Punch mark

[Turk36]

Greetings fellers; Can anyone tell me what a punch mark on the shelf below the serial # means ? gun is #825259 , thanks

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[John Beard]

Greetings fellers; Can anyone tell me what a punch mark on the shelf below the serial # means ? gun is #825259 , thanks

It means the rifle has been overhauled and re-proofed.

J.B.

[Turk36]

Thanks John

[Mike Haas]

It means the rifle has been overhauled and re-proofed.

J.B.

JB - I'm confused again by your answer. I thought the "punch mark" indicated the reciever had been proofed and accepted for use. Multiple "punch" marked indicated rebuild and re-proof.

I note that the OP was asking about a 1903 receiver so my question now goes to 03-A3's (Rem. & SC). I have 4 Remingtons, all of which have the single "punch" mark. One of which I believe to be completely original and one that I know has been re-barrelled. I also have a SC (very late) that has been overhauled without barrel change (RIA stock Stamp (L/Rear) with one "Punch' mark on the receiver.

What gives??

[John Beard]

JB - I'm confused again by your answer. I thought the "punch mark" indicated the reciever had been proofed and accepted for use. Multiple "punch" marked indicated rebuild and re-proof.

I note that the OP was asking about a 1903 receiver so my question now goes to 03-A3's (Rem. & SC). I have 4 Remingtons, all of which have the single "punch" mark. One of which I believe to be completely original and one that I know has been re-barrelled. I also have a SC (very late) that has been overhauled without barrel change (RIA stock Stamp (L/Rear) with one "Punch' mark on the receiver.

What gives??

Turk's rifle is S/N 825259. At the time his rifle was originally manufactured during WWI, the practice of placing a prick punch proof mark on the receiver ledge had not been adopted. So, the presence of such a mark on his rifle's receiver ledge indicates that his rifle went through overhaul years later after the practice had been put in place.

Your '03-A3's were manufactured a number years after the practice of placing a prick punch mark on the receiver ledge had been put in place. So, your '03-A3's properly have the prick punch mark. The prick punch mark is an original factory proof mark.

Except in one particular case, rifles going through overhaul did NOT receive additional prick punch proof marks on the receiver ledge. One was deemed sufficient.

For reasons yet to be discovered, a branch of military service adopted a policy of placing three prick punch marks on the receiver ledge during overhaul. The three prick punch marks are NOT an indication of multiple overhauls. The three prick punch marks are thought to be overhaul subinspection marks and not necessarily proof marks. In any case, the three prick punch marks were placed simultaneously in a single event and NOT over a period of time.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

[Normanclature]

I believe that when serial #825259 was first assembled, Springfield Armory was not putting the punch mark on the receiver shelf. Mr. Beard's answer is correct but specific. He will correct me if I am wrong.

[Normanclature]

OOps. John Beard's answer came as I was composing my reply and was more detailed.

[irishsteve]

Question on punch marks of my own.The flaming bomb on my SC 03a3 has a punch mark in the center.I figured it was a proof mark.I also have a new in wrap 9-43 03a3 RA barrel with the punch mark in the bomb.Its never been on a rifle,and is short chambered so its not likely it was test fired in some way.Is this also some sort of proof?

[Johnny Peppers]

Springfield Armory used a punch mark on the 1911 pistols when the first ones went back through for rebuild. Later they used the SA stamp. When Springfield was building the National Match pistols in the 1950's and 60's they again used the punch mark, but it does not appear on every NM pistol.
Can't speak for the 1903 barrels, but all the 1911 pistol barrels were proof fired in a fixture before they were assembled into a pistol, where they were proofed again.
These punch marks are on a 1961 Springfield NM pistol. The P proof on the frame and slide was from the original assembly of the pistol.

[John Beard]

Question on punch marks of my own.The flaming bomb on my SC 03a3 has a punch mark in the center.I figured it was a proof mark.I also have a new in wrap 9-43 03a3 RA barrel with the punch mark in the bomb.Its never been on a rifle,and is short chambered so its not likely it was test fired in some way.Is this also some sort of proof?

The punch mark in the ordnance bomb is a proof mark to indicate that the barrel was proof tested as part of an assembled rifle. And that's documented.

However, large numbers of new Remington late barrels such as yours have the prick punch marks, thereby suggesting that the prick punch mark meaning may have changed in 1943 or 1944. But, no documentation has been found to indicate a change in meaning.

FWIW.

J.B.