1903a3's at Guadalcanal ?

[JGaynor]

FWIW there was a two page spread advertising "The Pacific" in several national magazines . The two or three carbines in the foreground DID NOT have bayonet lugs i was pleased to note.

It wasn't possible to tell whether they had the late model or early model magazine catch so for the time being I'll keep my strongly worded letter to the producers held in abeyance.

Just keep repeating .."Its only a movie..only a movie......"

Regards,

Jim

[Rick the Librarian]

I am aware it IS entertainment, but I guess the superior job done with BoB sort of set a pretty high "bar".

[rice 123]

it is just not the movies I was at the US Army Museum of the pacific in Honolulu and the WW11 display had a carbine with a bayonet lug, adj sights, and a pot belly stock i tried to point this out but they just looked me like I was some kind of nut. Also did the marines get any of the remington 03s did theu only have WW1 rebuilds

[TDH]

It is interesting that the show uses M1903A3s -- I seem to remember that BoB was pretty accurate as to weaponry - M1A1 carbines, no bayonet lugs, etc. I did spot a later M1 Garand rear sight screw and gas caylinder lock screw, but I thought that was forgiveable.

I don't get TV cable and will have to wait until the series comes out on DVD.

P.S. The Army had M1s much earlier than December, 1942. The 164th Infantry Regiment arrived at Guadalcanal in October, equipped with M1s. The problem they had was that an unattended M1 had a tendency to "walk off"!

The marines were reequipped with M1s after leaving Guadalcanal at the end of 1942.

My old foreman Harry said the same thing 03's and BAR's and Thompsons and .30 cals mostly water cooled.
Those poor Army boys just couldn't train those stubborn M1's from wandering off.

[Rick the Librarian]

Supposedly, the Marines received a number of early Remington M1903s (NOT M103A3s!) before they shoved off about April, 1942, for the Pacific.

Although the M1903A3 was adopted in May, 1942, problems with the rear sight and other difficulties, prevented all but a trickle from being produced before the end of 1942.

My favorite movie firearms "goof" took place in the movie "Battle Cry" (1955) which was based on the (much better) Leon Uris novel of the early 1950s. One of the characters was complaining on how the Marines always got cast-off or second-rate equipment. Among that mentioned was using "1903s instead of M1s". Gathered around him was a group of Marines ... all carrying M1s!!

[browningautorifle]

So we finally get to the meat of it. The original question was when did the 1903A3 go into service? I was waiting to find out. So it would have been early 43 before they saw any major unit issue?

[emmagee1917]

..Remington was making 1903s ( and or 1903Ms , but let's leave this out of the discussion) till Dec 42 or Jan43. There was some overlap as they were getting the 1903A3s out. I have an early A3 with a Dec42 bbl and a serial number lower than a late 1903 with a Dec 42 bbl. It's A3 front sight is a modified 1903 front sight. I would guess spring of 43 would be the earliest you would see them at the front.
Chris

[purple]

Canfield's book shows the first 03A3s being produced in Jan 1943. The Japanese were defeated and evacuated their remaining troops from Guadalcanal in Jan/Feb 1943, so there is virtually no possibility of 03A3 rifles being used in combat there. Guadalcanal remained a logistics/staging base for the remainder of the war so it is likely that some 03A3s would have shown up there at after the fighting was over.

[JGaynor]

Campbell also shows the first Remington A3'a out the door at Ilion in Jan 43. not sure if S-C's shipped any earlier.

Regards,

Jim

[rice 123]

I have been thinking I have seen a lot of pics of MPs, engineers, and service troops in Europe. As far as I can remember they always seemed to have 03s slung on they're backs. Except for free french that we armed do you think any a3s made it into combat theaters