommed a Lyman 8x Junior Targetspot to use on a faux 1903A1 sniper rifle.




How do the Lyman scopes and mounts stack up against the Unertl, Fecker or Litschert?

Thanks.

Will a 1903 stock fit a 1903A3 ?

I have a 1903A3.
CMP has new production 1903 stocks available, but no 1903A3 stocks.
The ones I'm looking at are the pistol-grip stocks.

I know that pinned stocks were used on some A3s. I have SN 41113012. Would it have been possible for this rifle to have left the Remington plant with a pinned stock?

Thanks,
daveboy

I may be posting in the wrong area, but the site is a bit overwhelming and I wasn't sure where else to post. :)
I have a Springfield 1903- 30-06 with serial # 314XXXX.
I am attempting to upload some photos now, but am looking to learn more about the gun, especially the value.
If anyone can help, I would appreciate it greatly.
Thanks.

Hello I bought a 1903-A3 Sporter. It has been drilled and tapped for weaver mount, other than that the metal has not been altered. It is in a nice Monte Carlo stock Barrell is marked 8-43. It has all of its green parkerizing from its arsenal refurbish. Bore is nice front sight is intact muzzle crown is good. Reciever Marked U.S. Remington Model 1903-A3 Serial 3903628 bolt Rem8620. My question is with the drill and tap is it worthwhile to put it back in the correct sock. What would be the correct stock? Should I just enjoy it as a sporter. I would like to have one with correct stock and furniture. I would be happy with it either way. Here are a couple of pics

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I won this Remington 03A3 tonight on an on-line auction. It looks like it could still be in original condition. I know it is hard to tell because the pictures aren't the greatest, but the finish on the parts looks right. I'll know more when the rifle arrives and I can get a better look at the parts.












Description was a bit sparse.

Remington 03A3 Unaltered 30.06Serial Number 3945454
Has original cleaning kit in stock.

1903 Springfield 1903A1NM 1936 SRS letter : Curios & Relics at GunBroker.com


Look at the barrel star ?? I thought NM barrels were C-64111 and 112 ? Should the P proof be on the bottom of the barrel if NM ? . No star record numbers . Has a SRS letter ??. others input opinions welcomed . Nice looking rifle but flags are waving . Thanks Lt1

Dear friends,

I have a question with a M84 scope mounted on a Springfield M1903A3. This scope has no serial number on the nameplate, and although I think it's original, make me seriously doubt about its origin. I attached several pictures to give me your opinion.
Thank you very much.
:)

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hi everyone, stumbled into this gun today, i am hoping it has something good going for it, one hope is that i may be able to use some parts off it to make this gun more correct.

new 1903 owner...

new to me gun

:help:Need ASAP from a kind member! Thanks a MILLION Jerry

I have a Warner Swasey 1913 Scope question. What is the function of the sleeve device with a screw boss that slips onto the back tube extension (just ahead of the rubber eye cup) of the scope? Is this an adjuster or lock for the focus or what? I hope this makes sense, if not I'll find a picture of it Thanks!
Salt Flat

1457851 claims to be a NM Any help with the serial # appreciated .