Painted M1903

Noticed an M1903 in a shop recently with garishly silver painted fittings. Front band, rear band, rear swivel, butt plate- all silver painted.

However, the walnut furniture (scant stock model) looked very good, as did the bolt and 7-1944 dated SA bore, so I bought it, being an avid shooter and seeing its potential for the range.

Disassembling the rifle, I have the impression that it didn't spend time outside in the weather like a 'regular' infantry weapon, getting wet and rusting. No rust between barrel, receiver, wood; all appear as new as if they left the factory last week. And yet, as new as the wood and metal appear, the silver painted fittings have their share of paint scrapes. Traces of cosmoline still exist on the metal/stock interfaces. No front sight hood. Nothing in the stock compartment.

Barrel, receiver, and bolt are parkerized; there is a smattering of R (Remington?) parts throughout the rifle.

Bolt parkerizing is in very good shape, with minimal wear visible on sliding surfaces. Bolt face has a rough surface finish (roughness reminds me of a cast iron pot surface, not of machining marks) , but shows absolutely no indication that a brass cartridge has ever slid across the (reparkerized?) surface. Maybe it's a new bolt, maybe it's the original bolt reparkerized. There is a tiny "E" underneath the bolt handle, plus "R" mark on the rear of bolt (the piece that retains the safety lever is marked R). Cocking piece notch (that which catches the sear in the trigger assembly) is in perfect condition, as if it hasn't been fired enough (at all?) to wear off the surface finish.

Stripper clip recesses in the receiver exhibit no wear.

Trigger is R marked. Rear sight is marked "G" and "S", and appears like new, as usual.

Serial number 973000 dates to 1918 from a quick internet search. I surmise that this rifle was repaired/upgraded by an arsenal during WW2, and thus it must have existed until Picasso got ahold of it.

Acetone and a toothbrush made short work of the paint- I have jumped off that historical cliff.

The walnut stock and handguard are beautiful walnut, absolutely pristine inside, and very good outside. I think this rifle spent most of its life 'in the closet.'

So this rifle was restored to new condition, was painted silver, and was somehow handled enough to scuff up the paint while keeping the bore, bolt, cocking piece, etc. in in perfect condition.

The seller couldn't offer any background info.

I wonder what was the purpose of this painted rifle, who would have painted it.

I'll post photos once it's reassembled.

-FM

Do you have a pic or two, to show us. You can never know the logic behind such things as you describe. It made sense to someone, at onetime though. Oops, I just seen your comment of forthcoming photo's. Perhaps it was a display/memorial piece at a VFW/AL hall.

Paint is all gone, rifle is cleaned, oiled and reassembled. Photo quality is probably not great, but here it goes. Sling is my addition.

Barrel was wire brushed with Hoppes a few times, and then cleaned with solvent soaked patches. It is in pristine condition, although the photo may not do the bore justice. Not even any green fouling on the patches; it is as if a copper jacketed projectile never passed through the bore, and this is a bore which has been exposed to solvent for a few days now. I would think that arsenal rebuilding would include some shooting, but it's hard to see indications of this. Perhaps a shot or two has gone through this barrel (with what bolt?) but it's just hard to find evidence of it being fired. In short, barrel condition could hardly be better.

I chambered a cartridge (safety activated), and noted that there is, because of this, a few witness marks left by the brass sliding along the bolt face. No such marks existed before, confirming my belief that this bolt face hasn't so much as chambered a cartridge since being refinished long ago.

So however it happened, this weapon managed to not get used for decades. I am very grateful to have found such a special rifle. It will be well cared for.

I'll have to ask the gun shop owner if he has a time machine in the back of the store- if so, I have a shopping list.

I would guess a VFW rifle. You must be happy they didn't chrome plate it.

A ballpark figure of what you paid for it, less then, more then? That is a sweet find.

It was under 600. I want my local shop to succeed and exist, so I didn't haggle, plus thought the asking price was reasonable. Was more than fair, considering what was under all that paint. No idea how 'the market' values M1903s, though these days.

Several decades ago, I recall a certain Remington M1903A3, in absolutely new condition, for $200. That's why high school kids have jobs, right, to procure guns- My brother had a star gaged M1903, and I had the A3. Those were the good old days, when rifles of all descriptions were abundant, when every type of ammo was to be had for pennies a shot, and the Bill of Rights seemed bulletproof.

We didn't know, foresee, much less care, what was to come- gun bans for any or for no reason, criminalization of standard capacity magazines, divide-and-conquer laws every couple of years. And that is why we have the situation we have today; it is the natural consequence of mass gun owner apathy, ignorance, laziness. So, you gun owning 80 million, teach shooting, vote, participate in and perpetuate this awesome Heritage of ours. Make Isaac Davis and John Parker proud to claim you as their Posterity. Stepping off soapbox now...

That is a purty rifle, nice find. Enjoy

Yes... thanks for sharing! That is a very nice rifle!!