SRS Hit and Restoration Question HN RIA 429,902

[Smokeeaterpilot]

Hey Guys,

Looking for some advice on a restoration. I can post pictures if need be...

I have a RIA HN S/N 429,902

It has a hatcher hole and punch mark under the serial number. The Parkerizing is not green but faded grey. The barrel is worn down but a SA 4-42

I don't see any indication of vice marks.


The stock is a heavily sanded Keystone replacement stock. Bolt is a 03A3 B&S replacement bolt.


I guess what I am asking, I'm considering swapping out the 42 barrel for a late 1920s, I have a spare 1928 barrel and am considering restoring it into a RIA/SA hybrid and searching for a SA DAL stock.

But I wanted to make sure that there wasn't a chance of it being a former USMC rifle. I didn't think there was enough there, but the punch mark, HN RIA, hatcher hole and SA 42 barrel I wanted to double check with the experts before going forward.

My gut tells me "put-together" but before doing any major changes I want to double check there's nothing special about it.

Any advice would be GREAT.

Thanks so much!

[ismith]

Nothing in my 4 books

[cplnorton]

You find a lot of SA 42 dated barrels on Marine rebuilds, but from that year it should have vice marks if put on by the Marines. Are you sure you don't see any? Some vice marks are deep and some are light. I had one 42 dated barrel they were so light you really had to look for them. The Hatcher hole is a sign of USMC use, but the Army did do it as well. You do find a lot of High number RIA's being Marine rifles.

Now when you mention the punch mark, it is below the serial number right? The punch mark below was a hardness test. The one in front of the serial is a USMC trait.

Do you have pics of the finish? I usually see two types of finish on Marine rebuild 1903's. And they are both distinct. One is found on WWII rebuilds and before and the other one seems to appear either late in the war or more likely post war. So a pic of the receiver would really help.

Stock and bolt sound like possibly a replacement but you never know. Marines used anything they could get their hands on. And who knows how many times parts have been changed since it left the service. Pics of the finish of the bolt wold help as well as the Marines finished their's in a distinct way. They didn't park them, as park is rough and the Marines like smooth actions.

The nice thing is, the closet hit to your serial in the SRS is a Marine 1903. So that is a good thing. You usually find them grouped around each other. But it could be a SA serial number too. They usually never record if the serial if it is a SA or RIA.

429927 011031USMC - HAITI

But pics would really help in this situation. At least a couple of the receiver/bolt/rear sight area. That would give us a look at types of finishes.

[John Beard]

In my data base of USMC rifle serial numbers, I show no USMC rifles even remotely close to your rifle's serial number. So there is almost no chance of your rifle being a USMC rifle.

The Hatcher Hole and grey finish suggest that you may have a CMP Greek rifle.

Go for it!

J.B.