Quote Originally Posted by Cosine26 View Post
As I understand (with no documentation other than American Rifleman magazine articles) The M1917 had been declared prior to WWII and was being sold at practically give way prices after WWI. It was partially resurrected from the dead during WWII and a fairly large stock existed. My State Guard Company was issue “new” M1917’s in 1943. The M1903 was declared obsolete in 1945 and sold at fairly low prices. The 03A3 was still an item of issue in early 1946. By June 46 the 03A3 became substitute standard, as there was a plethora of M1’s and no war was imminent (little did we know) so the 03A3 was offered for sale. As late as 1957 replacement 03A3 barrels (2 or 4 groove) listed for $26 while 4 groove SA M1903 barrels, were $5.30 with both sight bases. In the late 1960’s the 03A3 was sold as “unclassified” for ~$14.00. The one I received was a SC 03A3 with a 4 groove barrel and looked new. 03A3 barrel were price at $0.99 and other parts were sold at give way prices.
FWIW
The price of surplus rifles in the 1940s may have seemed like the govt. was almost giving them away. It was a good idea to sell them for next to nothing rather than continue paying to keep obsolete rifles for no good reason in an unheated damp warehouse and wind up throwing them away in a few years. My folks were barely scraping by in the 1940s and lived payday to payday. No family car until 1954 and my sister bought it. My dad had a few singles in his wallet between paydays, just enough for a pack of smokes and a couple 10 cent drafts after work. I’m sure $15 seemed like a lot of money to him.