New 1903A3 - Can anyone with more knowledge tell me more about this example?

[browningautorifle]

does that mean this rifle was most likely not arsenal refinished

That was what we eluded to already. I've done lots of them and they look that good after.

[Orroe]

Nice looking rifle, I bet it was refurbish more recently. the stock has to be a reproduction IMO.

Owen

[Flying10uk]

Is anyone able to tell us more about the stock style, please, that is fitted to this rifle? I don't believe that it is the final version of the C type stock, is it?

[Calif-Steve]

Rifle recently re-parkerized. Stock is a Boyd's type C stock and is newly made. Someone has remade this rifle.

[Flying10uk]

Here is my Springfield 1903A3 which is U.K. deactivated. Although I think that it is probably a rebuild/parts gun I do believe that the stock is original new old stock. However, the gun came with a reproduction top hand-guard which I replaced with a nos item. I was led to believe that this was the final version of C type stock before production ceased but I am open to correction on this.

[Rick the Librarian]

The stock is not a C stock - it is called a "Scant". In WWII, the U.S. had large quantities of "straight" stock blanks. While the Type C (full pistol grip - see picture) was standard, the stock blanks were not "deep" enough to allow for a full pistol grip. To the "semi"-pistol grip stock was developed to make use of these stocks.

The original stock would have been a "straight" stock (see other picture). Remington was allowed to use straight stocks in M1903/M1903A3 production (One reason for the M1903s they produced being called "Modified".)

Type C stock:



"Straight" stock:

[Tom in N.J.]

All M1903A3 rifles left the factory with a straight stock, as shown on a M1903 in RTL's second photo. Remington M1903A4s were at first issued with a "C" type stock furnished by Springfield Armory and modified for the bolt relief by Remington. The majority of M1903A4s had "scant' stocks (with a pistol grip) furnished by contractors, and modified by Remington. Smith-Carona M1903A3s all had sub-contractor furnished straight stocks.

[twh]

In regards to the OP's rifle it has clearly been refinished and sits in what looks like a reproduction C stock as mentioned previously.

[Flying10uk]

Is a "Straight" stock and a "Scant" stock the same thing then or is there a slight difference between the two stocks? Thanks for the information chaps. There doesn't seem to be many Springfield 1903s around on this side of the pond.

[m1903rifle]

There is a great deal of difference.... the "scant" has part of a pistol grip while the straight stock is without any part of a pistol grip, i.e. it is straight on the bottom. The difference is very easy to see if they are pictured side by side. See here for pictures of the various types:

http://www.vishooter.net/m1903/1903_stockpic.jpg