Why U.S. Govt Still Making 03/A3's in 1944?

[Rick the Librarian]

Does anyone know how many 03A3s were made during World War II?

About 707,000 Remingtons, 234,000 Smith-Coronas and about 28,000 M1903A4 sniper rifles. (Plus another @ 348,000 Remington M1903s).

---------- Post added at 05:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:16 AM ----------

I sincerely appreciate everybody’s information and education. This all may be long known news for y’all, but it’s all new to me and it’s fascinating information for me.

I purchased this Remington in 1990 from an Army officer who said he had bought it years earlier from a national guard armory sales to military members transfer type program if I remember correctly.

So it looks like the receiver was made in late 42 or early 43 and then it got one of the replacement barrels that was made in August 1944. Of course now I wonder why they had to replace the barrel? Either it was used stateside for training and its original Barrel just got worn out from firing so many rounds at training ranges, or it was damaged or worn out from use overseas in wartime use. I think it was probably the former, but will never know.

If you can give us at least the first few digits of the serial number, we can get the date of manufacture significantly closer than that.