Let's try this.....
Nice rifle-PD
What makes it "re-arsenaled"? Scant stock makes me think Greek, but pale parkerizing makes me think not Greek. Looks nice from the photos. Nice find. But mind you, buy the gun, not the story! I don't care who says what, most stories are not true.
My computer will not open the photobucket links - it just goes to the PB home page.
Is the butt plate stippled?
Scant stocks were used during rebuild, indicating the rifle was rebuilt. However, if this was a Greek CMPrifle, the stock could have been switched by either the Greeks or the CMP.
What is the s/n & bbl date?
Does the receiver have a Hatcher Hole & does the bolt head also have a large hole between the lugs?
What other USMC characteristics exist?
Yes, has the hatcher hole, larger hole in bolt, bolt is SA 42, barrel is stamped U.S.M.C. 9 42 (S), Marine sights front and rear, stippled butt plate...
receiver: RI 311,XXX muzzle gauges at 0... not a CMPrifle, part of a long held collection
PARTS GUN! No real evidence of it being and USMC rifle. The barrel only means that it was replaced sometime after WW2. The new USMC barrels were $35 from SARCO about 30 years ago. There is no evidence that the Marines ever used any of the barrels for rebuilding springfields.
Hey MS,
It's not just about the barrel.
There is a bunch of evidence pointing to the fact that Para's rifle is USMC.
Has a Hatcher hole, enlarged gas hole in the bolt, Sedgley USMC marked barrel, stippled buttplate, and I just saw it...a dink in front of the serial number (Jim T. ya' might need your glasses to see that). That's five known USMC points. Could be six if the serial falls in between known Marine numbers. Seem to be a lot of RIA Marine rifles in the three hundred thousand number range.
Yes it was re-arsenaled or put together by USMC armorers. No RIA '03 left the arsenal with anything but an RIA barrel.
Scant stocks were replacements. No newly manufactured RIA, SA or Remington or SC left the facility wearing a scant stock except for some snipers, sure don't know nothin' about them.
Didn't count the sights. They first appeared in the early twenties and were discontinued about 1928 or so. And an order was issued that any rifle with Marine sights that went through overhaul after '28 would have them replaced with standard service sights, but could be retained or re-installed by special request. That's all J.B.'s info. He's a generous guy.
The presence of a scant stock on a Marine rifle is debatable, don't no nuffin' bout' dat, I'll leave that to two of our experts to discuss the next time they eat ribs together.
One or two USMC points on an '03 doesn't make a strong case for an '03 being Marine, but Para's rifle has five and maybe a sixth if the serial shows up in the right place.
Think Para has a pretty strong case for having a Marine rifle. Matching serialized bolt would certainly put it over the top.
Regards and death to bad guys,
Lancebear
Paratrooper,
If not for that scant stock, your rifle has many indications of being a USMC WWII rebuild. Something tells me the stock was added at a later date by someone other than the Corps. The serial number is in a range populated by many pre-WWI Corps rifles, and I have several known USMC rifles in that range with Sedgley 4-32 to 9-42 barrels.
For my money, it is a USMC rifle with a scant stock added by persons unknown. It is just an opinion.
Jim
*********************************
"Me. All the rest are deados!"
67th Company, 5th Marines 1st Sgt. Daniel "Pop" Hunter's response to 1st Lt. Jonas Platt's query "Who is your Commander"?, Torcy side of Hill 142, Belleau Wood, 8:00 am, 6 Jun 1918.
Semper Fidelis!
And what makes you think the USMC didn't use scant stocks? I suggest that you reconsider.
J.B.![]()