A4's how many????????????

[presidents100]

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

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Rick the Librarian]

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".

[JGaynor]

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

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.

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

[goo]

how many o3a1's?
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2077/...c96915.jpg?v=0

[JGaynor]

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.

How many of the rifles exist today? Oh probably about 10,000

Regards, Jim

[Cass]

USMC Snipers ? probably somewhere around 1000 or 1100 were originally made. The scope order was cancelled after about 1750 scopes were delivered.

How many of the rifles exist today? Oh probably about 10,000

Regards, Jim

Jim:

Very true. They have definitely multiplied, ha!

Cass

[Embalmer]

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*

[M1Cghost]

what is that scope on your rifle? a Unterel? or What? New to the O3-A4 Rifles.

how many o3a1's?
...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2077/...c96915.jpg?v=0

[John Kepler]

what is that scope on your rifle? a Unterel? or What? New to the O3-A4 Rifles.

That would "Unertl", and yes!

[Chuckindenver]

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.