New member as a 1903 A1 followed me home from gun show

Hello all, I have been reading everything I can on here to try to figure out how to satisfy my new pets needs as I have been wanting 1 for a long time and this was the one that talked to me. From what I can tell it looks like a late 1929 receiver #1338263 the barrel has a SA and 7-42 date. Stock has to have been replaced but not sure when but beautiful shape and cannot find any stamps or marks in stock. The gun is old but was taken good care of. Supposedly it came from an old man about 83 but who knows for sure. I will be surfing thru as many post as I can in the next couple days here and will try to attach a couple pics to see if anybody can help me learn a little more history on this rifle. Trying to see if this could have been refurb then not issued or just repaired at home and if I need to change anything to make it 100 percent orig.
Thank everyone for the great knowledge I am finding here and any help I can get to make this a cherished pet. More so than my other old rifles.

Looks like a nice rebuild. Too bad the rebuild stock is not with it.:(

Thank you for the Reply Mike D. Does that mean probably somebody changed out the original stock on their own or possibly got a barreled receiver and added a stock?
I would still like to see what options are open like, would it be best to keep it like it is and shoot it sometimes, or look for an original stock and anything else that might not be correct (and shoot it sometimes).
As you can tell I like to exercise my rifles.

Unless the stock is a reproduction, it appears to be a Keystone from WWII. Is there a "K" stamp in the recess for the cutoff?

The stock looks like a repro to me. Just my guess from the photos.

Wanderer - Can you find any markings on the bolt? Maybe on top or under the handle or around the safety lug?

And welcome to the forum. :wave:

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Originally Posted by Rick the Librarian

Unless the stock is a reproduction, it appears to be a Keystone from WWII. Is there a "K" stamp in the recess for the cutoff?

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No not a k stamp in recess

OK, I was taking it apart to check mechanicals, clean and look for hidden marks. Here is a few pictures of what I found as no id marks on out side of stock. The little greasy oil and crud I found in the magazine well and on parts is old oil and smells like it has been there many years. Brought back memories from working on equipment in the 50s and early 60s. The main rifle is very void of markings and stampings. I could be missing a few but Will keep watching for anything as I know sometimes these things escape the untrained eye.

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Originally Posted by Mike D

Wanderer - Can you find any markings on the bolt? Maybe on top or under the handle or around the safety lug?

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No markings that I see other than a dot under the bolt handle base. Here are a few pictures of it, looks well used. I did notice it is a straight down looking bend tho. Are these bolt handles supposed to have a slight swept back bend? I wonder if this could have came back in the old days to be why it is missing all the re-arsenal marks then rebuilt at home by someone?
Just a hopeful thought lol.

I still think it's a nice example of 1903. I always liked the C type stocks the best as they hold better for shooting. This would be one that would suit someone like me because as a shooter it wouldn't matter as much if the stock is replacement or reproduction. The number's high enough that no one can tell you it's going to blow up if you shoot it. Very nice.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

still think it's a nice example of 1903. I always liked the C type stocks the best as they hold better for shooting. This would be one that would suit someone like me because as a shooter it wouldn't matter as much if the stock is replacement or reproduction. The number's high enough that no one can tell you it's going to blow up if you shoot it. Very nice.

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Thank you, That is what drew me to this one as I thought it was nice condition and love to shoot my old war rifles. As soon as I get this one all cleaned and headspace checked I will see if I can tear up some paper at 50, 100 and 200 yards to see how well it shoots. Also the price helped a bunch and left me room to try to make it original if I need to replace the bolt or anything that is not period correct to this model year. It was a young guy and his dad, first time set up at gun show in a corner and they did not have prices marked. People would walk buy and move on. I talked haggled price and walked away with pretty rifle (in my eyes)for a little over 400 so I figure even if it was a parts gun and shot good it was well worth it to me. Have a great day.

I just slugged the barrel after cleaning out the bore as it was pretty dirty. It came out as .301 and .307 for lands and grooves and was a pretty steady pressure to go thru bbl until the last couple inches before the shell chamber then it just lightened about 1/2 so looks like it should be able to hit a piece of paper if I do my part.:thup:

Nice looking gun. I like the C and the Scant stocks for shooting and I like to shoot em. The stock doesn't look issue, but not a bad looking repo either. The extractor has the hole which I think is correct for a Springfield? I'm more familiar, thanks to the people here, with the proper Remington marks, but not so much with the Springfields. Anything on the trigger guard at all?

Kurt

It says Boyds on the stock

Yes, it says Boyd's inside but I still think it's a nice one. I would like it just as it is because I could shoot it without worrying about collector value.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Yes, it says Boyd's inside but I still think it's a nice one. I would like it just as it is because I could shoot it without worrying about collector value.

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I completely agree. The rifle is a "mix-master". Nothing wrong with that. That's what kept them in the game.

The early bolts, like you have, are generally not considered safe for shooting. It might not headspace correctly, never know. A nickel steel bolt would go great with that rifle, but they can be pricey. A3 bolts are cheap, but personally, I would try to find a bolt with the swept look of the later SA bolts. Lots to choose from.

Besides the bolt, I would not change the rifle.

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Originally Posted by supercub

Anything on the trigger guard at all?

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No Kurt, not in the open anyway. When I had the floor plate off the magazine there is a small s stamped in front of the trigger guard so I just took that to mean it was a springfield mfg stamp. Thank you for the reply and, Have a good evening.

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Originally Posted by Mike D

Besides the bolt, I would not change the rifle.

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I was wondering about that as I saw in my reading somewhere a change to different metal and bolt angle to distinguish it. I will go back to find the year and full reason why. And yes I will find a different bolt to be safe. Thank you Mike.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

I would like it just as it is because I could shoot it without worrying about collector value.

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Thank you Jim, I was kind of hoping to hit it lucky with this 1 but still very happy as I like its looks, wanted a 1903 and wont worry about the collector value as I shoot it. But will still take extra good care of it as the collector rifles have history and I see this 1 as have a little history from 3 or 4 rifles. If only each part could talk (lol). Just playing around here with a shell I am about 98% sure it will be a correct head space. Will check it at the gun shop tomorrow.

Regards, Larry H

"No Kurt, not in the open anyway. When I had the floor plate off the magazine there is a small s stamped in front of the trigger guard so I just took that to mean it was a springfield mfg stamp. Thank you for the reply and, Have a good evening."

If it looks like this one (note pin ahead of the trigger slot) it was modified by Springfield. There was a problem with early ones where the slot was too long and if the trigger was bumped forward when the rifle was in the cocked position it could fire. Rather than toss them, they modified them and marked them with and s and re-used them. I have one in a remington sporter.

http://www.vishooter.net/m1903/trigger_slot_pin.jpg

It's all good.

Kurt

OK I found a small s stamp on the bottom of the Bolt lock. Also looking at G Broker and other places for a complete bolt.

Larry H

The small "s" stamp on the underside of the safety lug seems to indicate a bolt of 1903 to 1912 vintage.
Check this web site.
http://www.vishooter.net/slc1_2008.html

For a replacement bolt, you could try Bill Ricca.
Check item Y49 on this web page.
Bill Ricca's 03/03A3 Parts and Accessories

D. :cheers:

Yes Kurt, The magazine is Identical to your pictures and s is almost in the same spot. Also has the pin in front of slot.

These little s's I am finding here and there must mean it is at least all springfield except for the stock.

Wow! Learning a lot of history here today between you guys and the reading I am doing.

A Great Big THANKS to everyone!!!

If you page through all of the pictures on the initial posting and some of the pictures of the second posting you will see that the stock is clearly stamped BOYDS, which means it is a replacement. It looks like nice stock but I have never used BOYDS stocks. The bolt looks like an early SHT bolt to me. Just saw the new posts. It is an early bolt. I have one just like it.

Here is the s stamp under the floor plate and the trigger slot pin also spotted a fancy 2 stamped in top side of trigger and magazine housing.

Larry H

We already established it was a Boyd's stock...

If the parts could talk, or the guns, we wouldn't get anything done all day. We'd be too busy.