Howdy all,

First time poster, and never saw this board before today. But I have a question that ya'll might be able to help with.

I am not a 1903 guy, but do have quite a few other milsurp rifles. Today at a local gun shop I ran across a 1903 that does not (to my untrained eye) make sense. My only reference is "The Model 1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations", Joe Poyer, and, of course, the net.

The rifle is being called a "Hilux USMC Sniper" at the shop, it is not being represented as a true WW II USMC rifle, but it is configured roughly as one would be. It looks like it might be a decent shooter, with a USMC Sniper configuration. I strongly suspect it is a gun assembled out of parts. But the price is not bad at all for a shooter.

The receiver is supposed to be a Rock Island. Because of the scope mount I cannot see all of the markings, but I can see that it does appear (half of the letters visible) to say Rock Island. I cannot see the original RI serial number.

The barrel is an SA from 11-42. Good rifling if a little frosted. Crown is quite nice.

The rifle appears to have a 1905 front and rear sight on it.

The stock is a decent condition Scant grip. The barrel bands, sling swivels, and stacking swivel are all a variety of different types.

It has a Wm. Malcolm scope marked "USMC - SNIPER" that looks like a copy of a Unertl.

The serial number is very odd. As I said above, the scope mount obscures the original RI serial. But on the right side, about where the serial of a real sniper rifle would be, is a number that does not match anything I have found. The serial number appears to be "SF100XX" very nicely done in a font that obviously does not match anything else on the rifle. Because of where and how this is done it leads me to believe this is not a home assembled parts rifle or if so this serial was in place before the parts got mixed together.

I am considering this rifle as a shooter and a curiosity. If it is indeed an assemble gun from parts it obviously has no value other than that. The price reflects that (only slightly more than the new cost of the scope that is on it). My questions are, what to pay attention to when looking at such an assembled rifle? What is up with that serial number, and does it match any known assemble rifles?

Thanks,

T!
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