1903 Gun Show Pickup

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  • herkybird72

    2A Defender
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 1, 2011
    421
    Freedomland,NC
    Picked up this '03 at the Raleigh Dixie Gun Show this past weekend. Receiver was manufactured in '21 at SA serial # 1222XXX and it was produced in '22 with a RIA barrel. It went to the San Antonio arsenal (P in square stamped on stock) in the 30s and was upgraded to 1903A1 standards with the addition of the C-stock. Bore is bright and crisp. It came with an original Krag sling attached. Paid $900.
     

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    Dave91

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 25, 2009
    1,988
    Anne Arundel
    Nice pick up at a great price. Gotta love a GI C stock- that alone is probably worth a lot. Should be a really nice shooter.
     

    Trepang

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 10, 2015
    3,310
    Southern Illinois
    Awesome.

    That is next on my WWII list...Looks like you got a nice one.

    Congrats and thanks for posting the pics.
     
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    herkybird72

    2A Defender
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 1, 2011
    421
    Freedomland,NC
    Awesome.

    That is next on my WWII list...Looks like you got a nice one.

    Congrats and thinks for posting the pics.

    Thanks, I had been looking for a long time for the right rifle at the right price. most of the dealers at the shows charge for the “internal solid platinum parts” . This gentleman was a fellow C&R and charged a fair market price.
     

    Virgil Co.C

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2018
    615
    Nice. I really like mine . It was refurbished by the gunsmith I bought it from . Paid 1100 for it , but like you said waited to find the right one.
     

    SmokeEaterPilot

    Active Member
    Jun 3, 2011
    524
    Very nice and honest rifle. A very genuine congratulations.

    Adding to Doco's comment about the bolt steel/heat lot code.

    Check in the cutout well for any stock markings. Should indicate a date. Pre-1940 stocks typically had a letter and a number stamped. Letter for the stock inspector and number for the year it was inspected. Simply an "S" with no number (and absence of a DAL inspection cartouche) means 1940-1942 replacement C stock.

    It has a oneida replacement elevation slide based on your picture. Check for a volley notch at the top (that was eliminated in 1919), also check to see if the base leg of the "7." If has a curve or is straight. Straight base is a RIA produced sight leaf and curved base is SA production. I can show you a picture if that helps.

    Take a look at the handguard. At a distance it looks like possibly a high hump (fairly certain 1920 and earlier) which would be huge those can sell for as much as $225 by themselves.

    RIA 1922 barrels aren't exactly common. They did a short run of them for reasons (at least presently are unknown). So it's nice to have a 1903 with that example.


    Again, what a wonderful rifle and amazing price. Congrats again!
     

    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 2, 2017
    32,151
    Sun City West, AZ
    The stock could be for both the '03 and '03A3...if there's milling unfilled where the barrel meets the receiver it's a WWII C-stock for either rifle. If there's no milling it's a genuine '03A1 stock which is uncommon.

    Look under the magazine cutoff...there might be a "K" stamped under there. If there is it was a stock supplied by Keystone under contract which is WWII production. If there's dished milling under the bolt handle it was intended for the 03A4 sniper variant. If it's a sniper stock that's a real bonus value wise.
     

    herkybird72

    2A Defender
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 1, 2011
    421
    Freedomland,NC
    Thanks to all for all the feedback and info. The bolt stamps indicate that it was a RIA bolt used by SA. The code under the bolt handle is RIo with a B on top of the RIo. It was hard for me to determine from the chart at the VI-shooters page if it is Nickle Steel or double heat treat. There is also on the safety lug an E 4 3 or E 4 8. Hard for me to tell. Under the cutoff is an S or S 1. so it might just be a 40-42 replacement. The rear sight has a strait 7 on the right ladder. I have included more pics of the bolt codes and the sight.
     

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