FJA-the man and the 1,000,000th 1903a3

[wtmr]

now some one tell me where this gun is?????? This is the guy you all see the FJA stamped on your ww2 collectibles or wished was. I am guessing the FJA stamping is on maybe 4-5,000,000 guns.. Someone here can correct me on that number-is a WAG but for starters the "FJA" was on a million 1903's maybe, a million tommys, a million 1911's and god knows how many others. It had to be the Number 1 inspector mark of ww2. No facts just a WAG!Attachment 24286Attachment 24286

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[Rick the Librarian]

So that's what Col. Atwood actually looked like ... thanks much for the interesting picture! I assume they are talking about M1903A3 4,000,000. Anyone ever found out what happened to it?

[m1903rifle]

There were two if you count the Z4,000,000 1903A4. From Brophy's book,pg.190: "Rifle serial number Z4,000,000 is a M1903A3 rifle which has a nicely engraved plate in the stock identifying it as the 1,000,000th 1903A3 rifle". Something is a little off here because Remington started making M1903's at serial number 3,000,000, and made about 365,000 of them. So, by serial number 4,000,000, there would have been only 635,000 of the M1903A3's made ( and about 99,000 of those were made by SC ). Brophy must have known where #4,000,000 was located because he used the present tense "is" instead of "was".

[wtmr]

is he dead or alive?

[wtmr]

I just found foto of the gun's stock on page 184 of Brophys book--thanks ays it is SA Acc no 6312 its inscribed on stock so am assuming the gun is in inventory at Springfield Armory Museum --maybe that is where the pistol is

[wtmr]

Attachment 24319Attachment 24318 these came from page 183 and 184 of Brophy's Springfield 1903 book--gun is evidently in inventory at Springfield ARMORY Museum. I guess I know where the orig fotos showing him getting need to go. I doubt Obama gets to melt or scrap the guns there. Hunt for that one is over maybe!

[Garandrew]

Deceased, great pic...nice wood,. and black oxide very visable on bands

[wtmr]

Just found gun on museum website. Computer catalog number is SPAR 6349

[JGaynor]

There were two if you count the Z4,000,000 1903A4. From Brophy's book,pg.190: "Rifle serial number Z4,000,000 is a M1903A3 rifle which has a nicely engraved plate in the stock identifying it as the 1,000,000th 1903A3 rifle". Something is a little off here because Remington started making M1903's at serial number 3,000,000, and made about 365,000 of them. So, by serial number 4,000,000, there would have been only 635,000 of the M1903A3's made ( and about 99,000 of those were made by SC ). Brophy must have known where #4,000,000 was located because he used the present tense "is" instead of "was".

There may be three rifles with a 4,000,000 serial number.
A standard 03A3
the "Z" marked 03-A4
the "X" marked 03-A3 rifle that was presented to Col. Atwood (SPAR 6349)

Springfield Armory Museum - Collection Record,

regards,

Jim

[Mike D]

Wow! Even the friggin' museum is guilty of photographing a cocked '03!