Smith Corona 03A3 Possible Purchase Questions

Gentlemen,
I have an opportunity to purchase a reworked Smith Corona 03A3 that has some issues. I have a few questions that I'm hoping the endless depth of knowledge this site possesses can help me with.

Serial number is 4796xxx which I believe was assigned to January and February 1944 production and is roughly the 88,000th produced in '44.

Barrel is a SC dated 10-43 so obviously a rework, strong but frosty 4 groove rifling. Should clean up nicely with use and cleaning.

Both bands are parked as is the barrel, receiver and trigger guard and floorplate.

Bolt is a dark almost Russian looking blue but does have an X at the handle root.

Sadly the original straight grip stock has been sanded to death. As can be seen in the photo the buttplate hangs below the toe. Faintest of markings but they're mostly sanded away. The lucky charms and circle P are barely visible all else is gone.

Condition of all metal is excellent with no rust anywhere and a nice coat of oil everywhere.

Seemingly original wartime M1906 sling in fair but unusable condition.

The front sight seems funky and isn't sitting bottomed in its slot on the barrel, the middle band screw is cross threaded, doesn't move and is far from bottomed so the band has movement.

So obviously the stock needs to be replaced, probably the middle band if I can't work with it. The front sight mount is a question mark as well but all else seems fine.

Is it possible that this is an assembled parts rifle or a legitimate reworked SC?

What would those more knowledgeable than I expect to pay for a SC in this kind of condition. The standing offer for it is $500 is this realistic or overpriced for what it is?
Sorry but this is the only picture I have at this time. May be able to get more later today.

How long have you been looking? And what is your budget if the "right" SC comes along? Depending on your answers to these questions, this will seem like one to buy or one to pass.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by togor

How long have you been looking? And what is your budget if the "right" SC comes along? Depending on your answers to these questions, this will seem like one to buy or one to pass.

---

I've been looking for decades. Anytime I've been close to one its fallen through for a multitude of reasons. I've also had to let so may pass as they have been just beyond the funds I've had available at the time.

Current top dollar budget would be $800 and most nice ones I'm seeing are $1200 and above. This one has presented itself suddenly and I would be helping out a friend with the purchase. I wasn't really looking for one at this time.

Through nobody's fault but my own I've spent $3400 on firearms within a year and was planning on laying low for a while but things happen. I could very easily let it pass and wait for the next one. Just wondering if one like this never drilled or tapped is worth investing in over time just to help out a friend. I had forgotten about this serial number shot that shows some receiver and some bolt finish as well.

The bolt sleeve is correct with the scalloped profile. The underside of the handle will give you an indication of whether you have a SC bolt. The bolt is the hardest original part to find (not counting an original pinned straight stock that hasn't been mutilated), as many of these that went through arsenal refurb ended up with a mismatched bolt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ssgross

The bolt sleeve is correct with the scalloped profile. The underside of the handle will give you an indication of whether you have a SC bolt. The bolt is the hardest original part to find (not counting an original pinned straight stock that hasn't been mutilated), as many of these that went through arsenal refurb ended up with a mismatched bolt.

---

There is an X at the top of the bolt root and no other markings. From what I've read that's the indication of a SC bolt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oldfoneguy

There is an X at the top of the bolt root and no other markings. From what I've read that's the indication of a SC bolt.

---

How about an "S" on the bottom (right) side of the extractor - where it fits over the collar's ears?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ssgross

How about an "S" on the bottom (right) side of the extractor - where it fits over the collar's ears?

---

Don't know, I'll look for it if my offer is accepted. I'm still waiting to hear back from the seller.

The serial number and barrel date are a match. The rifle has not been re-barreled and the barrel date represents the approximate period of manufacture. The rifle has been overhauled, refinished, and re-assembled from mixed parts. Some of the parts happen to be Smith-Corona parts. The rifle should be worth in the $800-$1000 range if in serviceable condition.

J.B.

:clap:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Beard

The serial number and barrel date are a match. The rifle has not been re-barreled and the barrel date represents the approximate period of manufacture. The rifle has been overhauled, refinished, and re-assembled from mixed parts. Some of the parts happen to be Smith-Corona parts. The rifle should be worth in the $800-$1000 range if in serviceable condition.

J.B.

---

John you would value this rifle this highly even with the severely sanded stock? The buttplate hangs below the toe by a quarter inch and all the way around by an eighth of an inch. It's hard to see unless you look closely so I've enlarged that detail. I know there's no way this stock left any arsenal like that. If it needed to be worked that severely it would have been replaced. This looks like bubba wanted a new looking stock so he used 80 grit sandpaper and lots of elbow grease to achieve that end.

With regards your stock, I refurbished back a near mint condition, all original SC parts A3, a few months ago. Wasn't much to do except the it's original pinned straight stock had been sporterized. I put it in a NOS scant, which can still be found, so now it looks like all other SC's that went through arsenal or field refurbishment needed stock work, only with the added benefit of spending much extra time fitting up for accuracy.
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/917740A
Whenever I buy one of these bubba'd gems, I try to place the value in my head at what I think it will be when I'm done, then deduct from that what my parts will cost, and whether they can be found, and add back in an appreciation with the time you plan to enjoy it, or the "I really want it" factor :) That said I think John's number is in the right spot. I watched everywhere for years to find the right Smith Corona for me, and 800-1000 seems to be what they were all going for if they had USGI stocks (I didn't say original) - with well patina'd USGI stocks going for 1200+. Having the correct bolt in my opinion takes the value above average. SC bolts are unobtanium anymore.

I am grateful to all for your contributions. It has truly been educational. So it looks to be a referbished yet seemingly all SC 03A3 however I missed checking the extractor and buttplate.

As of this minute I still haven't heard a word since I made my offer on Thursday. With it now being Sunday and after increasing my offer after reading the responses here there's still no word. So par for the course in the anals of my trying to aquire an 03A3 as there's always something new added to that multitude of reasons.

In short I've put this one behind me as I have the hundreds of others previously attempted and I look forward to finding the next.

I thank you all for your educated input and hopefully I may tap this great base of knowledge yet again when the next one is found.

Does CMP have any S-C rifles for sale in Anniston? Long drive for you but might be the right way to find the keeper.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Calif-Steve

Does CMP have any S-C rifles for sale in Anniston? Long drive for you but might be the right way to find the keeper.

---

I appreciate the thought Steve but as I have stated earlier in the thread I am soooo not in the market for another big dollar milsurp right now. I've spent a small fortune, well at least to me on milsurps in the previous year. The only reason that it sparked my interest was that it was presented to me as incorrect and accordingly low priced. Knowing that it's issues could be corrected slowly over time it seemed like an interesting prospect. I never heard back from the seller even though he said he'd call and even after having increased my offer once I read the posts here. This is the problem in dealing with early 20's juveniles they don't know how to communicate. I'll never make that mistake again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oldfoneguy

:clap:

John you would value this rifle this highly even with the severely sanded stock? The buttplate hangs below the toe by a quarter inch and all the way around by an eighth of an inch. It's hard to see unless you look closely so I've enlarged that detail. I know there's no way this stock left any arsenal like that. If it needed to be worked that severely it would have been replaced. This looks like bubba wanted a new looking stock so he used 80 grit sandpaper and lots of elbow grease to achieve that end.

---

My valuation was based on the rifle being in serviceable condition, i.e., is it complete and safe to shoot? If the answer is "Yes", then I believe my valuation is reasonable. And my valuation considered and included the severe stock defacement you describe. I see no indication of the stock compromising safety.

J.B.