Marine Rebuild M1903 off Gunbroker

[cplnorton]

I posted a link to the auction the other day, but I got the rifle in yesterday and spent a good couple hours scrubbing the crap out of it. It was dirty! But it cleaned up pretty decent.

It's a 1.35 serial number with matching serialized B2 Bolt which is electropenciled under the extractor. The barrel is a 8/42 that has light vice marks on it. They are not as deep as my other USMC rifles, but they can still be seen. The stock has been heavily sanded. It also has a hatcher hole and stippled buttplate.

Now one thing I found neat is the bolt is electropenciled under the extractor, I haven't seen that much as most are done on the top. But when I got it under my light today to take pics, I can see another serial number on the top of the bolt that has been refinished over. That serial is 324063, which I imagine is most likely a RIA number. So the bolt actually has two serial numbers on it.

The receiver also has a tiny punch mark underneath the serial, I've always thought that was an Army rebuild mark, but I think I also remember reading that was a hardness test punch mark on the NS receivers. But I can't remember for sure. The bottom of the receiver does have the NS stamping though.

Anyways, the barrel guages pretty well new, and it doesn't show much useage.

What do you guys think?

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150356_zps4e373f8f.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150366_zps1062a904.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150357_zps1fa52f13.jpg


http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150361_zpsa3c7f243.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150375_zps4c324544.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150377_zpsc86b9a72.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150371_zpsfceba95f.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150367_zps394d489f.jpg

[cplnorton]

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150405_zpsa3e4e4c6.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150402_zps6cacc0e2.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150403_zps260a733e.jpg

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/cplnorton11/135%20USMC%201903%20Rebuild/P1150404_zps5c89cbeb.jpg

[TDP0311]

Very nice rifle, I was encouraging a fellow Marine buddy to buy this one not too long ago as it was within driving distance for us. I like the stippling on the butt plate, surprisingly uniform compared to most USMC stipple jobs! For the under the serial punch marks, I had heard they were simply proof marks from the factory (read it somewhere, so for lack of source), which is something I will obviously defer to the experts on.

You did a great job cleaning her up too, Corporal! All in all a top notch USMC M1903. By the way, we live fairly close (I go to college at BGSU), where do you go shooting at? I'm a member at Sandusky County Sportsman's Club, if you ever would like to get together and shoot, let me know!

[chuckindenver]

very crispy,.like it.

[Roadkingtrax]

I can't speak for all, but I have never seen a USMC 1903 with a bad bore or muzzle. What the civilian owner does...a different story.

Nice rifle!

[cplnorton]

TDP0311, yeah we live pretty close, maybe a little over an hour away. I go up that way to the Maumee show near Perrysburg all the time. If you go to that show stop by and see me. I usually go set up at a table with a friend. As far as shooting, I usually shoot at my house. I'm out in the middle of cornfields, so I usually shoot at home. I don't do very much shooting anymore though. Ever since ammo went sky high, I've been hoarding it and not shooting it. :)

Chuck, thanks for the nice comments. :)

Tim, yeah I've never seen a USMC rifle with a crap bore. I think that whole you can get charged if you don't take care of your rifle made Marines take care of them. I still have the one USMC 1903 I bought off you and it's my absolute favorite. I love the 7-41 Sedgley barrel. I sort of wish I would have bought your other one that was in the same serial range. I was probably an idiot for not keeping them together.

[TDP0311]

Cpl Norton, I go to that show almost every time, which table is yours?

[cplnorton]

I set with Richard McCullough. He is in the 2nd row almost right in the middle. He always has a ton of WWII German stuff.

[CptEnglehorn]

rifle looks alot better than it did on gunbroker, great buy.