Brass Pins Used To Replace Stock Bolts in Remmie '03 Production

[Southron]

O.K., What is the story? I note that Remington started using Brass Pins to replace the stock bolts in their M1903's but later in their production of M1903A3's had switched back to the Stock Bolts.

Did the Brass Pins prove unsatisfactory to replace the Stock Bolts?

What Serial Number Range did the Brass Pins first appear and what serial number range did they disappear to be replaced by Stock Bolts?

THANKS!

[Rick the Librarian]

Stock "pins" were used in an attempt to save materials and labor. They supposedly made the stock weaker for such uses as firing rifle grenades.

Stock pins were substituted in late 1942 and stock bolts were re-introduced about mid-1943.

[PeteDavis]

I have an S/C with the pins. I assume they were threaded and glued in. Anyone ever had a stock failure from a pinned stock?

PD

[Rick the Librarian]

I always heard it was rifle grenades that caused the increased breakage, but there seems to be some evidence they didn't hold up with sustained firing and combat as well. Some people believe you shouldn't use pinned stocks for shooters, but I disagree - popping off a box or two of cartridges once in a while is hardly a comparison to sustained use in combat. Obviously, JMHO.

[Tuna]

In the mid 1943 time frame there was a perceived brass shortage. This is what lead to the making of steel cased .45 ACP and .30 carbine ammo. Turned out there was not a shortage but many things made with brass had been changed over to other materials. Could this have been a factor in the return to steel?

[jgaynor]

In the mid 1943 time frame there was a perceived brass shortage. This is what lead to the making of steel cased .45 ACP and .30 carbine ammo. Turned out there was not a shortage but many things made with brass had been changed over to other materials. Could this have been a factor in the return to steel?

Possibly, but the pins could just as easily have been made from steel. I think it was more of a design issue. Stock bolts required two separate parts probably made on a screw machine and careful countersinking of the stock. The pins could just be threaded into a plain hole and sanded flush. If the pinned stocks were failing in service the simple solution was to revert to a proven solution.

[dave]

I doubt many 03's were used in sustained combat, as late as 'late 1942'.

[Rick the Librarian]

Quite a few were used as grenade launchers and other specialized duty with combat units - if nothing else, the Marines used them into 1943. Also, just the "wear and tear" of being carried.

[RCS]

Smith Corona 1903A3 stock

This S/C stock had the butt section cracked from the rear of the trigger guard to the buttplate,
it was so bad that I was able to remove the bottom half. The stock has the brass pins and FJA stamp. I used Brownell's glass bedding to put the stock back together. I would guess the crack developed during service usage as the stock was in pile of rejected wood ?

[Parashooter]

The two I extracted from an 03-A3 stock a while back were neither brass nor pins. They were, in fact, steel headless screws. If near enough the surface, check yours with a magnet and let us know if they're brass or steel.

[RCS]

My pins used in the SC stock in the above photos are brass

[PhillipM]

I have an S/C with the pins. I assume they were threaded and glued in. Anyone ever had a stock failure from a pinned stock?

PD

My Greek return arrived with the recoil lug broken, CMP replaced it.