USMC LN W/ a 41rebuild date barrel

[bombdog]

Question, what would the parkerizing color be on a USMC LN SA rebuilt in 1941???
It's all greenish now except the barrel band that's gray, like 'in the white' gray, every thing else, the stacking swivel and screw, and butt plate, are blued...
She's got a 1910 receiver with an 03A3 bolt and a USMC 8/41 circle S barrel...
Bought her as a sporter, wanna turn her into what she was in Guadalcanal...
Help???
bombdog, over...

[cplnorton]

Do you have any pics? Just sort of curious.

On rebuilds from 1941 you really see two different finishes. One is a magnesium parkerization that is just like a normal darker gray finish. Then you start to see a zinc parkerization that everyone refer's to as a USMC parkerization. Which is a lighter grey.

Personally myself I think it is more likely the Mangesium Finish was used in 41, and the zinc was just done during the war or possibly even after. I think some of the 41 dated rebuilds went back in again and were reparked later to zinc. But that is a personal opinion of mine from reading the Marine Docs. I can't prove that 100% yet.

But if it was me I would do Magnesium park, and keep the bolt blued. But that is my personal choice.

Here are two Marine rifles with 1941 dated Sedgley barrels.

Here is the magnesium.




Here is the zinc.

[cplnorton]

Oh if you want me to check your serial, I've been pulling a lot of early Marine serials out of a archive location that aren't in the SRS. And I have a lot of new 1910 Marine serials. Either post it or PM me it, and I will check to see if I have a hit. If I do, I can even tell you the name of the Marine who was issued it.

[bombdog]

Okay, the color on 'maureen' is about the same as the second picture... i don't have color photo options as i don't know how to post them on a 'tablet' yet... Sorry, i'm teknologikly challenged... What color is the front band on those???
Her sr is 432058... The bolt is 1010207...
bombdog...

[Rick the Librarian]

Bombdog, I tried answering your PM but your Jouster message box was full. I glad you got together with Steve.

You might want to empty it so you can get future PMs.

RtL

[bombdog]

Tango mike Rick, 'all clear'...

[ncblksmth1]

Cplnorton
Could you check
1094401
and
1299607

Both seem to be used by the marines. I would love some sort of confirmation.

[cplnorton]

Okay, the color on 'maureen' is about the same as the second picture... i don't have color photo options as i don't know how to post them on a 'tablet' yet... Sorry, i'm teknologikly challenged... What color is the front band on those???
Her sr is 432058... The bolt is 1010207...
bombdog...

This is the band on the lower one. I do have one about 400 digits off your 432xxx, but that is close as I have. The interesting thing is, the first big shipment the Marines received of 1903's happened in 1910, with a larger one happening in 1911. I have one serial about 300 off from your bolt. I will keep a look our for you serial though. There is a chance I might find it, as I'm finding a lot of low number Marine serials, especially in that 400k range. And a lot of those Marines seem to be WWI vets, so this might be a really interesting one to hold onto.

The other interesting thing about that 1910 shipment of 1903's to the Marines, over a 1/4 of them were shipped to the Phillipines. So that will peak Rick Slater's interest. lol

[cplnorton]

Cplnorton
Could you check
1094401
and
1299607

Both seem to be used by the marines. I would love some sort of confirmation.

I really don't have anything close to them. The 1.09 being the closest with hits about 4k away. But anything past WWI it gets really hairy with the Marines. Past WWI, there were only three ways a serial past WWI could have made it's way into the Marines. The Marines swapped some barreled Receivers with the Army Depots in the 20's. The Marine team rifles were shipped to the Marines in certain years from 1919 to 1940, and the 1903's the Marines acquired from the Navy in 1942. But of these three, only the team rifles were actually new rifles, which there were a little over a 1000. The rest would have have been any combination of serials.

Usually it is pretty rare to see Marine rifles in these higher serial ranges though. It's not impossible, but just a lot rarer.

[Rick the Librarian]

The other interesting thing about that 1910 shipment of 1903's to the Marines, over a 1/4 of them were shipped to the Phillipines. So that will peak Rick Slater's interest. lol

What would REALLY "peak" my interest would be if you'd fine M1903 #165617 - that was my Uncle Homer Slater's M1903 when he was in the Marines in WWI -unfortunately, no telling if a Springfield or RIA - I'd guess the latter.

(Note: the change in name [from Willis Ward] is that he joined under an assumed name and was later "caught")

Service record.jpg

[Sunray]

"...Mangesium Finish..." Manganese. Manganese based solutions give a black colour. Zinc comes out in shades of grey according to the metal it goes on.
A 1941 rifle would very likely have been in an out of the shop several times.

[cplnorton]

Actually Sunray you are right. I thought it said Magnesium, but pulled out the formula manual for the Marines it is actually phosphoric acid and Manganese Dioxide.

[bombdog]

So do you gents think this could be a gem, or just another piece of iron pyrite???
i want to get her back 'close' to correct... Man i gotta learn how to put my pictures on her... Sorry...
bombdog...

[cplnorton]

So do you gents think this could be a gem, or just another piece of iron pyrite???
i want to get her back 'close' to correct... Man i gotta learn how to put my pictures on her... Sorry...
bombdog...

The low number Marine rifles like this, I think are a lot neater than the high numbers. They are certainly a lot rarer than the high numbers. If this tells you anything on what I think about them, I am always looking for Marine rifles in this serial range. lol

[bombdog]

Know what you mean... i was 'just a bit' excited when i saw the Hatcher hole, then checked out the sr# with you guys, and went and gave the guy some cash...
'i' think she's worth it..
Maybe, by the time i get her utilities right i'll have this tablet loaded with pictures to share...
bombdog