1903a1 what does anyone think about this?

[speckles]

The bolt has pencil etched number underneath the finish which appears to match the rifle. The barrel does not have the star gauged stamp. no paperwork with the rifle. came out of an estate 40 years ago.

Information

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[Calif-Steve]

Show a picture of the muzzle and a picture of the serial number. Very nice rifle, need JB or Rick to jump in here.

[speckles]

serial number is 1506387. muzzle pics can be obtained tomorrow.

[Calif-Steve]

Can anyone run that serial number? Very late M1903, gotta love 'em.

[Promo]

Sir, please post pictures of the scope bases with the scope removed, the serial number on the bolt, the bolt rails, the inletting for the rear sight base in the stock, the trigger guard screws, and one showing the bottom of the barrel below the front scope base. Also check if there is a drawing number in front of the rear swivel.
From what it is already visible this rifle looks very promising.

[cplstevennorton]

All the pictures that Promo details are the ones we really need to tell more.

From the pics you provided, I see some good and some that really concerns me. Even though the books say there are different profiles to the handguards, that is something I have never personally seen on any that I think are real. Even putting two real handguards side by side, they had the same flaw in the cut in them. So it was like they were put in the same fixture and cut, or cut by the same tool. I should add the caveat that Stocks, handguards, and blocks are the most common replaced on them, as I think a lot have been sporterized and then restored. This one the cut looks a fuzz off to me but I won't say it's not just the angles of the pics. You might take off the scope and take a topview pic of it. That might help.

The bolt finish from the one pic is probably the most troubling to me from the pics so far. They had polished NM bolts that were blued, so it makes a very distinct finish that is almost transparent in different lights. It's just a finish you do not encounter on any other 1903's, and therefore very distinct and easy to spot. It could be the pictures and the lights, but this one does not appear to have that finish. But a top view of the bolt would be very helpful.

The serial is not in a range I've seen before on a Unertl rifle. This really doesn't mean much though as I only know of maybe 15 or 20 real ones and they had hundreds. So they would have had to have serials and ranges that I'm not familiar with yet.

The scope is 100% real. As you probably already know. And the Can is too. So there is 5k plus right there.

The biggest pro I see so far is the barrel. But that might be a very big coincidence, as that very well might be the original barrel to that receiver. Which would throw a monkey wrench in the positive. A 4-38 SA was a replacement barrel on the Marine team rifles that became snipers. But if a Marine replacement barrel, it will not be star marked at the muzzle, and it will have vise marks. Of all the snipers with vise marks I have seen, they also have been the same pattern cut into the barrel. If the barrel is original to the receiver, it should be star marked at the muzzle and have a star gauge number under the handguard.

We really need those pics that promo detailed to tell for sure.

[cplstevennorton]

Here is the serial range in the SRS for this rifle.


1505328RCVR 071838DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1505440RCVR 052338DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1505447RCVR 051138DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1505503RCVR 040838DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1505525RCVR 071238DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1505554A1NM 39DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1506419 031149FOREST SERVICE - ALASKA
1510323 062440DEPT OF JUSTICE
1510335SPT 050439FBI (TO SA)

[Chuckindenver]

nice rifle, but a big maybe..as being USMC snipers.. serial on the scope is a bit late, bolt is suspect.

[speckles]

more pics on way

[speckles]

more pics