1903A4

[browningautorifle]

Unfamiliar to me is all...but we don't get to see many A4's here at all.

[Brian Dick]

The scope is installed incorrectly. Both rings should be behind the deflection and elevation drums for proper eye relief. It'll knock your head off the way it's set up now. That also tells me the scope was installed post military service.

[JGaynor]

Called, couple of questions and comments:

1. Does the scope have a sliding metal sunshade over the objective end?

2. Are there any GI drawing numbers on the scope in the 7,nnn,nnn range?

3. Keystone was an OEM supplier to Remington as well as a supplier of spare stocks to Ordnance. I have an A4 which was assembled a couple of months after yours with a Keystone scant stock and all factory proof, sub inspector and final inspection/acceptance stamps. It's been in my passion for nearly 50 years having come back to this country via Interterms. Both the stock and receiver have Thai military marks. No indications of any rebuilds but a few minor low echelon repairs to the stock.

4. Last is a pic from an October 43 TM 9-2200 showing an Alaskan mounted as Brian described in the preceding post. Shortly after this manual was published Ordnance finally accepted the fact that No Alaskans would be delivered before A4 production came to an end.
Those few ALASKAN's Including M73's and derivatives such as the M81 and M82 used on the
A4 were just incidental applications.

[mdarnell19]

As always Jim great info on the 1903 A4. I think you need to write a book on them so that we have all the information long term.

What do you make of the 3-44 barrel on a 3.4 million serial range? Replacement?

[JGaynor]

What do you make of the 3-44 barrel on a 3.4 million serial range? Replacement?

Almost certainly a replacement. Immediately after rifle (action) production ceased in February Ordnance placed several large orders for spare parts including barrels. A4 assembly and shipments (on Jan and Feb 44 barreled actions) would continue through the summer of 1944 as scopes trickled in from Weaver. The early spare parts would have been used as damaged rifles were turned in or received from battlefield salvage.

[Calfed]

The scope is installed incorrectly. Both rings should be behind the deflection and elevation drums for proper eye relief. It'll knock your head off the way it's set up now. That also tells me the scope was installed post military service.

I've heard (maybe Jim can confirm) that most of these rifles were sold sans optics. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the scope was obtained and mounted later. Even the ones that came with optics were sold with the scope dismounted...or so I've heard.

---------- Post added at 08:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:39 PM ----------

Called, couple of questions and comments:

1. Does the scope have a sliding metal sunshade over the objective end?

2. Are there any GI drawing numbers on the scope in the 7,nnn,nnn range?

3. Keystone was an OEM supplier to Remington as well as a supplier of spare stocks to Ordnance. I have an A4 which was assembled a couple of months after yours with a Keystone scant stock and all factory proof, sub inspector and final inspection/acceptance stamps. It's been in my passion for nearly 50 years having come back to this country via Interterms. Both the stock and receiver have Thai military marks. No indications of any rebuilds but a few minor low echelon repairs to the stock.

4. Last is a pic from an October 43 TM 9-2200 showing an Alaskan mounted as Brian described in the preceding post. Shortly after this manual was published Ordnance finally accepted the fact that No Alaskans would be delivered before A4 production came to an end.
Those few ALASKAN's Including M73's and derivatives such as the M81 and M82 used on the
A4 were just incidental applications.

Thanks for all the A4 information, Jim.

I did not see a sliding metal sunshade on my rifle.

Where would the drawing numbers likely appear on the scope?

There are letters stamped on the stock near the mag cutoff. Can you identify what they are?

I would love to see some pics of your A4.

[TDH]

The one my uncle got from the DCM came sans scope. It eventually ended up with his son. I asked him several times over the years if he had shot it yet and he would say no and then said one time that he probably would now that he got sights for it. I said "SPLAIN Lucy! and he said it came with scope mounts on but no scope. I didn't have the heart to explain to him he just took a 4 thousand dollar rifle into a $800 rifle

[browningautorifle]

I didn't have the heart to explain to him he just took a 4 thousand dollar rifle into a $800 rifle

Kind of too bad. Even to get the wrong optic and mount it would be better than that. Mind, if you didn't damage it you could always remove them again. It would always show the front sight marks though, which would always cast a shadow of doubt.

[Brian Dick]

I've mentioned it before that I had a chat with Jim Land at one of the NRA annual meetings and he told me that the USMC used five different types of scope on the 1903A4. Weaver 330 and M73B1, Lyman Alaskan, M81, M82 and M84. Any combination is correct as far as I'm concerned. Especially on rifles that have been through ordnance rebuild programs. Many were done just down the road from here in Augusta, Georgia. I have two, one that came fitted with an M73B1, (still has it's NRA sales tag), and another I bought at a show in Alabama that came with a Lyman Alaskan that had been fitted by the previous owner. It sports an M82 now and is my favorite., There is no comparison IMHO between the little Weaver scopes and the Lymans which were really pretty good.

[Calfed]

The one my uncle got from the DCM came sans scope. It eventually ended up with his son. I asked him several times over the years if he had shot it yet and he would say no and then said one time that he probably would now that he got sights for it. I said "SPLAIN Lucy! and he said it came with scope mounts on but no scope. I didn't have the heart to explain to him he just took a 4 thousand dollar rifle into a $800 rifle

Even worse!

I have a $4000 rifle that someone turned into a $300 rifle...






---------- Post added at 03:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:18 PM ----------

I've mentioned it before that I had a chat with Jim Land at one of the NRA annual meetings and he told me that the USMC used five different types of scope on the 1903A4. Weaver 330 and M73B1, Lyman Alaskan, M81, M82 and M84. Any combination is correct as far as I'm concerned. Especially on rifles that have been through ordnance rebuild programs. Many were done just down the road from here in Augusta, Georgia. I have two, one that came fitted with an M73B1, (still has it's NRA sales tag), and another I bought at a show in Alabama that came with a Lyman Alaskan that had been fitted by the previous owner. It sports an M82 now and is my favorite., There is no comparison IMHO between the little Weaver scopes and the Lymans which were really pretty good.

The Alaskan on my new one is in good shape and the optics are clear and sharp. I've never looked through a Weaver 330, but if it is anything like my Weaver J 2.5 (which I think was the successor to the 330 series), they had to have been inferior to the Lyman's.