New to me 1903a3 Remington

[ramit]

Tnx gents , regarding the re-coil...... the 10g is a fun one to bring skeet shooting to let a newbee shoot. I warn them 1st, and offer them to try it.
Fun to watch them rock back onto to 1 foot and then take a step back to get their balance back! My 100lb friend , just about ended up on his butt.

In thinking about it, I think one of the things I do wrong when on the bench shooting, is I get too low to the bench.
Where I shoot, we have shooting benches, and can only shoot from the bench. I rest the forestock on the bags, but I'm starting to think I"m not using enough bags, and wind up bending down to the bench, so more like a prone position withe the shoulder and upper body, than a sitting.

[ramit]

I nob question here, so please be kind.....

I understand the s/n receiver date lot txt file on
http://vishooter.home.att.net/ra_serialization.txt

But the "Serial Number/Barrel Date Lists":

http://vishooter.home.att.net/RA3.txt

I'm not clear on.

Is that a list contributed to, by people of barrels "known" to be original vs receiver numbers?

TIA...

[ramit]

I left them pretty large, so as not to kill the loading of the thread, I'll supply the links to the pix...
I gave up for the week hoping to get time during the day. So I did my best with diffused lighting. Some better than others..

Shots of entire rifle...
(tried to get the color of the stock as close to as it looks in real life with adjusting the whitebalance and compensations levels such on the camera)
Rifle 1

Rifle 2

Rifle 3, close up of receiver area of stock



Stock markings...
What can you see in there? I feel most was lost to someone sanding the stock down some real long time ago. But there is some faint marking(s), at least one.
Near receiver -lighting 1

Near receiver - lighting 2

These are much stronger still, but since I don't have any familiarity with them, they don't ring any bells for me...
Bottom of Stock infront of magazine plate


Butt plate shots...
Butt--plate-installed
(it's not brown, just the lighting. It's just plain metal grey, no finish.)

Butt-plate-top-markings
Does the markings mean anything??


Butt-plate-removed


Butt-plate-removed-underside
That is not rust, it's cosmoline.

Butt of-Stock-with buttplate-removed
??? Someone was digging....




Magazine plate and trigger guard, bottom view..
Sorry, the best one I had came out too dark.
Trigger Guard and magazine plate



Swivel Markings...
Swivel-Front-markings

Swivel-mid-markings

Swivel-butt-markings


Sight Markings...
On the blade itself, it looks like a large A.
On the blade holder, there is a small R.
Sight-Front-markings

There's a small R near the lowest elevation setting.
Sight-rear-markings


Mag on/off marking...
Mag-on-off-marking



Entire receiver top view...
Receiver 1

Much better lighting and color true to what I see, closer up shot as well of the chamber opening, bolt in battery, and receiver markings...
Receiver 2


Barrel Markings... (colors did not come out well).
Barrel-top-markings
Barrel-bottom-markings


Bolt Markings...
Bolt-safety-marking

On here the bolt is blued, and the block holding the safety assy is park grey.
There is a small R on the right side of that block, to the left is a faint marking.
I got the impression it's a square, but barely make it out, and maybe a number "4" in there... I don't know. very very hard to make out.
Bolt-undersidemarkings 1

This portion of the bolt is a very dark blue. There is an R in a circle.
Bolt-underside-markings 2


Cleaned the barrel tonight, hope to shot her tomorrow...
Just dust came out... clean as a whistle, doesn't seem she was put away used.

Thanks for checking them out, looking forward to the discovery.....

[Lancebear]

Hey ramit,

I can't answer your questions, but Rick TRL and John Beard certainly can.

Thanks for all of your hard work on the photos. Very fine rifle and photos.

Lancebear

[JGaynor]

I nob question here, so please be kind.....

I understand the s/n receiver date lot txt file on
http://vishooter.home.att.net/ra_serialization.txt

But the "Serial Number/Barrel Date Lists":

http://vishooter.home.att.net/RA3.txt

I'm not clear on.

Is that a list contributed to, by people of barrels "known" to be original vs receiver numbers?

TIA...

The Serialization Date list was necessarily calulated from production and shipment records and also factoring in scrap rates etc. The lists are very good but are estimates. This is of course most important if your rifle happens tp be on the cusp of a particular month. Realistically it could go either way.

The second list is, I believe, basically a list of observed rifles. I don't honestly know if Vi Shooter tries to filter the input for "known (or suspected)" originals. This is very tough to do without seeing the rifle or having it scrutininzed by a knowledgable party.

I hope this helps. And BTW don't worry about overpaying. A few years time will most likely erase any premium you might have paid. Meanwhile enjoy your new rifle.

Regards,

Jim

[ramit]

Thanks Gents.

I found in the s/n vs barrel list, one that has the same s/n range as mine (just a tade higher) with a the same month/year barrel as mine.
So if there was/is some strength to the list, it would seem to say that there were some 5-6month old barrels installed on recievers.
"34401xx RA 7-42", from the list.

I shot the 03a3 last night, kick not as bad as I thought, but up there.
With everything else going on, only had a chance to run 15 rnds down range.
Which , after, I felt about the same as I would after 70rnds or so out of the Garand.
The 03a3 puts them where I point, very consistent. I like the thinner front sight. I could only get on a 50yd point, so not as challenging, but touching clover leafs in 3 rnd groups as I moved the rear sight around trying to zero her in for a 6oclock hold.

Lancebear, I tried cleaning off a small section of the receiver, and there's a nice dark green park under that mess.
I didn't have any mineral spirits around but some carb cleaner, which is usually safe on the finishes in the carburator and throttle body, so I figure a little shot on the rag, and light rubbing. But didn't go too far, not sure if it's very safe on a park finish or not.
It seems it's LO, or BLO, or what ever, that someone spent years rubbing into the stock, and all over the metal work too. I went lightly on the barrel as well. And it seems what I thought was partial finish, is a dark grey park under a thick pile of varnish like finish. The grey I 1st saw showing up near the barrel band and front sight mount cause it's probably where the person missed with the rag. I thought the varnish was a pitina on some bare metal due to worn finish.

This weekend I will try and get pictures out side of the receiver.

From doing some more research, it seems the butt plate is a milled one?
I couldn't find an R on it.
Did earlier Remington 03a3 shipped with a milled butt plate?

Tnx much.....

[Arisaka99]

I am a big fan of Marvel Mystery Oil... cleans old grease and also carbon without harming the finish. Sells at auto parts store as an addative for oil or gas. Also a good storage lubricant. GOOD STUFF MAYNARD!

Rifle also looks pretty much as issued and not rebuilt from what I can see; not sure about safety housing finish, (is it blued or parked?). Most parts that should be blued are blued, finish on stock is original, no rebuild marks, small trigger guard... I think this rifle is in issue condition.

[ramit]

Arisak99,
Thank you for the tip on the MMO, I have lots of it in my garage. I love the stuff. But never thought about it on the firearms.

Thank you for the review of the pictures.
At first look, I thought the safety housing was grey park.
But now after cleaning things up, I'm wondering if it's just not as dark of a blueing as on the bolt parts.. which are nearly black.

I will take new pix of the bolt, in the back yard, along with the cleaned up receiver.... or should I stop trying to clean it?????

If it is as as issued than , could it be full of casmoline, (as Lancebear thought) not over oiling of the stock?

Does the milled butt plate go with a late 42 or Jan 43 Rem 03a3?

TIA.

[Chief]

No expert here but your milled ,checkered buttplate's (nice piece BTW) natural home is on an SA 1903. The Remington type was stamped.
regards,
Chief

[Arisaka99]

Better to clean too little than too much. Nothing stronger than #0000 (extra fine) steel wool and lots of oil. Many folks prefer bronze wool. Your rifle has earned the nice patina... stop the active rust and enjoy. You can likely pick up a stamped buttplate with some minor wear for about $10-$15 at any of the larger shows. Entire bolt should be blued.