1903 a3 a4 on gb

[k arga]

887170140 IS NOW AT $5025 and 11 days to go.

[Johnny P]

Nice original rifle and mostly correct. Windage screws in mount should be color casehardened. A couple of things that would have been nice to show was the bolt handle cutout in the stock, and prick punch mark under barrel.

The NRA/DCM 03-A4 rifles were shipped with mount, but no scope or rings. Friend got one just about that condition out of Red River in the late 1960's time period.

In the past year I have seen a couple of really nice original rifles sell in the $8500 range.

[Sunray]

I'd be very leery of any '03A4 on Gunbroker. The dealers there think they're going to get rich, don't always know what they have and some will misrepresent what they do have. Do a S/N check.
"...screws in mount should be color casehardened..." Parkerized on my '03A4.
"...no scope or rings..." Mine came like that in the early 80's. $175Cdn. At the time, either original scope ran $200ish US. If you could find one.

[Johnny P]

The rifle is correct, and one of the Z prefix 03-A4 rifles. Serial number check will show that the rifle was one of about 2800 03-A4's that Remington duplicated the serial number on a run of 03-A3 rifles, and a Z was added to the A4 to give it a different serial number.

If windage screws are Parkerized, they are refinished.

[cplnorton]

I really don't get the warm fuzzie's that this rifle is an 100% original rifle. My gut tells me this is a restoration of a rebuilt 1903A4. But I do want to say pics are misleading and I would want to hold it in my hands to say for sure.

I am positive though that whole redfield mount has been reparked. The set screws have been for sure, but I think that whole mount has been. There is too much pitting that is parked over and the park looks all wrong for original. I would want a pic of that scope removed to see the factory staking. Which was in the white if it's original. I think if there was a pic with the scope removed, it would show that mount is not factory staked and has for sure been off the rifle.

When I look at this rifle, to me it looks like a refinished barreled action from rebuild, that someone has added the correct blued parts to make it look original.

When I look at the receiver compared to an A4 with original finish, it looks heavily sandblasted as the receiver metal looks very smooth. The end of the barrel also looks like it was reparked with a plug in the barrel, and you don't see that usually. But I do admit pics are deceiving and I would want to put it in my hands to have final judgment. But all the A4's I have seen with the original park, you see a lot of machining marks in the metal, and on the roll stamps you see distortion in the metal from them being rolled. In rebuild when they are sandblasted, it removes these and makes the metal more smooth. This one to me looks like it has been heavily sandblasted and reparked. Then someone just added the correct blued parts to it to make it look like original finish.

This is an original finish A4, and you can see how the metal has machining marks and how the metal is distorted from the roll stamp rolling over the metal.

https://i.imgur.com/uTWlrkul.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/vYsJ4eMl.jpg

Here is the one from gunbroker and mine side by side. See how smooth his metal on his receiver looks? To me it looks really smooth. The other side pic of the serial number also looks very smooth and no distortion, which doesn't look right to me at all either. To me his rifle looks heavily sandblasted.

https://i.imgur.com/pmeZOmml.jpg

This is the factory staking in the white on the top of my mount. I don't think this one will ever look like that if the scope is removed. Also note the screws on his are reparked.

https://i.imgur.com/F2cjabbl.jpg

[rayg]

Nice comparison of the stampings...

[John Beard]

With no intention of causing controversy, the stamping on the cplnorton rifle receiver is the exception, not the rule. The stamping and polishing on the gunbroker rifle is correct.

Merry Christmas!

J.B.

[cplnorton]

With no intention of causing controversy, the stamping on the cplnorton rifle receiver is the exception, not the rule. The stamping and polishing on the gunbroker rifle is correct.

Merry Christmas!

J.B.

I respectfully disagree that this rifle looks original. Ive owned quite a few original A4's and this one looks to me like someone restored one.

But I hope all is well with you John and Merry Christmas!

[John Beard]

I don't disagree that the gunbroker rifle has been restored. Certainly the receiver has been refinished as indicated by the miscoloration. But the smooth polishing is not the least bit unusual. Your rifle is the one that's hoaky.

Merry Christmas!

J.B.

[k arga]

Would the barrel breech face be in the white , mine seems to be? ser no 4998267

[Johnny P]

It appears the off color of the receiver is more the result of his photography, as all the pictures of the receiver are not the funky gold color.

[jgaynor]

FWIW this is the second time Rifle Z4001890 has appeared on Gunbroker. It was also listed in Feb 2013. Have pics from then as well.

[Ironlip]

Interesting. Can you post the pictures you have from that listing? Did it sell in 2013?