42 U.S.M.C. Barrel, How did I do?

[paratrpr]

My first M1903 purchase. Please give me info on value and what you think of the rifle. Thanks.

SN 311,XXX RIA; 42 U.S.M.C. barrel (muzzle measures 0) with circle S, Marine Corp sights; nice stock, faint rectangular box cartouche; H on bayonet lug; checkered stock butt; original sling and cleaning tube w/ contents. Does this sound like a Marine rebuild? Thanks

Information

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[Griff Murphey]

Well it sounds like a Sedgeley barrel. Sedgeley was a small Philadelphia gunmaker near the Naval Yard that did a lot of work for the Marines. Supposedly few if any of those USMC marked 03 barrels were actually used by the Marines. Seems like the M-1 assumed pride of place in the Marines' Armory and they wound up not rebarrelling as many 03's as they had anticipated. These barrels were pretty common at one time. I remember Numrich, I think, selling them for about $42 as late as the 80's. Overnight they were gone. Nowadays they are pretty sought after. I suspect your rifle was rebarreled by a civilian. I picked up two in a lot of 3 straightened salvaged barrels from Fed Ord (not sold as such but that's what they were) in the mid 90's; kept the best, sold the one not as pretty for the price of the three barrels. Now, there are some characteristics of USMC rifles; one of the most common is a hand-stippled buttplate; and different sights, so I'd do some research; it might be a real gyrene rifle. But probably not.

[John Beard]

My first M1903 purchase. Please give me info on value and what you think of the rifle. Thanks.

SN 311,XXX RIA; 42 U.S.M.C. barrel (muzzle measures 0) with circle S, Marine Corp sights; nice stock, faint rectangular box cartouche; H on bayonet lug; checkered stock butt; original sling and cleaning tube w/ contents. Does this sound like a Marine rebuild? Thanks

Your rifle is probably a USMC rifle. But the description provided so far is not entirely convincing.

Most Sedgley USMC barrels were indeed used by the Marines. Only some real late 1944-dated USMC barrels were leftover unused after WWII.

The CMP currently sells rifles like yours for $500. With convincing USMC provenance, the value will rise in the $800-$1200 range in nice condition.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

[Lancebear]

Hey Para,

Is your bolt serialized, what type of stock does the rifle wear? Post some photos and ya' might get a whole lot more info. Good bore?

LB

[Griff Murphey]

I am glad to get John Beard's straight dope on Sedgeley barrels. That certainly raises the likelihood it is a real USMC, based on his expert opinion. There was a CA guy on the old forum who described how when the demolitioned the last of Camp Elliott and Camp Matthews (Where the WW2 Dago boots shot) a lot of the old concrete work was rebarred with those barrels and many were NEW and still had cosmoline in the bore. Outsides were bad but bores - perfect. We were talking and we remembered that old range (shot on it '75-'76; it was a Navy range only by then) and how they had old M-1 barrels in the pits holding up 2X12 retaining walls. They had 1940's and 30's junk cars in the berms between ranges and those were becoming exposed as dirt and fill eroded. Ghostly place, then. Been told it's all gone now - developed.

[paratrpr]

Thanks for your interest and time guys. The butt stock is stippled, the barrel gauges at 0, stock is Springfield, and the bolt is nickel steal SA.

Why is worth more if it is Marine rebuild? Thanks

[paratrpr]

Also has the large gas port on left side of receiver as well as smaller on right.

[paratrpr]

also, scant stock, no finger grips, two bolts, s in recess where ammo tab flips down

[John Beard]

Your additional description is more convincing. There's a very good chance that you now have a USMC-issue rifle.

USMC rifles are more desirable (and hence, more valuable) because the Marines honed their riflery skills moreso than the other services.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

[Lancebear]

Hey Para,

One more question. What are the markings on the top and bottom of the bolt handle root, the flats where it meets the body?

Lancebear