Remington 1903 Build..

[usabaker]

Hi All, I've been jumping around the fourm looking for an answer but seem to be coming up short. Sorry if this question has been asked before but I need just a bit of help. Also, I'm new to the 1903 world so forgive my ignorance.

I just purchased a Remington 1903 that has almost everything except the rear site and stock. I'm trying to figure out what is the correct stock to look for for this rifle. When I ran the serial number it came up as manufactured in 1941 (SN 3301xxxx).

I keep reading conflicting information on 1903 vs 1903A1 vs C stock vs straight stock.. all vary confusing LOL. Even though I never intend to sell this rifle (my kids might after I die) I would like to have it as close to orginal as I can.

Thanks in advance!
Bill Baker

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.

[browningautorifle]

Welcome to the forum, give us a minute and the right guys will come along to assist you...

[Calif-Steve]

You need a straight stock and you will probably be forced to buy an 03-A3 stock. It is very hard to find early Remington wood but easy to find 03-A3 wood. Look for a stock with 2 stock screws. Good luck.

[usabaker]

You need a straight stock and you will probably be forced to buy an 03-A3 stock. It is very hard to find early Remington wood but easy to find 03-A3 wood. Look for a stock with 2 stock screws. Good luck.

Steve so it would be safe to say; if I wanted the wood it came with it would be a Type 7?
http://www.trfindley.com/origstmps/m1903guidea.jpg

Thanks,
Bill

[Rick the Librarian]

You consulted a date of manufacture table that is wrong - the one you looked at lists ALL Remington M1903s as "1941 manufacture". In reality, only a relative handful, about 7,000 (out of 348,000 or so) were made that year. Your receiver dates to about November or December, 1942.

A correct stock would be a "straight", non-grasping groove with pins, not stock bolts, with an FJA stamp and a high hump handguard without a capsule-shaped fixturing slot on the inside. Such stocks, while not as easy to obtain as they were a few years back, can still be found. As BAR suggested, you can find a M1903A3 stock with pins, which would be an acceptable substitute.

ALL Remington M1903s had straight stocks* - the earlier ones (to ca. 3,030,000 or so) had grasping groove stocks, but all the rest had non-grasping groove straight stocks. When the Remington M1903 was being designed, there was some thought of making them 1903A1s, but it was quickly rejected. Although the M1903A1 with Type C, full pistol grip stocks had been adopted in 1929, the Remington M1903 was a "throwback" to a straight stock. This, by the way, was the start of the misunderstood and misapplied term "M1903 Modified" that you see used to describe later Remington M1903s - which was actually used by the Army to describe ALL Remington M1903s.

The "Type" nomenclature" used by T.R. Findley is another term that has no basis in fact. Findley also does a lot of business stamping bare stocks with fake markings

* - Actually, the M1903A4 sniper rifle with scope used with a Type C or Scant stock, but this obviously lies outside the scope (no pun intended! ) of this discussion.

[usabaker]

Rick, Thank you! wow that is a whole lot of GREAT information and exactly what I was looking for. The Gun store I bought the rifle from told me he had a few straight stocks (good), straight stocks (broken) and some C stocks so now I can go back and see if he has what I need. I didn't want to do so until I knew what to look for. I really what to thank you and Steve for the help.

On another note: The Gun Store also had a 1903 A3 (03?) (also without a stock) with a milled slot on the receiver that he told me was for some adapter (that the Army had destroyed) that would allow it to become a semi auto or auto, I forget which he said, using a smaller round or something like that BUT at $600.00 was out of my price range. Reading here though I've not seen anything about something like that... I was kicking myself about not getting it.

[usabaker]

A correct stock would be a "straight", non-grasping groove with pins, not stock bolts, with an FJA stamp and a high hump handguard without a capsule-shaped fixturing slot on the inside. Such stocks, while not as easy to obtain as they were a few years back, can still be found. As BAR suggested, you can find a M1903A3 stock with pins, which would be an acceptable substitute.

Rick, I found a Scant "stright" stock looks like it had bolts though and not pins; not sure... Should this be acceptable for my 1903?

[Rick the Librarian]

The owner may have been showing you a M1903 Mark I. They were a special variant (but not particularly rare) which was made to have a pistol-type action inserted to fire a .30 caliber pistol round. It was developed too late for World War I and, after about 10-12 years in storages, most of the 100,000 devices made were scrapped. The rifles (with the standard bolts) were later issued.

Here's a link to some pictures of one:

Remington Arms Inc - 1918 Mark I Pedersen Device-Rifle Firearms Auction Lot-1604

[usabaker]

Rick, Yup thats what he was talking about. But he seemed to think the rifle was rare and warranted as price tag of $600.00 with no stock, stock hardware or font sight. I guess its good I stood back from it. Thank you for the info and link.. WOW Estimated Price: $30,000 - $50,000 I'll have to keep an eye out for on at the swap meet LOL (joking).

[Rick the Librarian]

The price in the link was for the Pedersen Device (the pistol-type insert). Over 100,000 Mark I rifles (which held the device) were made. Unless they have all the specialized parts (sear, trigger, cutoff, etc.) they are not worth much more (if anything than a regular M1903.