My SA 1903.

[nf1e]

Had this girl for years. Shoots like a dream with the .040 rear aperture. HS 6-44 barrel. Has S0528 over 1957 stamped on the right side 3" up from butt. Whatta Hobby!

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[Merc]

Greek return?

[nf1e]

Good question. Fellow that had it before me said he picked it up in the late 50s and shot it as part of CT big bore.

[lyman]

not a Greek Return likely, i

surprised is has a scant stock on it,

[nf1e]

Stock does not have a P on the wrist or any stamps on the normal spot on the left side. There is an XX stamped in the stock just forward of the trigger housing. Bottom of the stock aft of the wrist has a T below that a 1 below that a G then an N and finally a
0 35526-4

[lyman]

I'll take a gamble and say if the guy bought it in the 50's, it never left the country

as far as the stock, nothing wrong with it, just odd that someone that took the time to install the rear sight left the scant on it,
C stocks have never (well not then at least) been scarce, and make it much easier to shoot much better

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BTW, don't take any of that as a negative,
it's a lovely rifle,

and it is interesting how folks sometimes set them up,

[nf1e]

I appreciate any information provided. I don't know enough about the 03 other than I like to shoot them. These are all I have now. I sold some nice pieces 50 years ago when I bought my house. Top 2 are James River repros using Rem receivers and Criterion barrels. Next are a couple of CMP WWII 03A3s I picked up at Camp Perry. And the bottom is my honey.


50154

[lyman]

nice collection

[nf1e]

Thanks. At least I can say I have some. Same with the carbines, only have 5 of them. 1- Winchester, 2- Bavarian returns and 2- CMP carbine specials. Plenty to last me a couple of lifetimes.

[Johnny P]

The rifle sure looks like one of the Greek returns from about 2000/2001 with the numbered bolt. The U.S. did not number the bolts except on the National Match rifles. The milled floorplates were pinned, but these were usually changed out by the new owners.

[nf1e]

I will go by what you gents are telling me. Greek return and I will discount the story from the guy I bought it from as BS. Thank you so much.

[Merc]

The US govt rebuilt a large number of M1903s before they were loaned to the Greek govt in 1947 to fight the commies. The new 1944 HS (High Standard) barrel and the new 03A3 bolt with the last 4 digits of the serial number electro-penciled on the handle raises the possibility that your 1931 M1903 is a Greek return. Other Greek return characteristics to look for include the letter B stamped on the floor plate that indicates it’s been pinned to prevent accidental opening and the last 4 digits of the serial number stamped in large numbers on the flat part of the stock near the butt plate.

Although the M1903 was obsolete, the new 03A3 bolt and HS barrel made them much safer and they functioned like new. The Greeks took good care of them by covering the entire rifle with a heavy grease preservative before storing them for more than 70 years. They were returned to the US in 2000 or 2001 and were sold to collectors by the CMP. A good question might be why did it take so long for the Greeks to return them?

The grease preservative that the Greeks used really worked its way into the stock. The stock on my Greek return (that also has a new 03A3 bolt and a 1944 HS barrel along with a pinned floor plate stamped with the letter B and the usual serial number marks on the bolt handle and stock) is original and no matter what kind of solvent I use, my stock continues to drip oil if the rifle is left out in the sun on a warm day. It’s a small price to pay for a great and accurate battle rifle with a story to tell.