New 1903A3 - Can anyone with more knowledge tell me more about this example?

Hi Everyone - managed to find me a 1903 A3 and after purchasing it I was hoping I could ask some people with a lot more knowledge if they could tell me more about this particular example.

I know the stock is a C Type, and the barrel has the flaming bomb marking and the '43 designation but unlike some other rifles I have seen I can't see the month designation on the barrel, any thoughts about this?

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I wonder if the month designation is there but is much lighter stamped and you just haven't noticed it. Sometimes these markings show up when you take a digital picture when they weren't noticed with the naked eye. If you could take another picture, please, of the muzzle, similar to the 5th one from the left, but taken from the other side of the barrel and then post it, it may be helpful.

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Originally Posted by Flying10uk

I wonder if the month designation is there but is much lighter stamped and you just haven't noticed it. Sometimes these markings show up when you take a digital picture when they weren't noticed with the naked eye. If you could take another picture, please, of the muzzle, similar to the 5th one from the left, but taken from the other side of the barrel and then post it, it may be helpful.

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Ok, thanks. I can post a picture later tonight. Can you tell me anything about the stock? I thought it was kind of odd that it was lacking some of the more common markings that I've seen.

The rifle may have been commercially refinished. I'd agree with Flying10 - look carefully for the month, maybe with a magnifying glass.

Warzone, Your action doesn't appear to be seated all the way into the stock. I suspect the action screws are loose or the triggerguard/magazine is misaligned and/or hung up and not seated into the receiver.
Salt Flat

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Originally Posted by Rick the Librarian

The rifle may have been commercially refinished. I'd agree with Flying10 - look carefully for the month, maybe with a magnifying glass.

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I took a second look when I got home and in the right light I can make out number 2. Very faint but glad I looked at it more closely this time.

---------- Post added at 05:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:08 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by Salt Flat

Warzone, Your action doesn't appear to be seated all the way into the stock. I suspect the action screws are loose or the triggerguard/magazine is misaligned and/or hung up and not seated into the receiver.
Salt Flat

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Thanks Salt Flat. I'll make sure to take a look when I disassemble the rifle this weekend.

Here is a picture of the markings on the stock. Other then these and the P and V markings near the trigger guard, I don't see much else.

The trigger guard is from a Smith-Corona M1903A3 - the stock markings I haven't seen before.

What a nice looking rifle, about flat new. I'd agree that perhaps it's been recently done as they just don't often appear quite that new after 70 years. I'd love to find one myself...

Upon further research, the serial number on the receiver indicates it was made in Feb 1943. With the barrel also being made in Feb 1943, does that mean this rifle was most likely not arsenal refinished? I think that from what I've read that if they were refinished, then they usually had the barrels replaced as well.

Still not sure about the stock, maybe I'll see something when I take it apart this weekend.