Found a 1943 03A3 in a pawn shop

[labrat1469]

I did not make it to the gun show this time so I was bummed out and went to check out the local pawn shops. First one I walked into I find this in the rack




From what I have researched it appears to be mostly original. A few mis-matched parts on the bolt but still marked "R". Bolt is made of both blued and parkerized parts. I'm still researching and coming up with different results. A very nice find in a pawnshop. The leather sling is dated 1918 and stamped Lawrence L.S. Any help in pointing out which parts are original will be helpful. I'm hoping I did not buy a reproduction rifle.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

It looks good, we'd need lots of close up clear pics to be able to tell whether it's original or not...

[Rick the Librarian]

At least some of the parts have been replaced or refinished, possibly the whole rifle. The barrel is original. The area around the cutoff doesn't appear to be distended, so I don't think it is a recovered drill rifle. The receiver dates to about November, 1943, so I'd except the trigger guard is an earlier one.

The finish is a light gray, like ones I've seen that were overhauled very late WWII or early postwar.

Is there an "RA" stamp on the stock?

[Promo]

Well, so how much did you pay for this beauty?

[labrat1469]

I could not find the RA stamp anywhere on the stock. For some reason the finish looks grey in the pics but it's actually a light green. I probably paid way too much at $700 due to my lack of 1903A3 knowledge

[browningautorifle]

As a Canadian, if I could find THAT rifle and providing it has a nice bore, I'd easily pry $700 bills out for it. I'm pretty sure it's still worth that in US $...

[Rick the Librarian]

I don't think you got a bargain, but I don't think you got "taken", either, especially if the bore is good.

Curious about the lack of an RA stamp. Can you take the action out of the stock and look for the handguard retainer "slot", or is the stock "crushed" at that point? Either a late Remington M1903 adopted for the later rifle or maybe some sort of "transition" stock.

[labrat1469]

When I disassembled the rifle the was a heavy boiled linseed oil smell. It has been cut for the ring to hold down the hand guard. According to my research it's a Smith Corona stock because of the FJA and ordnance wheel stamp minus the RA Unless Remington sub contracted a number of stocks and did not stamp the RA it the subcontracts . I'm beginning to think it's a post war rebuild probably sold through the CMP.

[Rick the Librarian]

I didn't think of the possibility of a Smith-Corona stock! Among the sub-inspection markings forward of the trigger guard, is one in a "diamond"?

[labrat1469]

Here are some more pics. sorry for the low lighting.