Remington 03A4 1st post

Okay, you guys talked me into it! I recently upgraded my collection with the addition of this beauty.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4418cbe3-1.jpg

It is an original 03A4 receiver made in 7-43 with barrel in 6-43.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...fafa47f1-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...018b97f8-1.jpg

I'm no expert but it seems to have had a front sight on it at some time? Maybe it came (CMP?) sans scope and someone put front sight on to shoot it? Doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for it one bit.

Scope is an early one with the wire crosshairs and electro-penciled "M73B1" & serial number on the right side, in great condition.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...8928a2e9-1.jpg

With the help of a kind and patient range master I've got it sighted in pretty well. I don't plan on shooting it much but I just had to get sighted in! :)

Sorry, I just realized that I don't have a photo of the stock markings. Left wrist has crossed cannons, "RA", and "FJA". Pistol grip has "P" and there is at least one very faint(spl?) mark forward of trigger guard on bottom of stock.

Sounds like you have an original stock, based on the markings. The front sight corrosion suggests that a previous owner installed an 03A3 barrel, possibly due to damage or alteration of the barrel installed by the military.

No A4's were sold by CMP with scopes (1 exception: an M84 on an auction rifle). Grade A rifles had the sight mount installed, grade B did not have a sight mount. Yours is probably the latter, as the military would have shimmed the front of the mount & staked the screws.

I can't see enough detail to tell if yours has original finish parts, or has been rebuilt.

Commented on this rifle in another forum the barrel has cetain attributes that suggest it is original. BUT still waiting to hear on the serial number.
Larryhoosier is there a steel shim under the front of the scope base?

As Neal suggests more pics always help.

A photoguide for the A4 is included.

Regards,
Jim

Here is a photo of the rcvr serial marking.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...bb45f5ae-1.jpg

Jim, there is no shim under the scope mount. I should also make it clear that my concern about the front sight area was not the dark "gook" in the channel, that was dried grease or cosmo and cleaned right out. My concern was some slight compression marking (abrasion shininess if that makes sense?) in the park where a front sight would have been installed.
Thank you for your input and attention to my posts.

I finally had a lightbulb come on over my head Jim. I was looking for shims between the mount and rings, duh! There appears to be not one but two shims under the front mount between mount and receiver, but I don't get where they would be "staked"?
Also forgive my double post, I couldn't find a way to simply edit my prior post. I know it is probably easy but you already have me pegged as a slow-learner by my actions. :lol:

The armorers used several different thickness shims to get sufficient elevation in the front.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1903A4_h-1.jpg

The 2 screws holding the mount to the receiver should have a staking punch depression on the edge of each screw.

Neal

This is what is meant by "staked". You can see how a punch was used to strike the mounting screw and the mount which in effect locks them together.

daveboy

Attachment 43049

Thanks Neal and Daveboy. I haven't had the guts to take the scope off so that would explain the confusion on my part. Good pics by both of you fellows, a picture is worth way more than 1,000 words on such occasions.

Note the punch mark on the top of the mount near the LEFT adjustment screw. This means that, if you want to remove the scope, remove only the RIGHT adjustment screw.

Neal

Larry thanks for the additional pics and information.
I have a few more questions:
1. Is the word "REDFIELD" stamped on the right rear quarter of the scope base?
2. Are the Initials "FJA" enclosed in a rectangular surround or open?
3. A closeup picture of the scope markings would be useful if possible (thats the electro-penciled markings on the side of the tube).

i don't think your rifle came from CMP. DCM possibly but not CMP.

Regards,
Jim

Yes Jim, "Redfield" is marked on right rear of mount. I took some better pics for you to look at.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...0af122f0-1.jpg

Marks are faint in some areas but legible.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...a17a4b33-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...cf7a6a0b-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...84aa2fb7-1.jpg

Whoever cleaned the stock forgot about this cutoff area! The capital "K" with serifs is barely legible under the crud.


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...f96a7098-1.jpg

I found the shims and also can peep under the mount and yes, the mounting screws are both "staked".

I hope this new info helps all of you real detectives, I'm just happy to possess the rifle.

The single largest release of A4's was the lottery held by CMP in 2000. Grade A rifles sold for $650. I have not seen any from that lottery that were NOT rebuilt, but it's possible that some original rifles were sold then. Rifles acquired by CMP after the lottery were only sold by auction.

During the years that the Director of Civilian Marksmanship sold rifles & pistols, they never had sufficient quantities of A4's to have an announced sale. However, competition shooters & members of the military who were aware of their existence were able to purchase A4's, I'm guessing in the 1960's & 1970's.

We still need to see photos of your barrel bands, bolt, & the right side of the scope mount. But, at this point, I believe it is a lottery rifle.

Neal

I bought a 1903A4 through the DCM in 1971. I don't recall how I learned they were for sale.

Here are the bands and such. All marked "R" if marked. The bolt is blued and everything I found marked so far (I haven't taken it down yet) is also marked "R".

retaining spring

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...81f20a34-1.jpg

nosecap

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...d33659df-1.jpg

buttstock swivel

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7152b548-1.jpg

lower sling swivel

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...3ec51519-1.jpg

stacking swivel

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...99f87493-1.jpg

Whew! I haven't worked this hard to get photos of inaccessible parts since my last colonoscopy! :o

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neal Myers

The single largest release of A4's was the lottery held by CMP in 2000. Grade A rifles sold for $650. I have not seen any from that lottery that were NOT rebuilt, but it's possible that some original rifles were sold then. Rifles acquired by CMP after the lottery were only sold by auction.

During the years that the Director of Civilian Marksmanship sold rifles & pistols, they never had sufficient quantities of A4's to have an announced sale. However, competition shooters & members of the military who were aware of their existence were able to purchase A4's, I'm guessing in the 1960's & 1970's.

We still need to see photos of your barrel bands, bolt, & the right side of the scope mount. But, at this point, I believe it is a lottery rifle.

Neal

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The CMP's 1999 inventory of about 200~ A4's was posted on SRS. While it's possible it was sold thru CMP the Serial number of this rifle was not in the CMP inventory. So I am inclined to beleve it was released thru the DCM or another source. Mine for eaxample came back to the US through Interarms.

regards,

Jim

My 03-A4 was bought out of Benecia Arsenal by a retiring Navy dentist, complete with M73B1 scope, and I believe this was in the late 1970's.

I have one question concerning the FJA marking on the stock. The one without the rectangular surround was used before that with the surround?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gioca

I have one question concerning the FJA marking on the stock. The one without the rectangular surround was used before that with the surround?

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The information I have been able to accumulate appears to suggest that the unboxed "FJA" predominates the earliest rifles. Thereafter through the end of production both styles are used more or less at random.

Thank you very much for the info, Jim.
The question you had raised to larryhoosier about the "boxed" or "unboxed" FJA marking had worried me a bit since I have one 03-A4 of the first block (in the range of 3,411,xxx) with the "unboxed" FJA marking.