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Contributing Member
1903 (A-what?)
I traded a Chicom Tokarev I got while evacuating Saigon back in the early 1980s. I am not exactly sure how it is classified today (A-whatever), but it is clearly a 1942 rebuild with a scant stock. Shots well. No corrosion, no evidence of refinishing, overall really good condition. I am finding it difficult to figure a worth.
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04-17-2022 03:08 PM
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Advisory Panel
Is that a Rock Island Frank Krack stamp? Nice...
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Contributing Member
Yes, it is RIA over FK. I have often thought it interesting that they bothered to rebuild a "low serial number" 1903, but maybe this one was heat treated or wartime demands dictated using everything available. The barrel has a mirror-like finish, and the rifling looks good to my untrained eye - I think it did not end up with very many rounds through it.
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Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
RDG
interesting that they bothered to rebuild a "low serial number" 1903
There's a lot about that here in forum, if you search it out you'll be very interested. Not heretics shouting each other down but old experienced collectors with actual information. Well worth a read. You still have to take away what you will though...
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Contributing Member
General Hatcher issued a bulletin (No. 23-10-1) stating all servicable U.S. Rifles, Cal.30, M1903 will continue in service regardless of the serial number stamped on receiver.
(30 September 1943)
Prior to that all low number rifles were to be stripped for usable parts.
I'm sure Corporal Norton has all the note's/letter copy's of the whole episode.
Major Smith (USMC) thought Hatcher was some what daft for condemning them. I believe the Marine's kept them in Service(Conjecture?)
Ed
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Contributing Member
So, despite its elderly s/n, would this be considered an A3?
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Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
RDG
would this be considered an A3
1903/A3 had a receiver sight so this isn't one.
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Contributing Member
1903/A3 had a receiver sight so this isn't one.
Ah, yes, my mistake. You see why this particular gun seems to defy classification. I guess it is just a rebuilt 1903.
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Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
RDG
just a rebuilt 1903.
That's right. I didn't see it as too confusing though. Many, many old rifles underwent this very thing. Many of them were lost when the Philippines fell.
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Legacy Member
Originally Posted by
ed skeels
General Hatcher issued a bulletin (No. 23-10-1) stating all servicable U.S. Rifles, Cal.30, M1903 will continue in service regardless of the serial number stamped on receiver.
(30 September 1943)
Prior to that all low number rifles were to be stripped for usable parts.
Most of them were put into long-term storage in the 1920s...a convenient way to dodge the issue in peacetime. Any that came in from the field after a certain cutoff date were to be scrapped, and replaced with a high-numbered rifle.
I believe the Marine's kept them in Service(Conjecture?)
They did, because they had to...the Navy wasn't in the small-arms procurement business. (This wasn't limited to rifles either...the Marines also applied to purchase M1911A1s in the 1920s, and were rejected by the Navy.) Their response was to minimize the known risks as much as possible...to that end, they replaced the bolts and barrels with new parts to ensure tight headspace (and remove the casehardened bolt), drilled a rough "Hatcher" hole into the receiver ring for gas venting, and ordered that they were not to be used for anything that would produce a sudden, sharp shock to the receiver, such as firing rifle grenades.
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