Smith Corona 1903A3 rifle info

[Craig Eberhardt]

Hello there,

I am hoping someone can help me with some information about my first 1903A3.

It is a Smith Corona serial number 4784105. The barrel is marked "SC 9-43". The bolt is blued and has an x stamped on top of the bolt handle. The bolt sleeve and firing pin rod are blued and are the Smith Corona variants. The action is parkerised. the barrel bands are blued. The stock is a straight Stock. It is stamped FJA and has a stamp that appears to be two cannons crossed in a circle on the left hand side of the action. It has four inspection stamps in front of the floor plate including a 5 in a diamond. It has a P in a circle behind the trigger guard. The floor plate is parkerised and appears to be the correct Smith Corona pressed metal variant. The butt plate is the larger checkering Smith Corona variant and is in very good condition suggesting that it has not spent much time resting on the ground.

The stock is in very good condition...perhaps unissued?

If anyone can give any info on the history of this rifle I would greatly appreciate it. Is it possible to find out how it came to be in Australia? Do records exist in relation to such things?

Look forward to hearing your views.

Kind regards,

Craig

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Rick the Librarian]

Pictures would help. I do remember a fellow-Australian saying that a number of M1903s and M1903A3s had been imported from Vietnam in the 1990s. However, I got the idea that these were in pretty poor condition.

[Craig Eberhardt]

Sorry Rick...not technically competent enough to post the photos here...if you have an e-mail I can send them to you. Sorry about that...I have Luddite tendencies.

[sakorick]

I believe the triggerguard/floorplate should be blued not parkerized. Regards, Rick.

[Joe in the hills]

Pictures would help. I do remember a fellow-Australian saying that a number of M1903s and M1903A3s had been imported from Vietnam in the 1990s. However, I got the idea that these were in pretty poor condition.

Holy Sh**, the NVN ChiComs are selling USGI on the market??? first that I'd heard of that...

[Rick the Librarian]

Only in Australia, and I'd guess 15-20 years ago.

[Mike D]

Here are come photos that Craig sent me, via email, of his very nice SC A3.






---------- Post added at 08:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:07 PM ----------

Some more -






---------- Post added at 08:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 PM ----------

What's with the two different bolts?

Mike

[Craig Eberhardt]

Here are come photos that Craig sent me, via email, of his very nice SC A3.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...951fjpeg-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...6b73jpeg-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...c357jpeg-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...25e06png-1.jpg

---------- Post added at 08:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:07 PM ----------

Some more -

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...f264jpeg-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...6041jpeg-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b78djpeg-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b033jpeg-1.jpg

---------- Post added at 08:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 PM ----------

What's with the two different bolts?

Mike

Came with two...the smith corona was described as a "spare"

[Craig Eberhardt]

Came with two...the smith corona was described as a "spare"

Thanks Mike for posting these photos for me. Interested to hearing any thoughts on the history of this rifle. They are very uncommon at this end of the world and command high prices, well beyond prices in the USA. Parts are also very hard to find down here so I really need to know what if any parts I need to source in the USA so that I can get an order together...the paperwork at this end is a nightmare...you guys don't know how good you have it...ever since a mass shooting in 1994 we have have our ability to possess firearms progressively restricted.

Great forum. Thanks everyone in advance.

Kind regards,

Craig

[Rick the Librarian]

That doesn't look like a rifle imported from Vietnam - they were pretty rough. Very nice and looks original. It would be interesting to know the history.