03A4 parts Question

[kicker]

Hi, a new guy here,
I just spotted someone selling a 1903 A4 trigger guard, something about a small reinforcement plate at the front screw. I was not aware of this. Does anyone know if Remington made a special reinforced trigger guard for the A4? Is there anything else different or specific regarding the 03A4 aside from bolt, stock and scope related items? Also, was the ww2 m73B1 scope caring case an m76, which I have only seen a photo of, or an m65.
Thank’s, poppy

[Richard H Brown Jr]

Dear Kicker:

AFAIK, there are NO M1903A4 trigger guards, the rifles were taken off the standard M1903A3 Remington assembly line and modified by 1. Markings on the side of the front of the receiver, so the SN and MFR could be read with the scope mount in place. A new barrel selected for accuracy (probably during the barrel straightening procedure). The front and rear sights of the M1903A3 were not installed. A bent bolt was attached and the stock inletted to allow it to fully lock, and the barrel was final cut to chamber the .30-06 rounds. Shims to level the lower scope mount and scope and rings were added, the scope leveled. and the rifle was proofed and scope adjusted for zero, and inspected. Only Remington made the M1903A4.

R. Brown

[Darreld Walton]

I have several of the 'reinforced' magazine/floorplate/trigger guard stampings mentioned. They're fairly easy to spot without disassembling a rifle by looking for a couple of small spot welds between the forward action screw and the magazine box.

[Sunray]

"...rifles were taken off the standard..." Hi. Some barrels were further tested for quality(Star barrels), but there was no special 'sniper' trigger guard. The bolt handle was cut so it would clear the scope, not bent.
A scope caring case is kind of daft. Scopes were not removed by the user like in Saving Private Ryan. Take the scope off and you have to sight in again. The 2 screws on the back of the base was how the windage was adjusted. Isn't something doable in the field.

[kicker]

Thanks,
I was given an original m73b1 scope, rings and leather lens covers years ago and wanted, at the time, to buy anything A4 related to complete any A4 I might find. This was a time when most A4 small parts could be bought for change, Never did buy anything else and it seems it's a little too late, but I have been looking around again and have a few new questions. I did notice there were 2 scope cases, an m76, and an m 65. I’m interested just as a collector, and 2 different leather cheek pieces. I only remember the one more suited for the m1c or d. The pad I spotted, which is a repro and may be a figment of someone’s imagination, had a long thinner padded section and was listed for the 03A4?
scott

[Randy A]

To answer your question, the trigger guard would be correct only if it was a later rifle. They were not specifically a "sniper" modification and were on all later 1903A3 series rifles, including Smith Corona.

[Darreld Walton]

Thanks,
I was given an original m73b1 scope, rings and leather lens covers years ago and wanted, at the time, to buy anything A4 related to complete any A4 I might find. This was a time when most A4 small parts could be bought for change, Never did buy anything else and it seems it's a little too late, but I have been looking around again and have a few new questions. I did notice there were 2 scope cases, an m76, and an m 65. I’m interested just as a collector, and 2 different leather cheek pieces. I only remember the one more suited for the m1c or d. The pad I spotted, which is a repro and may be a figment of someone’s imagination, had a long thinner padded section and was listed for the 03A4?
scott

AFAIK, a pad made and issued specifically for an A4 is fantasy. Pads were used with the offset scope setup for the M1C and D to maintain a decent stock weld and provide alignment with the offset optic. The scope on an A4 is mounted central to the bore, and low enough, that when used in the proper "C" type or "scant" A4 stock, the eye is in reasonable alignment with a 'not terrible' cheek weld due to the higher comb on those two stocks. Not saying that those pads weren't put on A4's, just that they weren't made for that weapon. When I removed the low mounted 7/8" Alaskan, and replaced it with an adjustable objective Lyman 8X All American, that setup could use more height on the comb, but the original setup works just fine.

[Darreld Walton]

"...rifles were taken off the standard..." Hi. Some barrels were further tested for quality(Star barrels), but there was no special 'sniper' trigger guard. The bolt handle was cut so it would clear the scope, not bent.
A scope caring case is kind of daft. Scopes were not removed by the user like in Saving Private Ryan. Take the scope off and you have to sight in again. The 2 screws on the back of the base was how the windage was adjusted. Isn't something doable in the field.

Hi, Sunray! The 1941 USMC rifle used an 8x Unertl target scope that was regularly taken off of the rifle to protect it, and reinstalled with minimal adjustment, and a special container was provided especially for that purpose.
You're correct about removing and replacing a scope in the Redfield type base and rings used on the A4. Those rear screws are indeed for gross windage adjustment, the scope's internal adjustment for fine tuning. A better system for protecting the scopes might've been helpful, at least in my Father in law's mind....he has mentioned that every time someone walked past one in the weapons rack, they'd muck about with the adjustment knobs, and nullify the zero. (FIL went onto Okinawa 2 April, 1945, as an Army rifleman, and was finally sent home after being sent to the Japanese mainland as part of the occupation force immediately after the surrender)
The bolt handle on the National Match/1941 USMC rifles was slightly notched for clearance, as you mention, however, the bolt handle modified for the A4 rifle was reforged much lower, and the bottom, or inside of the bend was made so close to the main bolt body that the receiver tang metal was notched so the bolt could go fully into battery. The stock was altered with a notch as well, much like most modern sporting rifles. The A4 bolt 'top' was also severely reshaped and ground lower for clearance of the low mounted Weaver 330 and Lyman Alaskan type scopes.
I believe that the National Match/Marine modified rifles were re-tested for accuracy and acceptable bore wear, and if produced prior to the war, most likely would've borne the 'star gauge' mark on the muzzle. By the time the 1903A4's were accepted, Ordnance Corps had gone to an 'air gauge' system, much like the same system still in use today, and the best and exceptional production barrels would've been pulled from the test lots and installed on the A4 receivers, with no special notation or markings.
Geeze, I hope I haven't muddied the facts with my own brand of B.S. .......

[kicker]

Thanks, I thought the pad was full of it, but i have not been buying rifles or parts for 25 or more years so i did not know what may have come out of the wood work. I'll stay off fleebay.
scott