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    What Have I Got?

    Hi All,

    Here are a bunch of pictures of an M1903A3 I inherited:

    http://linxnet.com/misc/guns/03A3/

    The -sm pictures are bandwidth-friendly, scaled-down versions. The -lg ones are the original, full-size (some very large) ones.

    Wondering what the various cartouches, stamps, etc. mean, any dating information, your assessment of its condition (near as you can tell from my amateur photography , and what the rifle may be worth.

    I'd posted this question on the old Joustericon forums last summer, but, fool that I am, I neglected to make note of the answers and now that forum's data is no more. All I remember was something about the bolt being one of the more rare ones and nobody knowing what the "SS" cartouche meant. IIRC, estimates at the time were $550 to $750 for its value?

    I apologize for asking y'all the same thing all over again , and appreciate your help.

    Thanks!
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    First, your "flaw in stock" is not a flaw. It is a reinforcing pin; the stock looks very nice.

    The barrel markings are for Remington Arms and the date the barrel was made, probably a month or more before the rifle was assembled.

    The FJA is for Col. Frank J. Atwood, the head of the Rochester Ordnance District, in which Remington's Ilion, NY plant was located. His initials, used to indicate that the item passed inspection, are also seen on Smith-Corona M1903A3's, on Ithaca and Remington-Rand M1911A1's and shotguns, and on jeeps and trucks made in that district.

    The OG is part of the marking indicating an inspection and possibly a rebuild at the Ogden, Utah depot. It probably means that the rifle was one sold through the old DCM program, since rifles to be sold to civilians were inspected and proof tested (even if brand new) before sale.

    Given the quality and the serial number, I doubt the rifle was rebuilt. It is more likely that your rifle was never issued. The program to make more M1903 rifles was launched at a time when M1icon rifles were in short supply. While many M1903's went overseas, eventually M1 production exceeded demand, and the last M1903 (by then M1903A3) rifles went from factory directly to storage. Many thousands, brand new, were sold to NRA members through the Director of Civilian Marksmanship.

    P.S. Many thanks for the small pics. I am on a dial up line and appreciate not having to wait an hour to see them.

    Jim
    Last edited by Jim K; 03-15-2009 at 05:23 PM.

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    Seamus,

    Nice 03-A3. It has been rebuilt as evidence by all the blued parts are now parkerized. I have one that looks exactly like it and it's my favorite shooter. They are very accurate. Have you shot yours yet?

    I do have one that's original. Hopefuly you can see the blued parts in the photo below.


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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim K View Post
    First, your "flaw in stock" is not a flaw. It is a reinforcing pin; the stock looks very nice.
    I know about the reinforcing pin. I'm talking about the line running from there, aft. A friend spotted that, and thought it might be a crack.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim K View Post
    The OG is part of the marking indicating an inspection and possibly a rebuild at the Ogden, Utah depot.
    Previous comments, in the old Joustericon forum thread, was that it was rebuilt, IIRC.

    I just remembered something from the old thread: The bolt is a Smith Corona bolt, denoted by the "X" on the top of the bolt handle.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim K View Post
    It probably means that the rifle was one sold through the old DCM program, since rifles to be sold to civilians were inspected and proof tested (even if brand new) before sale.
    My father bought this rifle, perhaps before I was born. Possibly not long after the end of WWII, when he served. It was one of two--the other of which he had sporterized, which became his hunting rifle. This one sat in closets or the attic, untouched and forgotten, until I inherited it a few years ago.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim K View Post
    Given the quality and the serial number, I doubt the rifle was rebuilt. It is more likely that your rifle was never issued.
    From the looks of the bolt face, it was almost certainly never fired.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim K View Post
    P.S. Many thanks for the small pics. I am on a dial up line and appreciate not having to wait an hour to see them.
    I'm on a fairly low-bandwidth connection, myself, so I'm with you on that one .

    Thanks for the feedback!

    Btw: I see people talking about the number of grooves in the barrel. Of what significance is that?

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    Quote Originally Posted by cafdfw View Post
    Seamus,

    Nice 03-A3.
    Thanks.

    Quote Originally Posted by cafdfw View Post
    It has been rebuilt as evidence by all the blued parts are now parkerized.
    You guys are jogging my memory . Yes, I recall a comment about it being parkerized from the old thread--about that and the SC bolt indicating it had been rebuilt.

    IIRC, some were rebuilt w/o ever having been issued in the first place?

    Quote Originally Posted by cafdfw View Post
    Have you shot yours yet?
    No, I have not.

    Quote Originally Posted by cafdfw View Post
    I do have one that's original. Hopefuly you can see the blued parts in the photo below.
    Yes, I can. Thanks! And thanks for the feedback.

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    Your rifle is a very nice arsenal overhaul that has probably not been fired since it was reworked and refininshed. I own a really nice Remington '03A3 mixmaster in about the same condition as yours.

    Originally Remington made M1903A3 barrels with four grooves. Later the four groove barrels were phased out in favor of two groove barrels that were simpler to manufacture. These barrels had no appreciable difference in accuracy than the four groove ones, at least at normal combat ranges. My two groove Remington '03A3 is the most accurate Mil Surp. rifle I own. Smith Corona didn't make rifles with two groove barrels as I recall. I understand some S.C. rifles have been found with six groove barrels.

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    Seamus,

    You have a very interesting rifle. For your information, Smith-Corona was issued the serial number block extending from S/N 3608000 through S/N 3707999. And Remington was issued the serial number block resuming with S/N 3708000.

    Smith-Corona, however, overran their serial number block by several thousand rifles. So your rifle is one having a duplicate serial number with a Smith-Corona rifle. The error was caught and Smith-Corona was ordered to stamp a "C"-prefix in front of their serial numbers.

    So, your rifle is an interesting anomaly. Hope this helps.

    J.B.

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    Front Sight

    Seamus,

    I was looking through your photos again and noticed this one that says "top of front sight".



    You probably already know this, but just in case, on 03-A3's that is a protective cover only and not intended to be left on when shooting. There's very little space between the cover and the top of the sight blade.
    I used to keep sight covers on both of my 03-A3's for display, but finally left them off because removing/installing started to leave wear on the barrel finish doing more harm than good.

    I hope you're able to get out and shoot yours soon. I think you'll love it even more!

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    Quote Originally Posted by John Beardicon View Post
    Seamus,

    So your rifle is one having a duplicate serial number with a Smith-Corona rifle.
    Hi John,

    Thanks for reminding me of that. I'd forgotten all about it! I'm pretty sure you asked me for the full serial number for your project and I sent it along.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cafdfw View Post
    Seamus,
    You probably already know this, but just in case, on 03-A3's that is a protective cover only and not intended to be left on when shooting.
    I honestly did not know that. Thanks for that information, cafdfw.

    Quote Originally Posted by cafdfw View Post
    I hope you're able to get out and shoot yours soon. I think you'll love it even more!
    This is going to sound like blasphemy here, no doubt , but I'm really not much of a "rifle guy." Combat pistol and shooting clays are more to my liking.

    I do really like this rifle. I've probably set out 3-4 times to sell it, and never been able to quite bring myself to do so. But I've never been one for safe queens, either, and it seems a shame to just leave it sitting there. That's the reason for my inquiries: With an eye toward establishing its value. A firearm ought to have a home where it gets to go out an play, occasionally, IMO.

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