New to me 1903A4

Hi all. I've been reading the forums for quite a while now, trying to learn about the 03A4's. I found one at a show recently and think I did well with my purchase, but would like the opinion of the experts. From what I can tell, it looks to be mostly correct. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll post a few below. Thanks for your help.
Jim


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I'll qualify my comments that I know very little about them but that is a nice looking rifle,
Bob

You did very well Jim thats the nicest A4 i have seen in quite awhile.

Regards,
Jim

agree, just a few small issues.. that can be delt with.

Very nice A4.
What issues Chuck ? The only thing I see is the small bow triggerguard . I think it's a little late for that .
Chris

Please elaborate on the issues, that's why I posted here. I don't doubt that pieces may have been changed over the years, but it has had all of these parts together for a long time. It's got a uniform amount of goop in all the right places. Has this one been through a rebuild? I don't see any of the stamps noted in other threads that point to a rebuild, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't done at some point.

I picked it up at the Allentown show last weekend. There were 3 A4's there. The other 2 have been there for the last year or two, one looks like an assembly of spare parts and the other had some issues as well, but prices on all 3 were about the same.

It looks to be well used, but cared for. Unfortunately there is a nasty scratch in the stock near the butt. Given the condition of the rest of the rifle, I can live with it.

If anyone is still collecting data, I forgot to mention it's a 2-groove barrel.

Thanks for your comments.
Jim

Jim, I was at Allentown last Saturday as well. i heard from another enthusiast that there were three A4's but i was only able to find two of them (not counting the overpriced clone in the annex).

You definitely got the best one.
For my money the trigger guard is too close to call.
The only obvious thing you will want to change is the scope base left side windage screw. It has a hex (allen) head and it should be slotted. Be careful changing this screw. The left side screws were staked in place - you don't want to leave a broken off screw stub in the base.

Regards,
Jim

scope base windage knob left side is not correct, trigger guard looks to have been replaced, do to the amount of wear compared to the rest of the rifle.
better pics of the scope would be needed to assess it.

The scope is an early 2nd variation M73B1 looks ok to me.
In my data i have a mix of large and small TG's around that S/N range. I think wear in this area can also be attributed to the fact that the magazine is balance point. A GI, if he didn't sling the rifle, would most likely have carried in one hand gripped under the bottom of the magazine. My a4 which admitted ly is a little more beat has very similar wear patterns on the magazine.

Regards,
Jim

With the exceptions noted, it looks correct & original to me. It has the right blued & parked parts, including the scarce USGI scope rings. I see nothing to indicate it has seen the inside of an arsenal. You are very fortunate, the vast majority of A4's in collector hands have been through arsenal rebuild.

I just hope that the threads on the left side of the scope base weren't ruined when Bubba replaced the screw with one from the hardware store; if so, seek professional help from someone like Chuck.

Neal

Boy , how did I miss the screw ? I agree the triggerguard would be close , but it was the only thing that I could see that it might have been. I'd leave it be , but just keep an eye out for a large bow if it happens along.
Chris

Nice to see an unsanded stock, nice and "blocky" as opposed to rounded. I learned something....

Don't feel bad about missing the screw, I've been fondling this gun for a week and didn't even notice there was a hex head screw on the scope mount that didn't match the one on the other side. I'll have to check with some of the parts guys at the next show to see if there are any available.

It's difficult to tell from the pictures, but the wear on the magazine box matches the wear on the stock. I suspect this has seen some time as a hunting rifle with a lot of time being carried at the balance point, that's what the stock and magazine wear looks like to me. The sling appears to be a civilian version as it has iron hardware rather than brass.

I will likely leave the trigger guard alone, it 'looks right' - the wear matches the stock, and it has been on the rifle for a long time. I did notice a chip out of the stock which looks like what often happens when the magazine is removed, but I think I'll just let it be.

Jim - this rifle was at the table that hangs out into the doorway opening between the old and new sections of the hall. He had it on a floor rack standing at the end of the table, almost missed it! I didn't see the reproduction in the smaller hall, just this one and the other two in the large hall.

Can someone point me to literature or discussion on the scope variations? I've found a lot of reading on-line about the different aspects of the rifle itself, but little discussion of the scope and variations, I wasn't aware there were differences other than the commercial scopes used early on and the M73B1 military version.

Thanks for all of your comments. This board and others are fantastic resource for the collector.
Jim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jsheds

Jim - this rifle was at the table that hangs out into the doorway opening between the old and new sections of the hall. He had it on a floor rack standing at the end of the table, almost missed it! I didn't see the reproduction in the smaller hall, just this one and the other two in the large hall.

Can someone point me to literature or discussion on the scope variations? I've found a lot of reading on-line about the different aspects of the rifle itself, but little discussion of the scope and variations, I wasn't aware there were differences other than the commercial scopes used early on and the M73B1 military version.

Thanks for all of your comments. This board and others are fantastic resource for the collector.
Jim

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Jim, ok that explains it. my friends and i blew through the new wing pretty fast. It had a lot of empty tables (another show nearby apparently) and the one that were there were mainly full of nazi crap. so i didn't pay much attention to what was near the door but i am glad you got it.

Regarding the scopes:
i have some information on the scopes that i will forward to you off line. I need to update a portion of it. so give a little time.

Regards,
Jim

careful on the screw, only one windage screw will work with early Redfield rings, modern scope rings have a different cut, if you use anything but the correct one, it will ruin that ring.
watch for the old screw being broken off inside the base, they were staked in place,,and usually hard, so that they couldnt be removed.

The name of the mount is "Redfield Jr". It's the same basic mount that was sold commercially for many years, so finding a blue screw shouldn't be that difficult or expensive.

Never remove the mount from the rifle. Note that the mounting screws are staked. Plus, the shims under the front of the mount are important & you really don't want to mess with them.

Neal

It looks like the windage screw should be phosphate, rather than blue. Is that correct?
Jim

An arsenal rebuild could certainly have parkerized screws. I would think case color or blue screws would be "most correct" on an original A4.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo..._scope_3-1.jpg

original screw should be color case hardened, as well as the screws in the rings.
you wouldnt believe how many A4s iv seen with the rings destroyed from using the wrong screws.
these are a diameter and depth all there own. they fit in the cut of the ring perfectly, just as yours is pictured..

I removed the hex head screw and all is well. The threads look fine and it is the correct screw (for the redfield mount) with undercut head to clamp the rings on, just not correct for this rifle.
Jim