Thai marked 1903s

[UNPROFOR1994]

On 23 July 1941, President Roosevelt ordered the provision of arms and equipment to China, along with a Military Advisory Group to help train the Chinese in their use. The mission was known as MAGIC (Military Advisory Group In China). The mission arrived in October 1941. The Burma Road was the only viable supply link to China by this time. In December 1941, Roosevelt agreed to train and arm 30 divisions of Chinese Nationalists troops.

The situation in China grew worse in 1942. In India, the American aid for China began arriving. The Rifle .30 Model of 1917, the so called American Enfield, Automatic Rifle .30 M1918 and M1918A2 known as the "BAR", and the Browning Machine Gun .30 M1917A1 were issued to the Chinese troops in India which were placed under Stilwell's command.

In 1944 U.S. Rifles .30 M1903 and M1903A3 (American Springfield Rifles) were being received in quantity to supplement the .30 M1917 Enfields for arming the Chinese. Altogether about 400,000 .30 Enfield and Springfield Rifles were supplied by the end of WW2 to Nationalist China.

In 1949 Chiang Kai Shak had begun shipping his personal forces, cultural treasures, and other key assets to the island of Formosa (Taiwan) before the final stages of collapse. When most of the KMT hierarchy and their families and others fled there to escape the Communists. In December 1949, Chiang proclaimed Taipei the new capitol of the Republic of China Government.

Chiang, once again the President, began rebuilding his forces. Initially, the small arms situation was quite good as the troops transported there were considered among the best and had been armed with better quality rifles, including German made 7.92mm Standard Modell 1924, 7.92mm Type 24 of good quality, .30 Caliber Carbines M1, and M1903 and M1903A3 .30 Springfield's. U.S. aid shipments had been diverted to Taiwan as China was falling.

After 1951, .30 M1 Garand rifles were provided in quanity and by late 1950's 7.92mm Mausers were largely in storage. Circa 1962 these Mausers were transferred to an other power.

The Garands were replaced by a Chinese made version of the M14 7.62mm NATO rifle beginning in the mid sixties. These were followed by the 5.56mm M16A1 and then supplemented by a Chi-Nat derivative of the Stoner design which avoided license costs.

Source: chinapage1

[UNPROFOR1994]

@chuckindenver

My theory is that your M1903 was one of the rifles received by the Chinese Nationalists as military aid during WW2. During the war the barrel was damaged and replaced by one of the Chinese arsenals under Chiang Kai Shek's control in 1946. In 1949 she followed Chiang and his Nationalist army to exile on the Island(s) of Taiwan a.k.a. Formosa.
When the Garands were replaced by a localy made version of the M14 in the sixties the M1917's, M1903's, M1's and M1928's were sold to an other country. Maybe Thailand?

Why do you think it is a Thai M1903?

[Roy]

With regard to accounting and lend-lease, in New Zealand government records show shipments of some 40,000 US rifles but it is not recorded how many were M1917 or M1903, both were issued to NZ home forces.

[vintage hunter]

Why do you think it is a Thai M1903?

Is that not the Thai Chakra above the barrel date?

[UNPROFOR1994]

Is that not the Thai Chakra above the barrel date?

I don't think so, the shape is different and usually Thai Mausers, Arisakas, M1903's and M1's are marked on top of the receiver.
It looks exactly like the markings on this Nationalist Chinese manufactured M1 Garand bayonet Chinese M1 Garand Bayonet Scabbard. - Collector's Source, Military Collectibles Online for sale right now on the Collectors Source website and this one Scarce Chinese M1 Garand Bayonet Scabbard. on the Joe Salter website.

Now I'm 100% sure it's one of the M1903 rifles received by the Chinese Nationalists as U.S. military aid during WW2.

[Chuckindenver]

again, these are not mine, they were in my shop for clean and safety check.
in 30 some of years of collecting, and working on 1903s i have not seen one marked as such, or a barrel like this..
it was just to share the cool factor nothing more.
rifles wont be shot, or assembled,
i may pick them up in the estate buy if the price is right.

[UNPROFOR1994]

The hunt is always more exiting than the catch and that is exactly what I love about collecting historical firearms ;-) I hope you can buy atleast one. Good luck!

[JGaynor]

Butt stock Chakra
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...7-04-12085.jpg

Receiver Chakra
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...7-04-12084.jpg

Thai Rack No.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...7-04-12095.jpg

Hopefully these pics will be a little larger and more distinct tun the ones I posted the other day. I Have had the Thai Marked A4 since the late 60's. It was hand carried across the street to me by a manager at Interarms in Alexandria. A number of years ago I posted the pics on the net and several people responded with translations . The rack number was pretty straight forward a leading symbol indicating Bangkok followed by a five digit number. Supposedly one of the figures in the large Chakra supposedly stood for Queen Sirikit who i understood ascended to the throne in the early 50's. If all this information is accurate I believe it suggests the rifle went to Thailand as part of a MAP program.

I suspect the A4 came back to this country mixed in with Siamese Mausers Interarms was selling at the time.

[bacarnal]

The barrel mark above the 6-46 is Taiwan. The same mark can be found painted on the spam cans of surplus ammo they shipped here years ago. Cheers, Bruce.