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    Legacy Member 1srelluc's Avatar
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    M1903 National Match or Clone?

    I picked-up a NM configured M1903 rifle today. I gave a clone price for it ($500) and would like some opinions.

    I figure that at best it's some type of "rescue".

    First off it does not have a star gauged barrel and the 1938 barrel does not match up with the serial....About three years off.

    Serial # 1472256

    Evidently it had Unertl blocks on it at one time.

    https://i.postimg.cc/9fgjJvWT/DSCN8818-2.jpg

    Lyman 48C rear, Lyman front sights.

    https://i.postimg.cc/76phQCxg/DSCN8821-2.jpg
    https://i.postimg.cc/7LJytKbW/DSCN8833-2.jpg

    Rear sight base marking:

    https://i.postimg.cc/MHQMW7sP/DSCN8826-2.jpg

    Stock markings and butt-plate.

    https://i.postimg.cc/MpKRhFkt/DSCN8823-2.jpg

    https://i.postimg.cc/YCZ9bntv/DSCN8828-2.jpg

    https://i.postimg.cc/dtzPfzTc/DSCN8835.jpg

    https://i.postimg.cc/Zqs1r2mQ/DSCN8827-2.jpg

    Bolt markings.

    https://i.postimg.cc/dtz39NsL/DSCN8819-2.jpg

    Polishing:

    https://i.postimg.cc/MTVJqtkr/DSCN8825-2.jpg

    The rifle.

    https://i.postimg.cc/j5KZnhw1/DSCN8834-2.jpg
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    Contributing Member rcathey's Avatar
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    That’s a hell of a price even for a fake.
    Interested hear what the experts say.

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    Legacy Member 1srelluc's Avatar
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    It's looking like it's a former USMC Special Target Sniper converted to a service rifle competition rifle.

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    Contributing Member Promo's Avatar
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    It surely seems to has USMC provenance. Will ask Steve to give his opinion.

    Edit: would you possibly post additional pictures of your rifle, showing the recoil lugs on bottom of the receiver, the inletting for the rear scope base inside the stock, as well as the magazine guard from top? Is there a small mark (like an indent) on bottom where the two holes are on the barrel?
    Last edited by Promo; 05-23-2019 at 04:05 AM.

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    Legacy Member 1srelluc's Avatar
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    Promo.....I've took it apart twice for pics so you will have to use those I took.

    I did take pics of the marks under the scope block holes when I had it down as i knew that was one of the things to look for.





    The trigger guard screws were staked as were the fixing screws on the Lyman sight.


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    Legacy Member cplstevennorton's Avatar
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    I made this comment on the CMPicon forum.

    But I think you have a National Match that was sent to the Marines as a Marine team rifle. Even though the stock has a 5, I believe this was most likely in the 1936 NM order to the Marines, possibly the 1937 shipment. But I just have a hunch it was 1936. But when the barrel was worn out at the end of a NM season the Marines re-barreled it and made it a Marine Special target.

    Then it was converted to a Unertl Sniper rifle post Jan 1943.

    Then at some point later it was built into this configuration. Which they always stamp the last four of the serial on the stock and handguard like this. Then they parked the whole bolt and clean off one little spot to electro pencil them. I haven't figured out for sure who did this, or why. But my speculation it might have been Raritan and post when the Unertl was declared obsolete and released to the Army. But I can't prove it. But I know of about a dozen of these. Some have the RA-P on the stock. One has a sales document to LetterKenny in the 50's. But all seem to be made from former Marine team or Sniper parts.

    I would love to know if the Marines built them into configuration and just released them to the Army, or the Army did some work on these as well.

    But congrats again! That is one rare rifle!

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