1903A1 Unertl Sniper on Broker

[Lt1]

For anyone interested with 18K . Interesting not the barrel is standard issue .Not Star gaged reference by the site base drawing number . If correct it reinforces not all snipers have star gaged barrels as many assume .

1903A1 USMC Unertl Sniper with documentation : Bolt Action at GunBroker.com

Information

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[jarrodeu]

OK so this guy was in the Navy, why would he be issued a USMC sniper rifle?

Jarrod

[vintage hunter]

The rifle may be authentic but I don't think that the scope or the blocks are original to it. The finishes don't match. The rifle's finish is thin on all surfaces but the scope and the blocks look most new. There should be some marks on the tube where it slid in the rings during recoil.

[Jim Tarleton]

That is a pristine scope and mount on a well used rifle. Something is odd here.

Jim

---------- Post added at 10:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:51 PM ----------

For anyone interested with 18K . Interesting not the barrel is standard issue .Not Star gaged reference by the site base drawing number . If correct it reinforces not all snipers have star gaged barrels as many assume .

1903A1 USMC Unertl Sniper with documentation : Bolt Action at GunBroker.com

Not all USMC A1 snipers had star gauged barrels. The assumption is incorrect. All were built to match rifle standards.

Jim

[onlycrimson]

Scope and mounts look way too new, but who knows.

[Mike D]

Isn't that handguard a post-WWII replacement?

[vintage hunter]

Everything I can see about the rifle/scope is ''correct'' except for the rear scope block not being butted up to the back of the rear sight base. What I can't see are the polished receiver rails and the staked guard screws, or this rifle's s/n on the signed statement.

[mike radford]

On the star guage issue, all barrels were star gauged but not all barrels got the star mark.

On the rear base being against the rear sight base, reliable sources have told me that that was not done consistently and one should not go by that.

On the scope being newer than the rifle, these scopes were often refurbished and refinished but even more likely is that the scope was not always with any given rifle.

On it being associated with the Navy, I was told the navy used some of these rifles to take out mines. Not sure if that is totally reliable but the Navy and USMC work together a lot.

On the rifle in general, I am not seeing enough to convince me that it is the real deal. It could be but the odds are against it. Just too risky without more proof. I would consult several more knowing before I got involved with a purchase.

I would like to see the punch mark on the bottom of the barrel directly under the front base. I would also expect to see a match stock and the rifle number on the stock near the rear sling slot. Also, to see were the barrel was floated in the barrel channel would be useful.

[Lt1]

Mike Here`s what I see . Just an opinion . The barrel is standard issue. Not star gaged . Should be 64112 but could be correct & original to this rifle since any barrel that shot good was used . Punch mark in the bomb indicates a Springfield assembled rifle but still could be correct if the sniper was built on this rifle using the original barrel . . The sight bases are smooth repros . Square cornors . Most likely Steve Earls The Bolt is a very late bolt used on 1939 rifles , But could be any late bolt .B2 NS/7 .No pic of the gas hole . A D1 bolt should have 2 The rear sight base is not butted per Big Larry . Even the base of a 03 sniper in Senichs book is not butted against the rear sight . It is said they could be in any location even crooked /canted to the bore . NO CNCs back then . You are correct. Needs pics of the inside of the stock floating barrel , punch mark ,Shaved trigger housing ,CV marked sears ect . polished rails & punch mark . Grinding marks around the Hatcher hole ?? Hatcher hole became standard around 1497xxx IMO .May be to suggest a MC hatcher drill .Stock markings look correct in the cutoff notch S/9 .I don`t think this stock should have a serial number . Just the D-1836 or D2817x. Notice No #5 marked late cutoff that would indicate CV steel .The rifle should have all the mods that embodied a NM rifle . All the above are humble observations that would make me want to bid the sum value of the parts . scope alone is worth thosands .

[vintage hunter]

I can go along with the blocks not being butted up to the rear sight but I don't understand why the poeple who built these rifles would take the time to fit all the other parts so they fit just right and then turn around and mount the scope blocks in such a haphazard manner that they ended up canted or crooked.