SRS Check on M1903 SA, please!

[Col. Colt]

Ok, the interesting stuff - this M1903 reciever has what appears to be the "punchmark on the Right receiver rail" that could denote NM/National Match origins and is drilled and tapped for a Lyman 48 rear sight. Serial No. is 1,358,258.

Could somebody pleasee do an SRS lookup for me?

Thanks,
Col. Colt

[Rick the Librarian]

Unfortunately, no SRS match.

[Col. Colt]

Thanks, Rick. I guess I won't feel as bad about it being a very nice, but recovered drill rifle reciever, then! The punchmark and the drilling for the Lyman 48 made me wonder if it could have ever been a National Match.....

I felt strongly that I didn't want to drill on a "good" unmolested reciever (and destroy a piece of history) in order to make a realistic USMC Vintage Sniper, and the slight remaining weld blemishes around the cutoff and lower reciever will keep anyone from being fooled in the future - because except for that, it's a very good looking 1930's M1903. With the cutoff "up" it looks great!

The goal is an "all correct GI parts" M1903A1 w/Unertl build, as far as the rifle goes. (Real Unertls cost too much to shoot with!) All major parts in the gun are 1930's or before, to include an SA 1939 C stock/handguard matched set, which came with the handguard cut for the Unertl and is reportedly (and to all appearances) is a for real, USMC sniper stock.

Next is to see if it shoots good enough to deserve being scoped.....

Thanks so much for your help! You and your fellow experts add a lot of enjoyment to our hobby.....
Col. Colt

[Rick the Librarian]

I saw very few "numbers" in that range. Of course, keep in mind that if a NM rifle was sold to a service member or "recycled" back into service use, it wouldn't be listed in sales records.