1903-A3 with Lyman receiver sight and Lyman 17 front sight...

[Stillwater]

I have been told that the government had some Lyman 48S receiver sights and Lyman 17 front sights, installed on 1903-A3 rifles.

Is this a fact?

If this is true, is there some way to define which serial numbers, or where and when, this rifle may have received this treatment?

The reason that I am asking is awhile back I bought a 1903-A3 rifle with a severely Bubbaed original pistol grip stock. All of the major metal of the 1903-A3 has been untouched, and
the small metal parts are replaceable if bubba messed them. And I was wondering if this rifle was done this way at a government arsenal, or if this was a later civilian installation by a gunsmith.

It seems that I read someplace, that some of the 1903-A3's were originally made up this way for match shooting of some kind. This has gotten me real curious, and I want to find out as much as I can before I start restoring what Bubba did to this fine rifle.

Did I say that I don't like Bubba gun hobbyists?

Bill

Information

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[Chuckindenver]

fiction.
the A3NM was made with a Redfield Palma sight..not a Lyman

[Stillwater]

fiction.
the A3NM was made with a Redfield Palma sight..not a Lyman

I thought that would be what I would find out.

The stock has been bubba'd but the metal is in good shape. Looks like I will have a good shooter when I get the stock replaced.

Thanks for the reply, I appreciated it...

Bill

[Cosine26]

The 03A3 NM was built wiith the Redfield Olympic rear sight and used the issue front sight. Neither the International nor the Palmer was available at the time frame in that the 03A3NM was built. The International first appears about 1955. It is not in the 1954 Shooter's Bible, but is in the 1957 edition. Redfields next precision sight was the Mk 10 which was designed to superceed the International but was not a great success. The Redfield Palma did not appear on the market until the late 70's when I purchased my first two as I remember it. I still have one new in the box and two or three mounted on M70,sTo the best of my knowledge the Armory never mounted Lyman 48, or 17A globe sights on the 03A3.Hope that helps.

[Stillwater]

The 03A3 NM was built wiith the Redfield Olympic rear sight and used the issue front sight. Neither the International nor the Palmer was available at the time frame in that the 03A3NM was built. The International first appears about 1955. It is not in the 1954 Shooter's Bible, but is in the 1957 edition. Redfields next precision sight was the Mk 10 which was designed to superceed the International but was not a great success. The Redfield Palma did not appear on the market until the late 70's when I purchased my first two as I remember it. I still have one new in the box and two or three mounted on M70,sTo the best of my knowledge the Armory never mounted Lyman 48, or 17A globe sights on the 03A3.Hope that helps.

Thanks to all of you, for the help you have given me on this forum.

One thing I have found out about military rifles, is that the greatest amount of information about them, is informed amatures and their well meant information, that is mostly composed of mis-information.

Bill