Help! - Question on a 1903A3 purchase

[Kestrel]

I found a 1903A3 in seemlingly excellent condition. I'm wondering if it was a refurbished job. Here are the particulars:

- It is a Remington

- The barrel is remington and is marked with a 42 and has a "P" stamped on it.

- The barrel has two grooves

- The receiver's parkerization is green. The bolt is black. Does that sound right? (The barrel might have been green, too - I don't remember - or, maybe it was the front barel band that was green, I don't know...)

- The receiver says 03A3. The serial # is: 3831xxx

- It has a hooded front sight, rear peep sight on the receiver

- It has a straight stock

- The front band/bayonet lug assembly looks milled

- It has the Hatcher hole (?) in the side of the receiver

- Looks very little used

It was a consignment gun and the guy wanted $750 at first, but said he would take $500 (he's been trying to sell it for a long time.)

Is this serial number later than when they had heat treat problems? Any idea on when this was made?

How can I tell if it had been refurbished?

Thanks for any help,
Steve

 

[Gewehr98]

If it's a 1903A3...

Which is easy to check, namely, having the peep sight on the rear receiver ring as opposed to the earlier 1903 and 1903A1's tangent sight on the barrel, then yes, it's WELL PAST the time of heat treat troubles. Those troubles are confined to low-number 1903's of WWI vintage, namely, Springfield 1903's with serial numbers below 800,001 (February 1918), and Rock Island 1903's with serial numbers below 285,507 (May 1918)

The two-groove barrel is also a WWII production item, it was developed as a means to expedite and economize on barrel rifling techniques. A two-groove 1903A3 barrel, when within intended tolerances, will shoot every bit as well as it's four-groove siblings, don't let that scare you.

The hooded front sight is a removable sheet metal sight protector, usually removed in the field.

Your receiver's serial number range dates to 1942 manufacture. Production for the Remington 1903A3 started earlier in 1942 with serial number 3348086. The fact that your barrel is stamped 1942 bodes well for it's being original to the gun.

 

[Kestrel]

gewehr,

Thanks for the info. Is there anything I can look for to see if it's been refurbished or is original?

What is a reasonable price for it?

Thanks again,
Steve

 

[Gewehr98]

Steve, unfortunately, there's a LOT to look for...

Cartouches on the stock, stamped lettering on the bolt handle, type of buttplate, manufacturer ID of stamped floorplate (it should be a stamped, non-removable triggerguard/floorplate assembly, otherwise it was borrowed from an earlier 1903) stamped barrel band and nosecap, etc. As these guns were arsenal rebuilt, parts from other rifles may have found their way onto that one, don't forget that Smith Corona made the 1903A3, too. I've seen several 1903A3's that have earlier milled magazine followers, it seems to have been a common swap item. But from just what you described, that 1903A3 is in GENERAL issue configuration. How's the bore? Has it been headspace checked?

 

[Kestrel]

The bore looks great. The front barrel band I think looked milled. (When I say front barrel band, I'm talking about the part that has the bayonet lug on it. Don't know if my terminology is right or not.)

I just don't know what to make of it. I'm not an expert and don't know how to assess this gun.

Steve