"Bataan" M1903s from Federal Ordnance from 1991 - ad

[Rick the Librarian]

Some time ago, I posted about some "Bataan" M1903s that had been sold by Federal Ordnance over 25 years ago and sought some input. I was told that they had been imported from the Philippines but had been refinished and totally rebuilt.

On the M1903 Facebook page, someone posted an ad they saw in a 1991 issue of "Man at Arms" Magazine and this was the ad I remember. I saw it in a "pulp" magazine about WWii. The rifle sold for $599 and bayonets at $97.00. I thought the price was $800, but was obviously mistaken.

There was no finish left and my friend John Beard said a couple of parts had been replaced. There were 879 of them and they were sold with the usual "certificate of authenticity" and even a brass plate. Of course, the only thing that was certain was that they came from the Philippines. They could have been left by American troops in 1944-45 or imported at a later time.

However, if any of you happen to know someone who bought one of these and still has one, especially with proof they came from this lot, I would be GREATLY interested!!

Information

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[browningautorifle]

I remember those and the story attached at the time. Hard to actually say who did what from then. Just where they came from. If serial numbers were recorded then great, if not then they could crop up anywhere...

[Rick the Librarian]

It was reported, more or less authoritatively, that F.O. did get rifles from the Philippines. Under what circumstances and where, are, of course, not known.

[browningautorifle]

It was reported, more or less authoritatively, that F.O. did get rifles from the Philippines.

I saw that part and the initial survey of the rifles made that very easy to believe.

[can14&]

I was involved in trying to get m1 grand rifles from the Philippines a few years ago. Spent two years without
results! While we were at it, the military,under advise from US military, was cutting 1903s,1917s, tsmgs,m1
carbines,m1 garand, local made licensed copies of m16s into three pieces with chop saws. 8 hours a day
in a storage depot. I don't think there are many left. Thought about buying it for parts salvage, but they wanted
to truck it out.

[Rick the Librarian]

I would be interested in buying one of the 1991 imports - I think hoping those still over there get imported is a "siren song" that will probably never be answered.[COLOR="black"]

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[browningautorifle]

I actually located a M1903 from a private owner in the Philippines

As in a battlefield pickup?

[Rick the Librarian]

We didn't get that far - the gent had just agreed to sell it. But I checked with a couple of places who specialized in importing rifles from abroad and they said importing a military rifle from the Philippines was nigh on impossible.

[browningautorifle]

Too bad, I remember the others you spoke of and didn't even question their authenticity at the time, they looked the part. A pickup from over there is about scarce as hen's teeth.

[RCS]

Maybe some records will surface indicating 1903 serial numbers with Philippine service ? There was a partial list of 1903 serial numbers from those rifles recovered on Wake Island after the Japanese surrender in 1945