Markings for 1903A3

Hi everyone,

New member and I have looked through the internet and have had trouble find good information on markings/stamps on the parts of 1903A3. Only referring to metal parts, not stocks. The receiver and barrel are marked very obviously but unlike my M1 Garand and M1917, the parts don't have much and the one that do have some markings are cryptic. Does anyone have a site they have found or know about the differences. From what I have been able to tell so far, the barrel bands are from 1903s and not 1903A3s. Thanks. Tom

 

Pics would help.
A3s were only made by Remington and Smith Corona, and will normally have stamped bottom metal and barrel bands, as well as smooth butt plates. Since Remington also made regular 1903s prior to the simplified A3, they would have had quantities of milled parts to use up when assembling the early A3s. Some A3s could have also had milled parts fitted during arsenal reconditioning.
Remington parts usually have a tiny "R" stamped on them somewhere, and NS on the bolts for Nickel Steel. The barrels will also have the manufacturer and date stamped on it.

 

Fun fact, many A3s use 2-groove rifling as well. Mine does and it is one of my most accurate centerfire rifles!

 

Thanks. I know the info on the receiver and barrel. That is marked clearly. I have a Remington September '43 receiver and an August '43, 2-groove barrel. It is definitely a rebuild and has a very nice unmarked C stock. I was able to easily identify all the part and look them up for my M1 Garand. The 03A3 seems to not be as clear on markings and where to find information. Got it all cleaned up and we shall see how it performs. Barrel looks really good.

 

Hi Gary, by aftermarket, do you mean modern replacement parts? Nothing looks like any parts you would get that were repros. Definitely looks like original replacement parts but just a mishmash of different things. I was able to determine the buttplate is SC. The bolt I think is definitely a frankenstein of parts.

 

I tried making this rifle as "correct" as I could, given that I installed a new WW2 period barrel



The upper and lower band are milled, the trigger guard is milled, the stock is WW2, the receiver and bolt are more or less pre War. The bolt stop is not MK1. It has a smooth bolt, the cocking piece is WW2, but that is what it took to get a crisp final release.




I don't remember the history, or when I purchased this M1903A3



I am quite sure the pistol grip stock is one I found. I have a couple of scant grip stocks. Straight grip stocks are too short for me! I might have even installed a new four groove barrel. I think I was told by a M1903 expert that original barrel bands were blued. So ones that are parkerized went through a rebuild program. I handed that expert a M1903A3 that I was sure was all correct and original, because the thing was so new when I purchased it. Nope, it had been through a rebuild program. This guy could identify parts by contours and tooling characteristics. When he identified this part as Smith Corona, and this one as Remington (but no "R"), hell if I know what he was looking at. Generally Remington parts have a "R" stamped on them. But not all.

I was able to purchase two, new, early WW2 production smooth Remington M1903 bolts. This is one





now here is where the bolt identification differs. The other bolt has all these inprocess stamping, and also has an "R" on the root



I saved the stamp bolt for trading as the R clearly proves who made it. Collectors want irrefutable authenticity. The thing is, these rifles were made in war time. The highest priority was to get them out the door. No American military weapon was ever built in consideration of meeting collector's aspirations 50 years after they were declared obsolete and surplussed. I have met Garand collectors who are very dogmatic as to what constitutes a correct Garand. They agree maybe 90% on part identification. One bud who spent months working at CMP when it was at Anniston Army Depot, mentioned that the collector books are frequently wrong. Collector books are based on examination of existing specimens, and prior to the huge influx of Garands, etc, by the CMP, the number to be examined was limited. To those who were pulling Greek lend lease out of original 1950's shipping cases, they saw things that the book authors never would. One I remember was that the books stated that Springfield Armory barrels on H&R receivers were considered "incorrect". And then thousands of new H&R Garands came in from Greece with new SA barrels. Obviously H&R needed barrels, and purchased them from Springfield Armory. That would of course be anathema to a collector, right? Collectors would insist on purity, never shall a SA part touch a H&R Garand. Well what mattered at the time, was getting Garands out the door, and as long as the things went bang at the end of the production line, it did not matter whose parts were on the thing. Of course H&R had to pay for those barrels, one way or another. In fact, H&R might have conducted a "Make or Buy" decision, and found SA barrels were cheaper to buy, than for H&R to make them. Corporations are really nasty in this regard. If they can make more profit buying something, than making it, they will preferentially buy. And that means the inhouse shop who is losing business to outside corporations is at real risk of going away. Pink slip Friday!

I understand the desire for authenticity. With the old weapons, having one that is exactly as it is when it left the factory is a real treat. Except when I shot the things in old bolt gun matches, and then what mattered most was function, accuracy, ergonomics. And I was quite happy to sideline straight grip or scant grip stocks for pistol grip. I would swap strikers and sears. Trade worn rear sights for one with positive clicks. Etc, etc. I also replaced worn barrels with new ones. I made sure to purchase new M1903 and M1903A3 barrels when I came across them. I don't have an all original or all correct M1903 or M1903A3. I don't think I ever had one to start with.

The thing is, does your rifle go bang and does it place the bullet where you aimed. If it does, its a good rifle. The narrative you want, of all correct and authentic, its just a story in your head.

 

Great summation of the situation. I want guns that I can use and perform well. I don’t need them to be sub moa but I want them to be good shooters. And that is why I jumped on the 03A3 I have now. I knew from pics and talking to the seller it was a rebuild and the C stock was unmarked. But the receiver and barrel looked in excellent condition so I figure it had a good chance to be a good shooter. I don’t buy for collector value but I am always interested in the back story and how things happened with these things. I have not had a chance to shoot it yet but I have a feeling I’m going to have to play with the stock to get it to bed correctly. Whoever did the inletting on the rear lug cut out too much wood and doesn’t seem the barrel has enough upward pressure. I had this same issue with my M1917 and had to mess with it a fair bit to get it shooting correctly.

 

CMP forums is the best place I know to get abundant information on these veteran rifles!

My 1943 Remington 03-A3 is original. 2-groove barrel is amazingly accurate.
Someone over at the CMP forums can likely shed some light on the bolt markings





The left hand shot was the first shot, cold bore after purchasing the rifle at CMP South store. I moved it 2-clicks right to center the group.
The load is a 155gr Amax over 48.0gr of H4895 in OFB Federal from GM Match ammo. CCI LRP, seated to 3.250”. They were for my M1 Garand , a CMP Special with a Criterion barrel. I medaled in the Garand match BTW.

My dad carried an identical rifle in WWII. Claimed he never even fired it. He was an MP and either directed traffic or escorted prisoners.
My brothers and I never understood why he chose the O3-A3 when he could have carried anything.
He told an uncle that he only qualified with a Thompson SMG, and it was 20+lbs with ammo. Some officer would have taken a M1 carbine, but no body ever bothered his Springfield. He said besides, it made a better club!

There’s and old saying;
The Germans made a hunting rife (KAR M98 Mauser),
The Americans built a Target rifle,
The Brits built a Battle Rifle (#4M1 Enfield!

I’m also fond of my 1943 Fazerkerly #4Mk1 !

 

Well, I finally got my 03A3 out yesterday and it is a shooter!!! Thank God. You never know until you shoot it. I still need to adjust it and develop some handloads for it to get it in its best state. I disassembled and cleaned and put it back together and it shot factory M2 ball at 2 MOA. I was also able to find the sweet load for my M1917, 180gr BT with 47gr of IMR4064. Couldn't get 168gr BTs to group well past 100yds.