New to me 03a3, original?

[bczandm]

New to me 03a3 that I think may be original. Your thoughts would be apprecated. Photos here:

http://s61.photobucket.com/user/boba...46447163249473

I've taken it down and as far as I can see it's 100% Remington with the reciever and barrel parkerized, most everything else is blue. Bore is perfect and extreemly bright. It does have the OG stamp, but I've read that some as new rifles have the OG marking. Oh, it came with the sling too.

Barrel is dated 12/43 and reciever dates to 1/44.

Is it safe to shoot, and should I?
Thanks,
Bob

Information

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[Rick the Librarian]

Looks 100% original/correct to me. One of the last 7,000 or so made and probably went straight from the factory to reserve. It is safe to shoot, but as an original rifle in excellent condition, I'm not sure I would.

[bczandm]

Looks 100% original/correct to me. One of the last 7,000 or so made and probably went straight from the factory to reserve. It is safe to shoot, but as an original rifle in excellent condition, I'm not sure I would.

Thanks for your comments. I am inclined to run 5-10 rounds through it and then clean it up and add it to the collection. I am thinking it's worth $1300-$1500, is that correct?

[WarPig1976]

Awe, don't be afraid.... Shot that bad boy that's what it was built for!!! Not to be a safe queen. But it is yours an if your one of those guys who likes to fondle a rifle and once in awhile cock & dry fire it. Well.....

[Rick the Librarian]

Certainly worth $1000+ at least. I have my "shooters" and and those AI fondle. This would be one of the latter, but that is my opinion. You'll get a lot of different ones.

[Mike D]

Nice rifle! Definitely shoot it. I would, just to show it off at a range. A dozen rounds, once a year, is not going to hurt it or the value...unless you drop it on some pavement.

Mike

[Johnny Peppers]

Don't shoot it and it's value will stay ahead of inflation; shoot it and it should almost stay even with inflation. They were made to shoot when they were $17, not $1500.

[bczandm]

Thank you Johnny. I'm still enjoying the RR demonstration pistol your advice helped me buy last year. Thanks for your comments on the 03a3.
Bob

[mercman]

Hey! Those are pics of my rifle;-) I have one just like it with perhaps less moving parts wear. I paid $800 about 2-3 years ago and have never fired it. It sits in a gunnysock in one of my safes. I wouldn't take $1500 for it now. I agree that shooting your rifle could lessen its value. I also have 03's that I shoot. Nice find!

[Neal Myers]

Shooting is not going to lower the value significantly. It's a nice rifle, but......the barrel has some rust (left side, in front of the barrel bands), the upper barrel band is a little rusty, & the action screw slots have been ruined by use of a cheap screwdriver.

Neal