Remington 1903A3 - USMC issue?

[Neal Myers]

This rifle has the SN engraved on the bolt. I've heard that this could have been done by a USMC armorer. Is there any way to know for sure?



Thanks, Neal

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.

[Rick the Librarian]

Cplnorton, where are you??? LOL!

[cplstevennorton]

Yeah I don't know. I've seen them too and wondered about them myself. The Marine documents from WWII really cast doubt though that the Marines ever received any 1903A3's. The Marines had decided to go with the M1 Garand even before Pearl Harbor, and by July 1942 had officially made the M1 Garand their main battle rifle.

You do see shipments of 1903's coming in from the Navy in 1942 when the Marines couldn't get enough M1's from the Army for the expanding size of the Corps. But the Marines complained that the Navy rifles were heavily used, and not much good for anything, as most needed a full rebuild. They do not in anyway sound like new rifles, and there were not anymore shipments of 1903's coming into the Marines past about mid to late 1942, that I have seen except for a few 03A4's.

By early 1943, the Marine supply lines on the Garand and Carbine had caught up and they had built up a huge surplus. You then you see the Marines starting to explore ways to get rid of their 1903's they already had, as they said they had no further use for them. So by the time this rifle was shipping, the Marines were actively trying to get rid of their 1903's they had, so it's just unlikely they were trying to get anymore.

I have seen one pic of a Marine with a 1903A3 on Bougainville. But I always suspected he picked it up in some unoffical way on the island.

I will never say never with the Marines, but it's just unlikely the way everything played out, they got any. Or at least any in number.

But yeah I don't know what to think when you see stuff like this. I have almost wondered if the Navy didn't number some bolts as well. I could see as many problems as they had with headspace back then, and being so close with the Marines as they were. Maybe some of the Marine rebuild practices were carried over. Especially something like numbering a bolt, which the Marines considered a way to stop swapping of bolts and headspace issues with rifles.

[Live4therut]

I seen it on another suspected USMC built 1903a3, no sedgley barrel on this one. This one was either way, I've heard from sources that they did etch the serials on the bolt and barrels but I haven't found that info in brophys or poyers book. I'll sit down tonight and see what I can dig up

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/616462349

[Frederick303]

Also seen on Greek return rifles, both on M1903 and M1903A3 rifles.

Likely a Greek return to be honest.

That said a number of the Greek returns were ex marine rifles.

[Joe W]

I seen it on another suspected USMC built 1903a3, no sedgley barrel on this one. This one was either way, I've heard from sources that they did etch the serials on the bolt and barrels but I haven't found that info in brophys or poyers book. I'll sit down tonight and see what I can dig up

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/616462349

The G.B. rifle is not an 03A3, it is an 03. Bolts are electro penciled or scribed with serial number to try to insure the bolt gets back in the rifle it came out of. I looked at that rifle on G.B. and could not figure out why the serial number would be etched on the barrel. No point as if the barrel is removed you can be pretty sure it's not going back on that rifle. I never heard of the military doing that as there just is no reason. My thought was that a prior owner changed the barrel and added that serial number. For what reason, I can only guess.

[25-5]

So, where and by whom were the M1903A3's used? I'm curious since I have one dated 1943. Barrel and receiver couple months apart and wonder if it was used. Stock was replaced with a much used scant.

[Rick the Librarian]

The earlier ones did see quite a bit of service, mostly as grenade-launching platforms (there wasn't an effective M1 Garand grenade launcher until almost the end of the war) and use by support troops. A large number of the late M1903A3s saw little, if any service and at least some appear to have gone straight from production into storage.

[Joe W]

Having trouble with Photo Bucket. For some reason I can no longer copy the URL of the image from Photo Bucket. Can anyone tell me a better picture hosting site to use. Thanks

[browningautorifle]

Having trouble with Photo Bucket.

Just send me the pics and I'll post them here on this thread for you. Check your PM for my email address.