Weight Gain

[Allen Humphrey]

Traveling for work right now so I'm staring at hotel walls thinking of obscure things....

Does anybody happen to know an accurate weight of the rod bayonet 1903 compared to a pre-WWII M1903 plus bayonet and scabbard?

It would also be interesting (at least for me) to know the weight change between an early Remington M1903 and a 03A3.

It seems like over the years there were many tiny incremental changes to the 1903 that added weight that I'm wondering what the cumulative effect was. Off the top of my head I can think of : added Bayonet and scabbard, added stock bolts, removed lighting cuts on the cut-off housing, removed holes from the front sight base, added material to the bottom and sides of the rear sight base, added flat knobs to the ladder sights, added material to the sear, added scant and C stocks, and added material to the milled trigger guard.

In the 1903 the only thing I can think of that actually reduced weight was removal of the bolt stop. I'm guessing that the 03A3 platform moved back to a lighter design.

Hopefully somebody has some accurate numbers. I realize that the wood density is a variable.

[Mike D]

My CN 1908 stock sure does seem light compared to an A3 stock. I'll bet the RB rifles were close in weight to a pre-WWI '03. I'd guess the heaviest would be the Rem M1903 without stamped parts or a fingergroove stock? Wonder how that compares to a M1903A3?

Mike

[Allen Humphrey]

Mike,
I suspect you are correct about the RB vs. a pre WWI until you add the bayonet and scabbard. I also agree that the Rem M1903 will all milled parts is the all time heaviest, but a true A1 must be pretty darn close with the heavier stock.

[Rick the Librarian]

The "standard" I heard about pre-WWII M1903s was 8.69 pounds, less sling and bayonet. No idea on the RB.

[BEAR]

25379
Balance wieght scale accurate to 1/4 pound.

[Allen Humphrey]

Thanks Bear. Decent weight improvement on the A3.

[John Beard]

You must have really been bored.

Condolences.

J.B.

[Allen Humphrey]

Ha! You are spot on John. Emporia Kansas, single digit temps, missed flights.....

All better now.