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1903 Remington how original is it?


buzzbomb
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My Remington 1903a3 is 3385877 with a barrel date 12/42. my Remington o3 that is bought as a action only is 3136298 I had a SA 9/42 barrel put on it, but I have purchased a new barrel from CMP because the SA barrel was over cleaned from the muzzle

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Hi Buzzbomb.

 

How is your 03 going? I am a bit of a fan of the 03 and am also from NZ, and I know the difficulty of finding parts (and rifles). Is your barrel original? published observed examples show dates of 8-10 '42 dated barrels though your rifle is from the beginning of Nov 42.

 

Does your rifle have any cartouches on the left side of the stock by the receiver, also is there a 'P' proof just forward of the magazine? this can help indicate whether the rifle was rebuilt in service or not.

 

Other clues to Remington originality are 'R' marks on the bayonet and sling bands, and most small parts like the cutoff, trigger, and buttplate (which was originally smooth)

 

Before you re-Remington, bear in mind that you could quite well have a military rebuild and that is also something worth collecting, I 'originalised' my 1918 RIA, then many years later learned that the particular vice marks on the barrel were indicative of USMC service, so I dug out the parts I took off and reinstalled them!

 

I have a spare of the sight sleeve knob (R marked) but wont be back in NZ for a few months.

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post-164245-0-52834900-1479831679.jpg

 

Exploring photo posting on this site now.

 

This is my Remington, it is a very early one Sn 3007000 ish, 12-41 and from the NZ shipment in '42 regrettably the original grasping groove stock with the NZ mark is cutown and heavily thinned and i'm not sure if I can save it.

 

 

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Hi Buzzbomb.

 

How is your 03 going? I am a bit of a fan of the 03 and am also from NZ, and I know the difficulty of finding parts (and rifles). Is your barrel original? published observed examples show dates of 8-10 '42 dated barrels though your rifle is from the beginning of Nov 42.

 

Does your rifle have any cartouches on the left side of the stock by the receiver, also is there a 'P' proof just forward of the magazine? this can help indicate whether the rifle was rebuilt in service or not.

 

Other clues to Remington originality are 'R' marks on the bayonet and sling bands, and most small parts like the cutoff, trigger, and buttplate (which was originally smooth)

 

Before you re-Remington, bear in mind that you could quite well have a military rebuild and that is also something worth collecting, I 'originalised' my 1918 RIA, then many years later learned that the particular vice marks on the barrel were indicative of USMC service, so I dug out the parts I took off and reinstalled them!

 

I have a spare of the sight sleeve knob (R marked) but wont be back in NZ for a few months.

Hi and thanks for your great informative reply. Yip original barrel dated 10-42. It's about 7 out of 10. Mine has a smooth buttplate and lots of R's everywhere. I can't find any markings on the trigger gaurd assembly? It is stamped with small trigger guard.

Wow that's a beautiful o3 you have there! They are hard little buggers to find down here.

 

The spare part you have would be much appreciated if it is available for purchase soon. Please PM bud

 

Regards

Matt

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Look at the two notches ( L&R) of your stock at the receiver level.

This indicate that your scanted stock has been originaly made for a 1903A3 rifle but can also accomodate a regular 1903

The 1903A3 has the sight mounted on the rear of the receiver instead of a sight mounted on the barrel and therefore needs a longer handguard the latter being maintained around the barrel by way of a ring ( reason of the 2 notches in the stock).

Your bolt is a B&S replacement one and the magazine assy is of the second type.

Check if other parts such as swivels and swivel bands are not of the stamped type but are of the forged ones.

Regards

F

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Here is my next XMAS Tree

 

Springfield 1903 Mod 05, 1905 manufactured

Remington 1903A3

Remington 1903A1

Springfiel 1903 MARKI

 

My 1903A1 is a rebuild REMINGTON , home made with some Greek Lend Lease Spare parts:

Brand new Barrel H&R 1944

Brand new NOS "C" Stock refenished by me

NOS Handguard

2yy14p0.jpg

 

My 1903 MKI barrel dated 11-1918

11afhjr.jpg

 

2v1qgsk.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

mmwhvs.jpg

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Hi and thanks for your great informative reply. Yip original barrel dated 10-42. It's about 7 out of 10. Mine has a smooth buttplate and lots of R's everywhere. I can't find any markings on the trigger gaurd assembly? It is stamped with small trigger guard.

Wow that's a beautiful o3 you have there! They are hard little buggers to find down here.

 

The spare part you have would be much appreciated if it is available for purchase soon. Please PM bud

 

Regards

Matt

Hi Matt

 

I'm too new to this site to PM anyone, I'm in France at the moment and will be at sea for a month or so and I hope to be back in NZ in Feb - March if you can wait that long for the sight slide knob. Have a look whether the threaded stub of the knob is broken off, you may need to get tricky with a tiny pin punch and jewellers screwdriver to separate the sight slide IIRC. if the slide is bent it can be straightened or replaced, I can help there too if you need.

 

There are no makers marks on stamped trigger guards but there are subtle differences between the two makers, Remington and Smith Corona, Stamped trigger guards have been observed on Remington 1903s in the 3220000 range so your rifle is 'correct' to have one,

 

Love the grenade collection, I visited Cassino this summer but did not have time to go 'hunting'

 

 

Roy

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Hi Matt

 

I'm too new to this site to PM anyone, I'm in France at the moment and will be at sea for a month or so and I hope to be back in NZ in Feb - March if you can wait that long for the sight slide knob. Have a look whether the threaded stub of the knob is broken off, you may need to get tricky with a tiny pin punch and jewellers screwdriver to separate the sight slide IIRC. if the slide is bent it can be straightened or replaced, I can help there too if you need.

 

There are no makers marks on stamped trigger guards but there are subtle differences between the two makers, Remington and Smith Corona, Stamped trigger guards have been observed on Remington 1903s in the 3220000 range so your rifle is 'correct' to have one,

 

Love the grenade collection, I visited Cassino this summer but did not have time to go 'hunting'

 

 

Roy

Hey there, thanks for your reply.

 

Fortunately the knob has been removed/ not broken off. Just looks like a new one needs to be threaded in. Yea I can wait that long mate. Good things take time mate!

 

Your one licky chao to go touring through Italy! Hope to get to Cassino myself one day... Hopefully!

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There are no makers marks on stamped trigger guards but there are subtle differences between the two makers, Remington and Smith Corona,

 

Some Remington stamped trigger guards are marked with an R in a circle on the rear of the magazine box.

 

Remington trigger guards have a straight lip behind the front guard screw hole, SC is curved in the same area.

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Fortunately the knob has been removed/ not broken off. Just looks like a new one needs to be threaded in.

 

There should be a tiny cross pin that keeps the elevation slide binding knob from being able to be unscrewed all the way out and getting lost.

 

If it is missing, you may want to replace it along with the binding knob. If it is still there, you'll need to remove it before the new binding knob will screw in.

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