Would like your opinions of this Remington 1903-a4

I recently purchased a Remington block 1 1903–a4 serial number 3423806 and barrel date of 9-43. I would appreciate your thoughts about its authenticity and condition. I have used Pryor’s Collecting the American Sniper Rifle 1900 to 1945 as my reference. The receiver, bolt, stock, barrel, trigger guard and butt plate all appear correct. I have not yet disassembled it to check it completely. The only thing I have found is the Weaver scope marking plate is marked Telescope, M73B1 Stock No 7579931 Serial No 635029. The serial number 34149 is electro penciled on the right side. According to Pryor this plate was used on the block 3 rifles. The cartouches and markings all appear correct. There is no arsenal markings on the left side of the butt stock on only a single P proof on the bottom of the stock indicating that this rifle has never been through arsenal rehab. I requested and got a letter from CMP stating that this rifle has been sold on their auction site on September 14, 2004. That could explain the scope difference as I don’t think CMP sold sniper rifles with scopes. Finally I had my gunsmith field strip the rifle and look at it. He felt that the rifle had been shot very little if ever and found traces of cosmoline in the receiver, bolt, and all under the follower spring. Please feel free to give me any comments you may have. Thanks you for your assistanceAttachment 133511Attachment 133519Attachment 133518Attachment 133517Attachment 133516Attachment 133515Attachment 133514Attachment 133513Attachment 133512Attachment 133503Attachment 133510Attachment 133509Attachment 133508Attachment 133507Attachment 133506Attachment 133505Attachment 133504

Since you were asking for comments, you are in the wrong forum. This is the subforum for the P.14/M1917 rifle, you should better post this in the M1903 subforum :) .


Personally, the stock cartouches feel a bit odd to me, but that could also be just the pictures. Is there any stamp in the magazine cutoff stock recess? And would you mind showing the cutout for the bolt handle on the stock?


Would need to check, but aren't the stamps in front of the magazine guard some that you only find on arsenal refurbished rifles?


Also I would check with CMP. Since you said it was auctioned, they should possibly still have the pictures available. You would then know whether this rifle was sold exactly like this back then, or if something was changed.

Can you get your money back?

I don't see a s/n on the right side of the receiver. Looks to me like this is a wanna-be clone of a 1903-A4....

Attachment 134631The only photo you need to tell if it is genuine is the left hand side of the receiver. A3-04's were all stamped like this in order that the scope mount did not obscure the designation. If you can't see this then it isn't genuine.

The barrel has had a front sight base on it at one time, you can see the wear lines in the pic. I don't know if 03A4's were originally assembled with barrels where the front sight was already installed, and then later removed, or installed without front sight base from the outset. Not sure what would account for the wear. Barrel replaced??? The stock appears to me like it may have been sanded, but not sure due to the pics.