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Just how rare are these riffles?
Are there any numbers of how many survived? Out of each lot made how many are on record?
I suspect the numbers are low.
The prices asked and sold for may be way low for a very well made and marked unique sniper rifle.There are just not to many sniper rifles documented and made from the ground up in history.
Please respond to the Questions?
Y'all have a nice day, Les
There is no way to tell how many M1903A4s survived or are around today. On the other hand, they were completed relatively late in production, which may have helped their "survivability".
Officially 28,365 A4's were made subject to two orders (20,000 & 8,365) in three serial number ranges. A planned third order for an additional 24,558 rifles was issued in July 43 but cancelled before any rifles were made. The initial orders included spare parts but I don't know if spare receivers were included.Quote:
Originally Posted by presidents100
I have information on about 530~ rifles that should be survivors either belonging to individuals, in museums, or featured in auctions or books. To that list I am in the process of adding another 500-600 rifles that were destroyed by the government in the early '90's. I am still adding rifles to my lost one or two at a time I am sure there are more out there but how many is anyones guess.
On the destroyed list there are a few rifles with the A4 NSN but serial numbers that are way out of range. Coincidentally one of our forum members has reported seeing A4 "clones" in a government inventory. So the explanation would appear to be either that the government assembled a few from parts or a clerk made a typo during the destuction process or both.
Some A4's were also consigned to foreign governments as part of military assistance programs.
There were a couple of hundred listed in SRS computer data base (accounted for above) and a number were sold thru the DCM at various times over the years. Most of the SRS A4's were taken from the CMP's 1999 inventory. A few more were from records of USMC museums, the OSS, 6th army records and some ROTC detachments. Possibly there are more records out there that have not yet been probed.
Given the number of surviving examples that show signs of a rebuild or significant wear I would suspect the number of truly mint orignal rifles is extremely small.
Regards,
Jim
how many o3a1's?
...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2077/...c96915.jpg?v=0
USMC Snipers ? probably somewhere around 1000 or 1100 were originally made. The scope order was cancelled after about 1750 scopes were delivered.Quote:
Originally Posted by goo
How many of the rifles exist today? Oh probably about 10,000 :D
Regards, Jim
what is that scope on your rifle? a Unterel? or What? New to the O3-A4 Rifles.Quote:
Originally Posted by goo
Jim:Quote:
Originally Posted by JGaynor
Very true. They have definitely multiplied, ha!
Cass
I remember when I was younger my grandfather took me to see 3 complete 03a4's and possibly a 1903 usmc rifle being destroyed by local pd along with various other firearms confiscated or turned in by widows ect that didnt know what to do with them. still remember the sound of the metal treads of the dozer crushing and or cutting everything as it passed over them. didnt get the sn's though, as at the time didnt know anything of the weapons historical significance ect. Only reason I know what they are today, is I remember exactly what they looked like before they met the ends, and I remember watching intently to see the wood and scopes go "crunch" *gets nausiated at the memory*
if remember right, they made alot more scopes the rifles, and used them with other rifles then the 1903,
lots of pics, of them being used from the 1919A4,s M2 machineguns, to the Winchester M70 target rifle.
they also used the Lyman super spot, as a replacement.
a rule of thumb for me. any USMC marked scope under 2500 serial number is legit.
hi,does anyone think that the sniper 03a4 rifles now on the auction at CMP site are originally made as sniper rifles or are they put together rifles from the CMP amory? thanks, duggaboy
If there are 50% of 1903-A4 'recievers' left in the world today(roughly 14,000), I kinda doubt that 50 % of those have originql receiver Barrel combinations
When one takes into account aresenal/ field rebuilds/bubba...likely less than .05% Mint original if not less than that. Then one must have extreme documentaion to substantiate the likely cost of such a 'criitter'
I assumeing your question was actualy somewhat retorical.
JMO
The A4s auctioned by CMP are indeed real ones. Recent offerings have had scope bases only and have been both scant and "C" stocks.Quote:
Originally Posted by duggaboy
I recently studied the closed auctions and the highest price paid for a rifle with scope was 9,004 dollars. The lowest sale price for a scoped piece was $4,810.50 Scopeless offerings have ranged between $4,701.89 and just under 3,000 bucks. The most recent auction for one without a scope sold for $4,540.00 on 4-12-09
The A4's auctioned by the CMP over the last few years have been the real deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by duggaboy
A4's all fall into three unique designated serial number ranges and the receivers are destinctively marked so fakes are pretty easy to spot.
Regards,
Jim
That would "Unertl", and yes!Quote:
Originally Posted by M1Cghost
thanks for the good info on the snipers on the cmp auctions, and they are really hard to turn down even at those prices, but can we say in a rhetorical fashion that we all would like one? I am happy to hear that the A4's seem to be original and not put togetrher fakes, thanks to you all, jay
all true A4,s were always, and will always be A4,s though not impossible to fake, it would cost you more then you can get a real one for.
so, all the A4,s sold by CMP are and have always been an A4.
they dont build or fake anything,, they only sell what they have.