Inherited an M1903 from my father

[Rick the Librarian]

If a 5-42 barrel, it is almost certain to br original. Barrel dates tended to be as much as three months "older" than the indicated manufacture date of the rifle.

[Chuckindenver]

couple things...you have the term Clip and Magazine cunfused.. a clip holds the ammo in line to be feed into the box magazine..
a detachable magazine holds ammo, and can be installed and removed into the weapon.
te 1903, has a small guide notch to hold a clip {stripper clip} with the cut off ON, and the bolt all the way back, ammo is pushed from the clip into the rifle, and the clip is then removed.
second...the stock ...originaly came from a Springfield model of 1922. .22LR, a 1903 will fit obviously, however, the 22 cal stock has no recoil bolts installed..and they in time may crack or split, what i and others have done, is glass bed the action area to prevent this..your rifle may have already had this done..
originally your rifle was in in a standard S stock, with handguard and metal hardwear.

[res2fr]

Thanks chuckindenver and everyone else... I will have to tear this rifle down to see if it has had the glass bedding done to the action if not I'll read up on what/how to do this and maybe apply this to the rifle. I've not researched enough to even know which models use which clips and which ones will use a magazine.
I first decided to try checking things out here because my rifle looked different than any I could find and I read the following and wondered could this have been an official Mod. of some kind:

The Unmatched Match Rifle (Oops!)
Model 1903A3 National Match
National Match competition resumed in 1953 after interruptions by WW2 and the Korean War, but no National Match rifles had been made since the 1930s. Popular belief was that the M1 Garand could never be made into a match grade rifle. Therefore, Ordnance Officers hoped that some of the thousands of unissued M1903A3 rifles on hand could be easily converted for use as National Match grade rifles. Only 140 out of a planned 200 rifles were modified in 1954, when it was pointed out that the basic design was useless! Although using the finest micrometer target sights available, the specified mounting location allowed the choice of two sight positions. In one, the sight interfered with bolt operation. The other prevented use of stripper clips needed for loading during rapid fire. Springfield engineers quickly (and quietly) stopped this project before embarrassing themselves further.

I am very thankful for all that I have learned already and will keep digging into this, learning, cleaning the rifle up and doing what I can to improve it and plan to keep this in the family as long as I'm around..
Thanks again.

[Chuckindenver]

your rifle is a 1903 Remington ...not a 1903A3 Remington.. and not a 1903A3 NM...

[Mike D]

Poor mans match rifle. I want one!

[Rick the Librarian]

M1903s were very common and relative cheap back in the 1950s and 1960s. In many cases, the new civilian owner sporterized them. There was (and still is, to a certain extent) a large number of aftermarket parts (rear sights, stocks, etc.) available to customize M1903s.

[DeputyBill]

Poor mans match rifle. I want one!

I agree!

I'd be proud to own it!
A nice example of what it is -& isn't!

[res2fr]

I appreciate all the feedback that I've gotten about this rifle. I have another question that may belong elsewhere on this forum but I'm not sure so here goes. I assume that the redfield sight that is on this rifle needs an Aperature which seems to be missing. Does anyone know what model this is as I'm trying to find this part, if it is truly needed. Here's the sight again.Attachment 33579Attachment 33580

[Calif-Steve]

I'm thinking the Redfield parts are standard and around. Any of the very large gunshows will have rear sight guys with your part. That is how I would go. It would help if you bring the rifle with you.

[Emri]

Aperature thread size is pretty much standard. Brownells has them.

World's Largest Supplier of Gun Parts, Gunsmith Tools & Shooting Accessories - Brownells


Emri