My Remington 1903A3

[DocCasualty]

When I picked this up at a gun show, I was actually on the look out for a M1903. It looked pretty good, so I bought it. Afterwards I had a bit of buyer's remorse and so offered it up for sale the next time my club had a gun show but nobody bit. It shoots good and looks pretty good, has an excellent shiny bore, so I decided to keep it and am glad I did. Afterwards, others asked if I still had it for sale and by then had already decided it wasn't going anywhere and am glad I kept it.

Original manufacture was 1942. It is an arsenal rebuild and the barrel is a Remington 8-43. I find the cartouches kind of interesting. Most of it is captured in the pics below. On the left side of the stock is FJA in a box which goes along with the original production. Forward of that is C-SAA in a box which goes along with the arsenal rebuild. By the trigger guard are two "P" proof marks (one in a box, one in a circle) which I guess coincides with one being the original barrel and the other being the 8-43 barrel proofing. While difficult to see, between the FJA and C-SAA cartouches is an R.A. cartouche. I just don't see any such cartouche referenced in Brophy. Any ideas? Initially I just assumed it was "Remington Arms", though I don't see any reference to that being marked in the stock.

[Rick the Librarian]

DocCasualty, first of all welcome to our forum!

You must have consulted a couple of websites that have incorrect information. Based on the serial number above, the date the receiver was serialized was about September, 1943, and the barrel is probably original. For some reason, these websites have ALL M1903A3s as "1942" and ALL Remington M1903s as "1941". Can I ask which website you consulted to come up with the 1942 date?

The FJA appears on all M1903A3s was was Frank J. Atwood, who was the commander of the Rochester Ordnance Distict, which contained Remington. Col. Atwood did not do the actual inspecting. CSAA was a rebuild/inspection stamp from San Antonio Arsenal. The "circle P was from the original firing test; the "square" P, as you guess, from the overhaul. Both indicated that the rifle had undergone a successful proof firing test.

Note that the rifle has stock "pins". Most M1903A3s had stock "bolts" but earlier stocks used the pins. The RA is indeed "Remington Arms".

[Emri]

The "RA" does indeed stand for Remington Arms. It was added to the stock markings to differentiate their stocks from Smith Corona stocks with the same FJA markings. The 43 bbl. date would be about right for the S.N. The 42 date you mention must have come from a well known listing that is in error. They seem to list just about all Remington production as 42.

Have a look at ViShooters page. There is a sticky at the top of the forum with a link to it.

HTH,

Emri

[Kurt]

Nice looking rifle, the stock has some nice grain to it! You might have a Springfield safety lever, I don't see a weep hole but it may just be the pictures. Can you post some pictures of the bolt? Also, what markings are on the bolt handle root?

Welcome

Kurt

[DocCasualty]

DocCasualty, first of all welcome to our forum!

Thanks for the warm welcome and in-depth information !

Can I ask which website you consulted to come up with the 1942 date?

I used the "U.S. Military Dates of Manufacture" from oldguns.net. http://oldguns.net/sn_php/milmods.htm

Note that the rifle has stock "pins". Most M1903A3s had stock "bolts" but earlier stocks used the pins. The RA is indeed "Remington Arms".

I was not aware of the switch from pins to bolts, or that Remington stocks were IDed to differentiate them from the S-C stocks. Very informative!

You might have a Springfield safety lever, I don't see a weep hole but it may just be the pictures. Can you post some pictures of the bolt? Also, what markings are on the bolt handle root?

The underside of the bolt handle is stamped with the Remington "R" and the topside is stamped "3". I don't know what differentiates the safeties. Perhaps these pics illustrate it better?

EDIT: I also note on further inspection that the extractor collar is stamped "R" and there are additional markings on the bolt handle root, side closest to the safety. The only one that's clear to me is "53" and there's something in front of the "53" and then another stamping which I can't quite make out either. Perhaps these markings refer to the steel lot?

2nd EDIT: Ah, now I see the weep hole you refer to on ViShooter's Rem03A3 and no, mine doesn't have it. That would indicate it was a Springfield safety then?

[Kurt]

Yes lack of the weep hole indicates Springfield. The cocking piece is early Rem O3 or possibly Springfield along with the bolt sleeve. Others can tell exactly what it is without blinking an eye. Nice gun and very typical.

Kurt

[DocCasualty]

I have a small collection of milsurps, honestly most which I bought without enough knowledge beforehand but have largely gotten what I was after, i.e. - representative shootable rifles at reasonable prices. It's certainly a lot of fun reading and learning more about them and I appreciate all of the comments!