1903a3 with Lyman scope, was a sporterized that was tapped and drilled.

[Todd2]

Hi I should be getting this in about a week. Here's the sellers pic. He says it was from a sporterized and not a drill rifle what do u think?

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[Glynn863]

Drill rifle, IMHO. Tell-tale sign is appearance around the magazine cutoff and overall re-finish. Not necessarily a bad thing, but the seller may not be exactly honest unless they don't know reactivated drill rifle characteristics themselves. Bolt is not authentic A4. Looks a lot like a Gibbs or Creedmore with a different scope.

[Randy A]

Hoping it's just me, my eyesight and the photos but the area of the cutoff looks a little suspicious. I see some pock marks that really makes me think it was a drill rifle. The welding rod they normally used will not accept Parkerizing so some folks paint the areas that won't park.

[Neal Myers]

My eyesight must also be getting bad. The rear base mount dovetail looks like it's been ground down. And, I can't see the markings or serial number on the receiver. The scope base was mounted without shims under the front, so getting the scope on target may be problematic.

Neal

[Sentryduty]

Is it common for these rifles to have so many threads showing at the tang screw?

[Col. Colt]

Yes, there were two lengths of rear tang screws issued - which is further evidence of an "assembled" rifle. Order the longer one next time you buy '03 parts. Looks like a good, reactivated drill rifle turned into an 03A4 - which is an excellent thing!

Absolutely Nothing wrong with a Good, Reactivated Drill Rifle. If the receiver ring was only lightly welded to the plugged drill rifle barrel and not overheated (as most were), over too big an area, it's every bit as good as a Non-Drill Rifle, for normal shooting purposes. And a reactivated '03 is one more alive on the planet to use! Hurrah! I like it! Let's here how it shoots.

You do need to move the Lyman Alaskan forward in the mounts so the turrets are forward of the front ring. The Alaskan has good eye relief, and it works better that way - then the safety works! Original US Army Ordnance photos of the prototype 03A4 was setup that way. The Alaskan was the preferred, first choice scope, but Lyman could not get lenses from Bausch and Lomb due to other war work. Thus we got stuck with the so-so Weaver 330. CC

[Todd2]

Thanks fellas I should have it next Monday or Tuesday (March 21) so I'll put up better pics. I thought it looked like there was paint on the receiver to possibly cover a weld but maybe it'll look different in real life. Either way I'm excited about getting this. So far I have an M1a loaded wood stock, mosin 91 30, and just got a modern Savage rifle.