1903a3

[Sgt.Shady]

I inherited A Remington 1903A3 from my grandfather when he passed, and it has all the proper stamps but, I showed it to a dealer and he told me the barrel had been rebarrel? it has a bursting bomb under the muzzle with a 2-43? how do I find out if it has been rebarrel or not? now I know some history about these weapons and know finding a 100% complete never altered weapon is rare. but he told me it really dropped the value of my rifle to around 100 bucks. was he offering me a good deal or did he try to swindle me? ( and no i didnt give it to him)

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[Homer2]

Swindle. Good choice not selling for 100. Many were rebarreled, but it doesn't really hurt the value that much. What is the manufacturer and serial range? May be correct.

At any rate, any complete military configuration 1903a3 should fetch minimum 500-600 and up based on condition.

Pics of the complete rifle will help.

[Sgt.Shady]

Ill put more up when I can

[Salt Flat]

I would avoid that dealer like the plague. From what I can see in the pictures it is a very nice rifle. Check out the Cabelas website-- they are real high. Also Gunbroker.com (more real). Of course the bore condition is something we can't see out here so that would be a major factor. Salt Flat

[rondog]

I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, I only have one 03A3 and just got it last year. But I have a list of serial numbers and dates, which I have no idea how accurate it is, and according to that your rifle was made in September 1943. Hopefully someone else can either confirm this or prove me wrong.

My rifle has an 8-43 barrel on it, and according to this list my serial number is from August 1943 also. So I'm assuming (hoping) my barrel is original to the receiver. Both Remington. It's a damn nice rifle, I love it! Shoots great.

[Biggestsquid]

Unless the barrel is rusted shut that dealer is a criminal or didn't know what he is looking at! I always hate to jump to conclusions but it seems that theguy was trying to set you up to steal the rifle.

Even the wholesale value is three times what he told you. My suggestions is that you use the rifle and enjoy it --- it will be a great shooter and a valued family heirloom.

[Patrick Chadwick]

but he told me it really dropped the value of my rifle to around 100 bucks.

Ha ha! Worth at least 600 euros over here if it is a shooter, rebarrelled or not, regardless of collector valuation. The 1903-A3 is one of the most desirable bolt-action rifles there is for milsurp competition shooting!

AND
Poyer gives Remington receiver numbers for 1943 as (START) 3352996 to 4998300 (END).
Assuming, for lack of other information, a linear production, the receiver would have been made around March-April 1943.

It is very probably the original barrel. Since barrels were made and stockpiled, and then fitted to the receivers as the latter became available, the time match is close enough. The fitter just took a barrel out of a batch and fitted it to the receiver he happened to have in his hands. This was modern mass production, where all parts were supposed to fit all other parts, not the one-by-one numbers matching game practised for so long by Mauser.
Go here http://m1903.com/
and you will see that the date/receiver number correlation is very loose.

If the experts can confirm that everything is original, as far as one call tell from photos, and it is a shooter as well, that would push the value into 4-figures.

was he offering me a good deal or did he try to swindle me?

Draw your own conclusions!

[rice paddy daddy]

For a comparison, I have a Remington 1903A3, dated 5-43, that has the bolt serial number applied with electro pencil, which I have been told indicates a Greek return, via CMP. It cost me $600 in 2007. I was glad to pay the price.

[Calif-Steve]

That is a nice 03-A3. It is worth $600.00 around here. Avoid that guy for sure.

[1563621]

worth 700-800, around here! But I will give you 150 !!!