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Thread: Need help. whats the value of this 1903 sniper?

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  1. #11
    Legacy Member enfield303t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by browningautorifleicon View Post
    But didn't come here to tell us...wonder if he'll ever come back?
    He came here as I told him on the other site this was the place to get a honest opinion on the gun. Knowing nothing on that gun thought the guys here would be the best source of information and I was right.
    Why use a 50 pound bomb when a 500 pound bomb will do?

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  4. #12
    Legacy Member daveboy's Avatar
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    Yes, sure giveaway is that on the real deal there is no data blocked by the scope mount. So, the rifle is a forgery.
    Also, the scope is a Weaver 330 which is the correct model EXCEPT that is the civilian version. The military version had thumbwheels to adjust, whereas the civilian version needed a screwdriver.

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  7. #13
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by daveboy View Post
    sure giveaway is that on the real deal there is no data blocked by the scope mount
    An excellent rule of thumb even for novice to know.

    Quote Originally Posted by daveboy View Post
    the scope is a Weaver 330 which is the correct model EXCEPT that is the civilian version. The military version had thumbwheels to adjust, whereas the civilian version needed a screwdriver.
    Another excellent way to tell and one that would be overlooked by novice.
    Regards, Jim

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    Advisory Panel tiriaq's Avatar
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    It seems that the OP was here today, but didn't comment in this thread.

    I think that as a general rule of thumb, because of the substantial premium that sniper rifles can bring, it is best to assume one is a fake or clone until it is proven otherwise.

    As far as simulated 03A4s go, I acquired a badly bubba'd sported A3. A friend helped out with a scant stock, and I got the metal bits to put it together from GPC. The receiver already had more holes that a slice of Swissicon, so I didn't feel bad about mounting a Redfield base, and a Weaver 330. Resembles an 03A4, and has all the non-original tells that the rifle in this thread exhibits.
    As scopes go, a 330 is pretty basic. But the rifle shoots very well. I've tried it on Larue self resetting targets back to 300m. No problem knocking them down.

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    Legacy Member cplstevennorton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by daveboy View Post
    The military version had thumbwheels to adjust, whereas the civilian version needed a screwdriver.
    You are really correct for the A4. All the A4 pics I have seen in the Army docs from WWII have been the type with the thumbwheel. But what has suprised me is the huge amount of the silent screw type weavers, or whatever they call them in the Army and Marine docs.

    Other than the A4, almost all Weaver scopes I see in the actual sniper docs are considered commercial.

    I'm only going to include two pics, one from the Garandicon sniper testing. And one from a sniper Carbine testing. But I have much better pics of these and pics of these type of scopes on other rifles such as the Johnson rifles for the Marines, and M70 WRA's for the Army, and the M1903 for the MArines.

    But those documents I didn't find at the archives, and I think it would be sort of crappy for me to post the pics, since I'm not the one who found them. But these two below I found , so I feel like I can share them.

    So I do have pics of these type of scopes in the military. And at least for the Marines, I had documents of them ordering both the commercial 330 Weaver and 440 weaver in 1940.

    I've never seen one on a A4 pic from WWII, and I have a lot of A4 docs. But it seems like every other sniper program, I have pics of them being used on. So it does appear the military did have some of this style.



    Last edited by cplstevennorton; 03-20-2018 at 06:26 PM.

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  12. #16
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Perhaps local purchase for testing?
    Regards, Jim

  13. #17
    Advisory Panel tiriaq's Avatar
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    I suspect the 330 was used because it was available. What was the Brit reaction to the No. 4 rifle/330 scope combination? "The sight might be suitable for a miniature rifle" or some such dismissive response.

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    Legacy Member Neal Myers's Avatar
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    The scope is an M8, not a 330. According to Bruce Canfield, the War Dept ordered the M8 scopes with the post & reticle crosshairs, & the knob adjustments. Reasoning was, a screw driver wasn't needed to adjust the scope.

    I have seen several M8's with screw adjustments, like the one seen here, that looked unmolested. I would guess that it took extra time for Weaver to get knobs made, & the War Dept accepted the first batch with screw adjustments because the need for scopes was critical. (There were would be no reason for a subsequent civilian owner to remove the knobs.)

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    Legacy Member Randy A's Avatar
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    Weaver made scopes that carried both the 330 and M8 markings (on the same scope). M8 can be found in pretty much every combination that the 330 marked scopes were, S (silent, slotted adjustment) and C (click, with finger knobs) and both post and crosshair reticle. I will say I haven't seen much in the post reticle on the 330 marked models though. But then again these have been around a long time and were refurbished quite a bit.
    I do know the Navy had used several weaver models made at the time. They had the M29/29S/329 (same scopes), 330 and as Steve mentioned the 440 but any Navy ones I've seen were the S (screw slot). These were used on bore sighting fixtures. I've had a few of these models and had an opportunity to buy repair parts for them that were still in military marked packages.... been kicking myself for a long time over that one. Anyhow, would be nice to find docs of the 440C use on A4 since those were easier to get than the 330C/M73B1 I might still have a couple.

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  18. #20
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    For the OP - I would suggest a valuation of not more than $600.00 US for a badly done M1903A3. The scope, mount base, and probably the stock and bolt are all fakes or bad reproductions; the bayonet band is off an 03.

    The Weaver "330 Scope-M.8" was a commercial scope. Probably prewar left over merchandise scrounged up by Weaver. Early in 43 Weaver was rushing to make deliveries to Ordnance so Remington could complete the rifles. They acquired as many unsold 330 style scopes from their domestic distribution channels as they could.

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