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