When was my Remington M1903 Modified made?

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06-09-2023, 05:36 PM
USGI

When was my Remington M1903 Modified made?

An older brother (Retired Army) gave me the rifle probably 17 years ago. It came in a CMP box, but he told me it didn't come from the CMP. The s/n is 3,351,xxx. I have it in my records as made in '43, but after looking at an article clipped from the American Rifleman a few years back, I'm thinking 1942 is probably correct. I searched a bit before starting a new thread and found this link that seems to verify '42:

http://www.vishooter.net/R03.txt

Do most of you guys agree with that as being correct? Thanks! - Bob
06-09-2023, 06:32 PM
Timothy-R

I cant answer your question but now I have a similar one……

Thanks for the post…Now I am in the same boat with my Smith Corona 4,786,xxxx with barrel date 9/43. The NPS site and others lists just 1944 as the manufacture year (no month given) yet the vishooter.net link you posted shows mine as a 10/43 manufacture date. I also wonder why the difference.
06-09-2023, 11:59 PM
John Beard

Quote:

Originally Posted by USGI

An older brother (Retired Army) gave me the rifle probably 17 years ago. It came in a CMP box, but he told me it didn't come from the CMP. The s/n is 3,351,xxx. I have it in my records as made in '43, but after looking at an article clipped from the American Rifleman a few years back, I'm thinking 1942 is probably correct. I searched a bit before starting a new thread and found this link that seems to verify '42:

http://www.vishooter.net/R03.txt

Do most of you guys agree with that as being correct? Thanks! - Bob

Your rifle was probably assembled at Remington in January, 1943. Barrel dates frequently preceded final assembly by about a month.

J.B.

---------- Post added at 10:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:57 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy-R

Thanks for the post…Now I am in the same boat with my Smith Corona 4,786,xxxx with barrel date 9/43. The NPS site and others lists just 1944 as the manufacture year (no month given) yet the vishooter.net link you posted shows mine as a 10/43 manufacture date. I also wonder why the difference.

The vishooter site is more accurate as amended by my immediately preceding posting.

J.B.
06-10-2023, 01:39 AM
USGI

I think I see the deal now with that vishooter link I posted above. I was in a hurry and thought it was showing groups of s/n's with 1st and last by the year of manufacture. Now, I see that it's probably just a list of Remington 03's that owners have sent in, showing their s/n's and barrel dates. The barrel date for my '03 is 12-42 and that's probably why I had it figured as likely built in '43. Now, I'll have to find that NRA article and take a closer look at what it actually says. Thanks, - Bob

Edit: That article I mentioned from the American Rifleman magazine in post #1, was from the June or July issue of 2015. I had it a couple weeks ago, and now can't find it anywhere! It was written by Bruce Canfield and was in a "Q&A" asking about a M1903 "Modified". I gave up looking for it and searched the NRA website a couple days ago and found a longer (earlier) article by Bruce Canfield that I had already seen - just not the same one I was looking for.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/con...-m1903-rifles/

Do any of you guys happen to have a copy of that 2015 issue of the American Rifleman? Maybe I could get a photo or a copy of that page from you. Just would like read again what I thought at the time was something different on the s/n ranges or the months of manufacture. Thanks - Bob