Probable WWII 1903 Marine Sniper w/A5 scope

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  • cplnorton
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2009
    • 2194

    #1

    Probable WWII 1903 Marine Sniper w/A5 scope

    Well I bought something interesting this weekend. The seller did not know much about what it was. It came from a old man who they thought had been a WWII Army vet, who they said they knew had it at least 30 years, but did not know where he had got it before that. When I asked if he might have been a Marine they were puzzled why. So I did not believe they had faked this.

    First I have to thank John Beard, Jim Tarleton, Ed Byrns, and Chuch Moline. Each I have talked with personally on this and they were all nice enough to answer my questions and give me opinions on it. Thank you Gentlemen!

    Now I'm curious what others think of it. As I know some of you have these rifles. I have almost a 150 pics of this rifle so I have photos of nearly every inch of it. So if someone needs to see a specific pic of something. I probably have it.

    This is a description of the rifle. Thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated!


    Serial: 1459600

    Receiver: 1934 date, has had hatcher hole drilled, not a factory hatcher hole. Rails polished.

    Barrel: 4-38 SA. Not Star guaged marked, but has C63934 on the sight base. Barrel has Marine Vice marks on it.

    Bolt: blued NS bolt. It's an early NS bolt with the single gas hole enlarged. Serial number electropenciled on top.

    Stock: No cartouches, area around sight base has been milled out. National Match buttplate

    Follower is polished then has the word SERIAL electorpenciled on it with at least a 1 and 4 behind it. I cannot make out the rest.

    There has been machining on the area where the trigger assembly matches up to the receiver. Where the front screw is attached.

    Scope is a Winchester A5 scope with #2 mounts.

    CV sear with B

    Boyt 42 sling


    Here are the pics:













  • cplnorton
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2009
    • 2194

    #2










    Comment

    • cplnorton
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2009
      • 2194

      #3


















      Comment

      • cplnorton
        Senior Member
        • Sep 2009
        • 2194

        #4












        Comment

        • cplnorton
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2009
          • 2194

          #5








          Comment

          • cplnorton
            Senior Member
            • Sep 2009
            • 2194

            #6
            When I first saw it I knew the Marines did have the Winchester A5/Lyman 5A at the beginning of WWII. But I don't know if they would have used #2 scope mounts.

            The other thing I questioned was the straight stock, but I found many pics of the straight stock being used in the War.


            The first pic is Guadalcanal, the second pic is Okinawa 1945, and the third is on Guam in 1944.

            4427735339_300008f924.jpg4427328552_175a348dac.jpgusmcww2sniper.jpg
            Last edited by cplnorton; 03-16-2015, 03:30.

            Comment

            • Fred
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2009
              • 4977

              #7
              Oooooo... Nice rifle!

              Comment

              • chuckindenver
                Senior Member
                • Sep 2009
                • 3005

                #8
                wonderful find..
                as we have talked...i believe the rifle is ok...the mounts and scope were added later..
                nice handguard as well...
                its missing some of the other markings iv seen...
                if it aint broke...fix it till it finally is.

                Comment

                • 1563621
                  Senior Member
                  • Aug 2009
                  • 1103

                  #9
                  Very Nice Find!!!!

                  Comment

                  • Marine A5 Sniper Rifle
                    Senior Member
                    • Aug 2009
                    • 7450

                    #10
                    I suspect that rifle originally had a Unertl on it. Note the Win A5 sniper in the picture has the Winchester modified mounts. I don't believe the Corps would have used hard to read #2 mounts when they had over 800 sets of the much better and easy to read Winchester modified mounts with elevation calibrated in inches. Either way, you found a real prize.

                    Congratulations.

                    jt

                    Comment

                    • cplnorton
                      Senior Member
                      • Sep 2009
                      • 2194

                      #11
                      I tried not to post pics of anything that isn't already known on these, just in case. But if I did, let me know and I will take it off. I do not want to help the humpers but wanted to give enough to make a judgement on.
                      Last edited by cplnorton; 03-16-2015, 04:12.

                      Comment

                      • pmclaine
                        Senior Member
                        • Jan 2010
                        • 2555

                        #12
                        Beautiful rifle!

                        Id heard that the moustrap spring was a feature on civilian A5's not so much mil. Does your rifle show that is not always the case?

                        Comment

                        • cplnorton
                          Senior Member
                          • Sep 2009
                          • 2194

                          #13
                          I did not recognize this marking on the sear. Is it just a drawing number? The other side is marked CV.

                          Comment

                          • TDP0311
                            Senior Member
                            • Nov 2013
                            • 240

                            #14
                            I was with Cpl Norton when we came across this rifle on Saturday. Very glad to see it go to an owner that will give this old, salty piece of Corps history the proper home it deserves!

                            Comment

                            • chuckindenver
                              Senior Member
                              • Sep 2009
                              • 3005

                              #15
                              post 1935 drawing numbers were found on some parts,.sear, trigger, rear sight base, follower, rear sight windage knob, stock, hangguard, rear sight, cocking rod, buttplat, buttplate trap door..
                              CV is a hardened sear..may have a CV marked cocking rod as well.
                              if it aint broke...fix it till it finally is.

                              Comment

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