New to me 1903a3 Remington

[ramit]

Hi, I've been lurking and reading on the forum.
Lots of great info.

This year , with the kids graduated, I'm finally chasing my wish list of WWII rifles.

I've shot some Garands before and fell in love.
So it was my first purchase this year.

Today I purchased a Remington 1903a3 for $700. Never shot one before.

It gauges 1 on the muzzle and 1 TE.
I don't remember the numbers for head spacing, but I was told it was right on. A set of go - nogo inserts were passed through it.


The 03a3 was part of a private collection of Garands a local armorer of Garands was selling for an individual on consignment.
He did the inspections in front of me, it was part of the group he hadn't gone through yet.

I've been looking for a good shooter, that wasn't a basket case.
In the past, the couple he had, he told me to pass on, and were priced at $650 on his rack.

But this one, after he inspected it, he said he would normally price at $900 on the rack.
But it came home with me at the $700 the consignee wanted for it.
Compared to what else was around locally it was less expensive, plus I trust this armorer.
At the local gun shops, 03a3 are priced at $750 - $900.

So locally I feel I did ok, more soo being able to have it inspected before I bought it adds value to me.

But over all, did I overpay a little bit?

Every part has an R on it.
I haven't taken it a part yet, but couldn't find a marking on the trigger or trigger guard when fully assembled.

S/N 3377xxx

Barrel RA 7-42

4 groove, looks bright and sharp, just dusty.
All metal has a light coat of oil on it, seems in the barrel too.

The bolt itself is blued, receiver and rear bolt body is park.

The barrel appears blued, not park.

In bright light, finish seems about 80-90% in areas.

The only downer I saw, is it seems at one point it time, someone did a minor refinishing to the stock, maybe while it was together. Light sanding, and lots of oil. From a far, it looks just like an older darker stock.

Looks nice overall, but the marks on the left side are soo faint, it seems a trick of the eye if I'm seeing partials of them or not. Still not sure.


On the bottom of the stock there are 4 different marks seemingly in circles in front of the magazine plate. They are more evident, just hard to make out, a bit blurred / fuzzy.

I'm told the butt plate should be original, it has a tight checkering.
There are some numbers/letters stamped on the top tang that bolts to the top of the stock.

I've got to get some pictures together and post them.
I understand, that's the real meat and potatoes of posting a "new to me" post!

I hope to get to the range this Wed if it doesn't rain.

I've shot my Garand, and have heard these 03 kick like a mule compared to the Garand. Should I be getting a shooting pad?

I have m2 ball , greek surplus. Seems to kick about 20% more than the lake city ammo I first starting shooting with this year (bought it with the Garand).
Anyone else notice the same?

Information

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[Lancebear]

Hey ramit,

Sounds like you did well. Think the receiver and barrel should be parked and everything else blued cept' the safety lock? Is the trigger guard blued? Maybe the barrel is a very dark park. Shine a very bright light on it to see. You might have an original barrel, check Vishooter's sight to see if something is close. Could also have a Remington stock. Is it a straight stock?

Am no expert, but have learned much over the last year and more. The experts will certainly chime in with their comments. Ya' did good. Even if it's just a fine shooter. Waitin' on the photos.

Regards and Liberty or Death,

Lancebear

[ramit]

Lancebear,
Thanks.

It's a straight stock.
No cracks, dowels / fixes are apparent.
I've been doing some more searching on the web and found some s/n lists.
The barrel dates 7-42, and the receiver s/n dates in the group for '42, but another list has groups by month, and shows my s/n in Jan '43 - about mid group for that month.

Just looked, and it was Vishshooter's list by month I found.

At the shop, one gent said that original barrels ran about 4 month or so earlier date wise than the receivers they were put on.
That would make mine 4-5 months depending on the s/n list by month.


Looking with a bright flashlight....

Yes, the trigger guard looks blued, but worn, maybe as good as 70%, or as low as 50% at worst.
The magazine plate matches exactly.

It seems the safety and the assy on the rear of the bolt that safety is in, is park, grey. Very complete, 80-90%

The actual bolt and handle are blued, looks 80%

Looking at the barrel, near the barrel band and near the front sight mount and blade, it looks park grey (like the safety and bolt housing assy the safety is in) then fading into the stretch of barrel inbetween the front sight mount, which looks "dark green", like a patina.
Seems the finish is less than I 1st thought, now looking real close with a bright flash light. Looks like less than 30% if it is suppose to be a grey park.

The over all receiver looks like this dark green patina , when looking at it with the flash light. Almost like it has a layer of BLO or something on it.

Found the same thing on the knob end of the bolt, but it easily comes off with the finger nail, showing the blueing.
Like a build up of oil or wax.
Too thin to be cosmoline.
But doesn't come off the receiver.

I'm wondering if the constant application of RLO or BLO, someone built up a coating on the receiver?

I hope to get pictures in the bright sun, this week, when I'm not on the road.

Under normal room light, and in the shop (which I thought was "bright"), and out side (overcast day), it just looked like a dark blueing, not this dark green with the flash light (cheap LED flash light).

The grey park on the rear safety assy of the bolt is very evident, and grey and very complete.
Other than the R's all over the place on parts of the bolt and such, I didn't find any numbers , like found on the Garand bolts.

The grey park on the safety and it's assy housing, is the same color the areas left on the front sight blade and mount, and areas on the barrel close to the barrel band and front sight mount.


Sorry for the delay in the pix..
Thanks for the discussion.
Looking forward to learning / discovering more.

[Lancebear]

Hey ramit,

Break that rifle down and soak all of the metal in mineral spirits for an hour or so. Any old dried cosmoline or whatever should come off with a good wipe off.

The barrel should maybe precede the receiver by three months. That's not carved in stone, but ya' might be a little long in the difference. But......

If the bore is fine and the wood is good. Nothing to worry about.

Maybe the arsenal rework marks were sanded off by a prior owner, but for the price of the rifle and the good readings about ME and TE, it should be a fine shooter that you got for a fair price.

What are the markings on the bolt root top and bottom?

The big dogs will chew your bone and give you more info than me.

Bright flashlight is your best friend when observing a firearm in person. Like the Streamlight ones.

Lancebear

[ibuymilitaria]

Ramit never shot one? Kicks like a mule compared to the M1. Jeff

[ramit]

Hey ramit,

Break that rifle down and soak all of the metal in mineral spirits for an hour or so. Any old dried cosmoline or whatever should come off with a good wipe off.

The barrel should maybe precede the receiver by three months. That's not carved in stone, but ya' might be a little long in the difference. But......

If the bore is fine and the wood is good. Nothing to worry about.

Maybe the arsenal rework marks were sanded off by a prior owner, but for the price of the rifle and the good readings about ME and TE, it should be a fine shooter that you got for a fair price.

What are the markings on the bolt root top and bottom?

The big dogs will chew your bone and give you more info than me.

Bright flashlight is your best friend when observing a firearm in person. Like the Streamlight ones.

Lancebear

I'll double check the bolt when I get home. I tried to look for any other marks other than the "R" and could find any,
Do I need to take the bolt apart?
(Sorry if it's a nob question)
I had it out a couple of times thinking I was missing something, that there should be more markings.

I'll try the ms on a small section of the receiver and see what comes of it.
I don't think it's the cosmoline, but thinking it's oil from someone constantly oiling the stock that's dried to a near lacquer like finish.
When I take pix, I'll try and capture that aspect.

Would an arsenal rebuild use a much older barrel?
From the little I read, most of the barrels made in 43 and after were 2 grove.
So I was thinking it was original.
Yes, the barrel date(7-42) and receiver(1-43) date puts it 5-6 months.
Another s/n list just lists my receiver s/n as part of the lot for year 1942 (near the end of the lot), and not by month.

Barrel marking has the RA , then the bomb, then the 7-42. On the underside of the barrel, opposite those marks, is a P.

Could someone have purchased the barrel, and fitted it, attempting to make it correct? Were / Are such barrels on the surplus market?

The collector's Garand collection it was part of, this was the only 03a3 in it, along side two 03. And about 10 correct grade CMP Garands...

Yup , was looking for a good shooter, and that was my top end price, but all the "R"'s (I know , it's not a SC make) made me more excited about it.

To me having a Remington 03a3 , is liking having a SA M1 Garand, for me anyway.

I think the straight stock is soo distinctive, but I do like the looks of the C stock better.

Lesson learned on the flashlight!!. Thanks.

[ramit]

Ramit never shot one? Kicks like a mule compared to the M1. Jeff

So I hear!!!

Thinking I should buy a shooters shoulder pad.
Biggest long firearm I've ever shot/owned that was not semi-auto was:
A 10gauge shotgun, single shot for goose hunting.
And a lever action Marlin chambered in 35 Rem (sorry I ever sold it).

Not sure how the 30-06 bolt action will compare, but I fully assumed it would be more than the Garand.

[Embalmer]

keep it tight to the shoulder for sure. had a friend fire my 1903a4 2 weekends ago, and didnt listen when I told, and showed him a bunch of times to hold it tight. He just regained full use of his right arm the other day

[Jim in Salt Lake]

that 10 gauge goose load out of a single barrel shotgun! Just get a good position with your 03A3 and shoot. Firm into your shoulder and a firm cheek weld on the stock. Keep your right thumb forward, not under your nose. My '03 likes that Greek ammo just fine.

[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...