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 cosmolineicon 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
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