New to me Remington M1903

[bigduke6]

Picked this up from an auction house on Friday, still needs a good clean but most of the grime has been removed, its definitely been in storage at some point as what looked like rusty areas were just grease and dust.

Magazine follower was caked in grease, this has had a plate spot welded in the housing to restrict capacity as it is a smoothbore so classed as a Shotgun in the UK.

Serial number dates it to 1942 it has a 142 dated barrel but a SA one, as SA were not producing the M1903, would NOS barrels from SA be used by Remington ?

The additional serial Number seen below the original I've seen somewhere before but cant remember where, also there is some stamp under the site base ?

[1903Collector]

The barrel is likely an arsenal rework replacement or owner installed replacement barrel. SA was still making '03 barrels during WWII, but only as replacement barrels. The original was certainly an RA barrel, probably very early '42!

Your rifle is mounted in the original '03 S-Stock with the finger grooves. This was still correct for the 1941 and early 1942 RA M1903 rifles. I love that stock style. They are becoming harder and harder to find these days. Its too bad that there was a major repair to it, but with some very careful high grit sanding and walnut stock dye you may be able to better match and blend the repair.

The front sight is not in the correct position. It is way too far back and too close to the mfr and date stamp (unless the barrel is somehow longer than standard and thereby makes the sight location appear wrong). Bear in mind that the stamped and formed sheet metal sight protector is not a sighting aid, but simply a protector. They were supposed to be discarded after transit and were not used when shooting the rifle. Only the larger USMC version of the sight protector was intended to remain over the front sight and serve as a sighting aid.

You may already know this, but the RA M1903 "model of 1942" (a R.C.Harrison term from his no-longer-in-print collectors reference book) rifles were "transition" rifles that were gradually assembled with RA versions of the old RIA WIP or finished goods that RA used at first in their initial '03 production in the last two months of 1941 and even partially in early 1942. The RA versions all had some small change to either decrease manufacturing time or manufacturing cost, or both. The rear sight base in yours is the RA version that does not have the flats machined at 45 deg on either side of the top of the mount. Later, RA stamped middle barrel bands and sling swivels replaced the use of the old machined versions like yours (as the old RIA WIP or FG inventory was used up). Later, for the same reason, assembly with the older '03 bayo band was replaced with the RA stamped Bayo Band and upper barrel band and swivel. Your butt plate may be the original smooth machined version, but they were eventually replaced with the stamped and formed sheet metal RA butt plate. You also have the original machined trigger guard. They were eventually replaced with the stamped and formed sheet metal RA version. The same may be said of the mag follower.

[browningautorifle]

That barrel is out to lunch, the markings are in the right place relating to the front sight but I'll bet you'd find the front sight keyway area was cut off and this piece was grafted(sleeved) on to bring it back to having a front sight. That's why the sight is out of place and a long muzzle.

[bigduke6]

Thanks Gents, I must admit never noticed the front sight, looking at a few pics in Brophy’s book, it looks like the site is positioned correct but barrel is longer, I’ll get more pics up as I’m going to strip it today to get some heat in the timber to sweat all the crudout.
Can anyone give me a measurement from the front stock to the sight block and from the stock to the barrel muzzle please.

[Garandy]

Roughly 2" behind and 1/2" in front.

[fjruple]

I think the stock is cut for the left ejection port for the Pedersen Device. What do think?

[Garandy]

I think you are right.

[browningautorifle]

I think the stock is cut for the left ejection port for the Pedersen Device

Yes, that's the ejection port cut out.

I think if this one was really examined we'd find it to be an assembly after the fact.

[bigduke6]

Before being stripped I measured the sight block , it is correct ( 1/8” short of 2” from nose band to rear of block, the protruding bit of barrel is 1 1/4” from front of Sight block, I can’t see any Join but guess it’s under the block, I think someone has took a measurement of the barrel but not included the barrel tennion, so measured from the rear sight base and they were short of 24” which is what’s required for a shotgun over here ( U.K.) so they’ve added an inch. Then bored it out to smooth bore.
Butt plate is a smooth one, mag follower machined, I’d say it’s just the barrel that’s been replaced and the original possibly was ok, going on condition of rifle I’d of kept a decent barrel and used a shot-out one to smoothbore it.

[browningautorifle]

I can’t see any Join but guess it’s under the block,

It's at the back. That's why the step at the back of the foresight looks a bit odd.

they were short of 24” which is what’s required for a shotgun over here ( U.K.) so they’ve added an inch. Then bored it out to smooth bore.

That makes perfect sense. They didn't know to use a rod in the bore to measure...against a closed bolt.