Remington 1903a3 questions

[Lancebear]

i know that rifle...its ok...its been out of that grease before..{me}
do you think that Rich cold stand having such a think without seeing it??
lol.

Hey Chuck,

The deal is done...what is the rifle?

LB

[Chuckindenver]

if memory servs me right it was a OG marked Remington A3..
i had it offered to me a few years ago, towards a couple dirt bikes..
we didnt take it all the way out of the wrap, but enough to see the stock, and what it was..
i think his asking price back then was 1,000.00..sounds like its changed hands a couple times since.
when i saw it, it had a sling, and a bayonet..but looks like those are long gone.
he got a new in the box 1911A1 from the same estate..remember that was at least 10 years ago..nice to see it has a good home.
rifle is rebuilt, at OG..so dont be scared to take it out of the wrapping.
shoot em, enjoy em..some day the Librals will get em anyway.

[Lancebear]

Hello all. I was able to make a deal on the Remington and wanted to post some pictures for you. It has not been unwrapped yet except to varify the serial number. The address label as you can see indicates N.R.A. Raritan Arsenal as the shipper and a seperate paper label has "Tooele Ordnance Depot" in pink ink. More to follow when I figure out how to do the unwrapping to cause as little damage to the paper as possible. Thanks Greg

Hey Greg,

Hope you are happy with the rifle. Far as the wrap goes, looks just like the wrapping that was on three trigger guards that I bought last year. The wrapping had RIA paper tags underneath dated 1954. Guards were dripping in cosmoline and in a light red heavy wax paper with the wrap like yours over.

If the outer wrap on your rifle is the same stuff it is not paper but a very tightly woven cloth that feels like it was soaked in a heavy wax. Same stuff and you will not tear it, very tough. You can remold it, will keep its shape.

Could be wrong, but looks like the same material.

Good luck,

Lancebear

[gfguns]

John Thanks again for your expert opinion. I am puting it up on the shelf for the time being and I will not unwrap it anytime soon.
Lance I know exactly what you are talking about but since I know it is a Reminton 03a3, the serial number matches the box and that it has an OG (thanks Chuck) stamped on the stock the urge is not all that great. Actualy I would have expected an OGEK because all of the evidence points to it being a rebuild. The OG alone was put on a lot of rifles that were new and unissued but I was under the impression that if they went through a rebuild the EK would also be present. Chuck could you please be more specific regarding your knowledge of this rifle being unwrapped and how you know it is a rebuild. Also who is Rich?
Thanks all for your help
Greg

[Lancebear]

Think I'd be cleanin' the bore by now and wearin' the camera out. Have fun! What are the new photos about? I know it's a rifle...

LB

[gfguns]

What are the new photos about? I know it's a rifle...

LB[/QUOTE]

Sorry about that. The attaced pictures are meant to highlight the fact that some rifles with the "OG" stamp on the stock were in fact brand new unissued pieces. The Smith Corona in the pictures is such an example. I don't think the Remington I just bought is a new piece but the "OG" alone is not proof of a rebuild.
Thanks
Greg

[Chuckindenver]

Rich is the owner of a shop here in town that at one time had that rifle for sale.
i belive its changed hands a few times.
as far as removing the wrapping, it was opened up enough to see the top of the receiver, the stock happened to be exposed at that time as well.
i wrapped it right back up as soon as i noted it was a Remington.
had it been a SC..it would have came home with me.
iv owned a few in the box A3,s..they are neet. but not as rare as you might think.
i had a chance at a larget group of Remington redstripe 03,s in grease bags.. at 700.00 each..
i passed, guy was trying to pass them off as new unissued...lol.
they were far from that..issued, used, and greased up, sent home to the states.
sold as surplus..but not new.
last summer i picked up a SC still in the shipping box. OG marked, and a mix of parts.
i did trade it to a buddy, that wanted it for a 03 display, im a shooter, so it didnt mean as much to me..the trade i got works in my stable much better.

[John Beard]

Hey J.B.,

The premium is in the wrap and box etc. Glad Gf is happy but where is the fun?

Leavin' the rifle all wrapped up ya' can never know what it looks like, it's just an investment (like a good coin, not fun but nice to have, but ya' can see the coin). But unwrapping it takes the premium off. Even if the rifle is new and original the arsenal that packed it would have stamped the stock even if it was only inspected and nothing was changed, that right?

I'd have to unwrap it and photo document the process and strip and clean the rifle but the premium then goes out the window. The fun would then be pricey. My head is spinnin' on this. Ironic mummy rifle.

Guess If a guy is wealthy and has a stable of '03's and wants a wrapped rifle that's just fine. I'd have to unwrap it and have fun. I hope Gf takes a look and has fun. I mean if the rifle is all original and new it would still be worth almost what he paid for it? Sorry if my thoughts make no good sense but the rifle stirred up a lot of brain traffic. Interesting find.

Thanks for your expert opinion and all the rest,

LB

The rifle is Gf's to do with as he pleases. I acknowledge that and don't pretend to tell him what to do.

However, he went and bought the rifle and paid a substantial premium for the original box and mummified wrapping paper. To unwrap the rifle and clean the grease off of it is to squander about $500, perhaps more. I can think of a lot of things I could do with $500 besides getting kicks from unwrapping a mummified rifle.

If you just want a nice '03-A3, you can buy one a heckuva lot cheaper than one still in its original mummified wrapping paper and shipping box. There's a word that describes someone who would pay a substantial premium for a mummified rifle, then turn around and unwrap and clean it. The word starts with an "s", ends with a "d", and rhymes with "cupid."

For what it's worth.

J.B.

[gfguns]

Well ladies and gentleman the rifle has been exposed and now we are going to find out what it is worth.
Remington 1903a3 1960 NRA purchase w/ box : Curios & Relics at GunBroker.com

[Cosine26]

FWIW
When the 03A3's were first offered for sale in 1946, the Army identified them as either new or used. The reson being-there was an excise tax on all new firearms and that would be on the bill of sale. By 1956 when I bought my first 03A3, they were classified as "Servicable" ($30) or "Unservicable" ($15). None were advertised as "NEW". When I bought my second 03A3 in 1960, it was classified as "Unclassified" for $14.50 plus $4.50 packing and handling. They were shipped Railway EXpress Collect. I do not remember how they were packaged (it has been over a half a century ago) , but the first one was a Remington and was "unservicable" -and it certainly was. The second one was a SC and as far as I could tell it was NEW.