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[motherofaMarine]

My son sent home a 1903 Springfield (It has a hooded site and would have been issued to the Marine Corps) I would like to trace the serial numbers and find out more about it but do not know where to look.
It is wonderful and still had the original cleaning kit.
Thank You

[Johnny P]

Try this.

http://springfieldresearchservice.com/

[John Kepler]

SRS is the primary resource for your search as Johnny P has indicated. However, you have to be made aware that what you are asking is nearly impossible. The US Army wasn't all that interested in what firearms went where other than at Company-level. What records were kept at Springfield Armory were very deliberately destroyed in the late-1960's when the Armory was closed...that apparently included Contractor records as well (the M1903, in addition to Rock Island and Springfield Armories was produced under contract by Remington and Smith-Corona).

FWIW: The M1903 was made in 5 separate models, the M1903, the M1903A1, the M1903A2 (not really a rifle, but a sub-caliber artillery training device), the M1903A3 (the WW II version of the rifle), and the M1903A4 Sniper Rifle. All models of the rifle are clearly marked as such.

[M1Riflenut]

My son sent home a 1903 Springfield (It has a hooded site and would have been issued to the Marine Corps) I would like to trace the serial numbers and find out more about it but do not know where to look.
It is wonderful and still had the original cleaning kit.
Thank You

So what is the serial number?

[Garden Valley]

SRS is the primary resource for your search as Johnny P has indicated. However, you have to be made aware that what you are asking is nearly impossible. The US Army wasn't all that interested in what firearms went where other than at Company-level. What records were kept at Springfield Armory were very deliberately destroyed in the late-1960's when the Armory was closed...that apparently included Contractor records as well (the M1903, in addition to Rock Island and Springfield Armories was produced under contract by Remington and Smith-Corona).

FWIW: The M1903 was made in 5 separate models, the M1903, the M1903A1, the M1903A2 (not really a rifle, but a sub-caliber artillery training device), the M1903A3 (the WW II version of the rifle), and the M1903A4 Sniper Rifle. All models of the rifle are clearly marked as such.

I believe your statement to be incorrect with respect to the '03A1 and '03A4.

[John Kepler]

I believe your statement to be incorrect with respect to the '03A1 and '03A4.

Huh????? In what way? Oh.....FWIW, I HAVE both an A1 and an A4, and since all I did was identify the rifles, I fail to see where I'm "incorrect"!

[Weasel]

A4's are not marked A4 they are marked A3.

[John R.]

Huh????? In what way? Oh.....FWIW, I HAVE both an A1 and an A4, and since all I did was identify the rifles, I fail to see where I'm "incorrect"!

John:

How were the M1903A1's marked? Mine is dated 1923 and has the full pistol grip stock but is rolled only Model of 1903 with NO A1.

Cheers,

John R.

[Garden Valley]

Huh????? In what way? Oh.....FWIW, I HAVE both an A1 and an A4, and since all I did was identify the rifles, I fail to see where I'm "incorrect"!

Well ...., if you state, "All models of the rifle are clearly marked as such." then you are incorrect. There were no rifles marked Model 1903A1 and there were no rifles marked Model 1903A4. That's where you are incorrect.

[John Kepler]

To Weasel.....if you have an A4 marked as an A3......Bubba did it, not Remington. My A4 is clearly marked as such (and I'm not sure how you'd know since most of the ID would be buried under the JR mount...the ID on a real A4 was moved to the side of the receiver and so can be clearly and completely read).....and I've provenance up the wazoo on the rifle to prove it's pedigree. I know that early A1's (maybe) were not clearly marked as such, and it got to the point that ANY 03 with a scant stock was considered an A1. But AFAIK, everything after around 1926 was marked as an A1....my A1, handed down from my Grandpa who bought it new at Camp Perry, is clearly marked as an A1 with a build-date in June, 1926

[Garden Valley]

To Weasel.....if you have an A4 marked as an A3......Bubba did it, not Remington. My A4 is clearly marked as such (and I'm not sure how you'd know since most of the ID would be buried under the JR mount...the ID on a real A4 was moved to the side of the receiver and so can be clearly and completely read).....and I've provenance up the wazoo on the rifle to prove it's pedigree. I know that early A1's (maybe) were not clearly marked as such, and it got to the point that ANY 03 with a scant stock was considered an A1. But AFAIK, everything after around 1926 was marked as an A1....my A1, handed down from my Grandpa who bought it new at Camp Perry, is clearly marked as an A1 with a build-date in June, 1926

The markings on early '03A4 rifles were partially obscured by the scope mount base, but they were shortly relocated to clear the scope mount, and they were still marked '03A3. If yours is marked '03A4 then Bubba did do that, or you need better glasses. If your grandfather's rifle is marked '03A1, then someone added the A1 marking. I would be pleased for you to prove me to be incorrect. How about posting photos of the two rifles you have referenced? I'm all but certain that everyone would enjoy expanding their knowledge base.

[Weasel]

Funny, my A4 is marked A3 done by Bubba at the Remington factory in 1943. You got more crap with you than a Christmas Turkey Kepler.

[musketshooter]

Interesting. Please post pictures of your rare guns.

[Kurt]

In all fairness, on some 03A4 receivers, the 3 was x'ed out and a 4 stamped. Ie. 03AX4, this wasn't done during original manufacture but later at overhaul depots. I wasn't a standard practice however so although not common, it's not really considered rare.

Kurt

[John Kepler]

In all fairness, on some 03A4 receivers, the 3 was x'ed out and a 4 stamped. Ie. 03AX4, this wasn't done during original manufacture but later at overhaul depots. I wasn't a standard practice however so although not common, it's not really considered rare.

Kurt

You got it in one!