New Gun

[P-14Guy]

After much negotiation I am the new owner of a 1942 Remington 1903A3 in excellet condition.

[WmRoy]

And the pictures are coming........... right??????

Congrats! ;) :D

[xpertgreg]

this thread is meaningless without pics!!!!!!;) congrats on the find!

gw

[P-14Guy]

I guess my next purchase should be a digital camera

[xpertgreg]

indeed, so long as it don't cut into gun money!

gw

[Rock Island]

Best infantry bolt rifle the US military ever fielded.

[Col. Guano]

Best infantry bolt rifle the US military ever fielded.


I agree.:grinning-thumbsup:

[A square 10]

are you positive its a 1942 ? are you sure its a M1903A3 ? im not so much questioning the A3 designation , but if its a true 1942 date its one of the very first produced in december of that year and as one of only 1900 , i think an extreemly rare rifle ,

the A3 configuration was informaly approved in may of 42 , standardised in june of 42 , remington received authorisation to change in in aug of 42 with a new specification provided , phase-in/phase-out crossed between dec 42 and mar 43 with the final 100+ M1903 modified rifles delivered , and nearly 59000 A3 rifles produced that month

if this is a 42 congrats , you made an excelent purchast in this one , id love to see the photos when you can

[Herr Mario]

...oh wow-you made my heart skip a few beats-until I realized you're talking Remington:BangHead: ....mine is a Smith Corona with an 11-42 barrel...:rolleyes:

[P-14Guy]

The site I checked the serial number (3395XXX) on puts it in December 1942 and that is the Barrel Date. I got it because it was in the best shape of the two 1903A3s the guy had. I think my dumb luck has struck again. I bought a No4 ENfield the same way a while back and it turned out to Be a No4 Mk1 not a No4 Mk1* Longbranch seems the Longbranch only made 10,000 or so No4 Mk1s before switching over to the No4 Mk1*.:)

[A square 10]

i think you have a real winner if so , there is one [maybe more] site that has flaws in its dateing , its necessary to check very carefully , but ill not doubt you here

the 3395xxx falls well below the SC contract date , the remington SN range had been extended to 3607999 at that point in time , 3608000 to 3707999 was assigned to SC for their modified rifles , but , the new contracts for the M1903A3 rifles resulted in remington being assigned 3708000 to 4707999 with 15000 of these being 03A4s , and SC being assigned 4708000 to 4992000 , their production was stopped before they reached that end tho



as far as SC goes - contract was 'proposed' in january 1942 for 100000 M1903A1s , but the actual letter for the contract was for M1903modifieds like remington was making , the approval of the M1903A3 21 may 1942 changed the actual contract of 30 sept 1942 to 380000 M1903A3s ,
the first few SC rifles were completed in oct of 42 and the first real quantity of 5000+ completed in december of 42 , so you have an early rifle as well

[Herr Mario]

....wow...my SC is 3,615,xxx:D :D :D

[P-14Guy]

Well another fellow assures me it is a January 1943 but the other sites I found put it as a Dec 42. It is not that big a deal. It is to be my one and only 1903a3 and I plan in using it the CMP Springfield Matches. It shoots good BTW:grinning-thumbsup:

[P-14Guy]

I have the Offical Date: Feb 1943 I called Remington, I also learned how to pronounce Ilion il-lee-on (ill Leon). I always wanted to know that. Well it is not a super collectable but is going to be shot in a Match in Feb. I hope I am going to be in as good as shape as it is when I am 66

[A square 10]

just goes to show - not everything one reads in books is accurate , feb huh ? i would have thought jan 43 ,

mario - yours falls in originaly assigned group of SN it must be a very early one , maybe in the first rifles made even before the release , who knows , mine is well into the 'assigned' numbers and is a 9/43 ,

[P-14Guy]

I got to do some serious shooting today It likes factory ball and both hand loads I tried at 100 and 200 yards. I shot prone for score on standard CMP target and got a 91/100 and 88/100 3-X ring. Only draw back is I have to be carefull about where I place my thumb, first my nose then right where I had oral surgery a few weeks ago, Ouch!

[A square 10]

oooh - do be carefull - no need to be in more pain than we all live normaly with