Remington 03A4 1st post

[larryhoosier]

Yes Jim, "Redfield" is marked on right rear of mount. I took some better pics for you to look at.



Marks are faint in some areas but legible.







Whoever cleaned the stock forgot about this cutoff area! The capital "K" with serifs is barely legible under the crud.




I found the shims and also can peep under the mount and yes, the mounting screws are both "staked".

I hope this new info helps all of you real detectives, I'm just happy to possess the rifle.

[Neal Myers]

The single largest release of A4's was the lottery held by CMP in 2000. Grade A rifles sold for $650. I have not seen any from that lottery that were NOT rebuilt, but it's possible that some original rifles were sold then. Rifles acquired by CMP after the lottery were only sold by auction.

During the years that the Director of Civilian Marksmanship sold rifles & pistols, they never had sufficient quantities of A4's to have an announced sale. However, competition shooters & members of the military who were aware of their existence were able to purchase A4's, I'm guessing in the 1960's & 1970's.

We still need to see photos of your barrel bands, bolt, & the right side of the scope mount. But, at this point, I believe it is a lottery rifle.

Neal

[Herschel]

I bought a 1903A4 through the DCM in 1971. I don't recall how I learned they were for sale.

[larryhoosier]

Here are the bands and such. All marked "R" if marked. The bolt is blued and everything I found marked so far (I haven't taken it down yet) is also marked "R".

retaining spring



nosecap



buttstock swivel



lower sling swivel



stacking swivel



Whew! I haven't worked this hard to get photos of inaccessible parts since my last colonoscopy!

[JGaynor]

The single largest release of A4's was the lottery held by CMP in 2000. Grade A rifles sold for $650. I have not seen any from that lottery that were NOT rebuilt, but it's possible that some original rifles were sold then. Rifles acquired by CMP after the lottery were only sold by auction.

During the years that the Director of Civilian Marksmanship sold rifles & pistols, they never had sufficient quantities of A4's to have an announced sale. However, competition shooters & members of the military who were aware of their existence were able to purchase A4's, I'm guessing in the 1960's & 1970's.

We still need to see photos of your barrel bands, bolt, & the right side of the scope mount. But, at this point, I believe it is a lottery rifle.

Neal

The CMP's 1999 inventory of about 200~ A4's was posted on SRS. While it's possible it was sold thru CMP the Serial number of this rifle was not in the CMP inventory. So I am inclined to beleve it was released thru the DCM or another source. Mine for eaxample came back to the US through Interarms.

regards,

Jim

[Johnny Peppers]

My 03-A4 was bought out of Benecia Arsenal by a retiring Navy dentist, complete with M73B1 scope, and I believe this was in the late 1970's.

[gioca]

I have one question concerning the FJA marking on the stock. The one without the rectangular surround was used before that with the surround?

[JGaynor]

I have one question concerning the FJA marking on the stock. The one without the rectangular surround was used before that with the surround?

The information I have been able to accumulate appears to suggest that the unboxed "FJA" predominates the earliest rifles. Thereafter through the end of production both styles are used more or less at random.

[gioca]

Thank you very much for the info, Jim.
The question you had raised to larryhoosier about the "boxed" or "unboxed" FJA marking had worried me a bit since I have one 03-A4 of the first block (in the range of 3,411,xxx) with the "unboxed" FJA marking.