Price Check......1903A3

[StantonCree]

Came in to possession of a 1903A3. It's literally BEAUTIFUL!!!

Marked U.S. REMINGTON 03-A3

Serial 3456XXX

Looks like it's never been shot. Any idea on a REASONABLE asking price should I decide to let it go. Not collector price although this thing looks like it's never been shot.

Finish is at least 95%

 

[Melnic]

You need to post pics!
Show any stock markings and any date on the front of the barrel
There are a lot of repurposed drill rifles done by I think James river plus others. They had new barrels put on them
They sold for $795 at the time
AIM and some others had them
Those are probably still about $800 or so
Others can chime in

 

[CasualObserver]

Melnic is right. Pics are a must. It could be a repurposed drill rifle, an Army Arsenal rebuilt, or maybe its a rare almost unissued original. I was in the market awhile back and looked at quite a few and I found that most in "it looks like it never has been shot" condition are either repurposed drill rifles that have been built recently or Army Arsenal rebuilt and never reissued. You can tell a lot though by the pics... barrel markings, Stock Cartouches, markings are the parts and if they are blued or parked.

 

[StantonCree]

I'll put some up tomorrow but what should I be looking for to see if it's a drill rifle? Rebuild? That type of stuff

 

[CasualObserver]

There are a lot of things to look for. On a Remington 03A3 many of the parts will be marked with an R if all original. Some parts will be blued and some will be parkerized as well. If they are all parkerized, then it probably isn't all original and could be either refinished by bubba, refinished by an Army Arsenal, built from a drill rifle by a commercial company, ect. ect. So many things to look for. Have to really look at it and check reference books or sites like... http://m1903.com/

I don't profess to be an expert, but there are a lot of things to look at I discovered when I was in the market for one.

 

[Drmsparks]

The recovered drill rifles are usually ceracoated (they won't take park anymore)

 

[StantonCree]

Pics will be coming tonight but here is what I do know after a little closer inspection.



The bottom of the stock has a "P" on it meaning that it was proof tested before leaving the factory. According to the above website 2 "P's" would be a sign of a complete rebuild from the factory. It DOES NOT have a second P stamped into the wood.

The front sight is stamped with a "R" and the barrel is stamped with a "RA" 2-43 coupled with the serial number makes it a Remington 1943 production.

It has "OG" stamped into the left side of the buttstock meaning it was an Odgen Arsenal. Also stamped in the stock is FJA meaning it was inspected by Lt. Col. Frank J. Atwood (NEW MANUFACTURE)

So all is kind of greek to me I hope this helps. Oh and it's fully parked

 

[ken792]

The recovered drill rifles are usually ceracoated (they won't take park anymore)

I believe the JRA ones were parkerized. They must have ground off the weld and then rewelded with something that will take the refinish. I do recall that the color is slightly off though.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Fully parked sounds like a drill rifle, look at the bottom of the receiver ring and you may see where a weld has been ground apart to separate the plugged barrel, that may give you a clue as to what you have. Pictures will be a big help.

 

[Drmsparks]

I believe the JRA ones were parkerized. They must have ground off the weld and then rewelded with something that will take the refinish. I do recall that the color is slightly off though.

the weld actually changes how the metal reacts with the parkerizing solution. You end up with different colors depending on how hot the metal got. It makes it really spotty and nasty looking. james river's are not parkerized. The color and texture are way off. They may not ceracoat, but they duracoat or some other finish.

Sounds like this rifle was re arsenalled and re parked (I've got one that fits this description). A lot of 1903a3's were refinished by the armories. A lot of the small parts were switched to a parked finish as time when on as well. Assuming his chamber is in the white, they could have just replaced the stock hardware with parkerized stuff. Is the bolt parked as well?

and one last thing......if it were greek to me the rifle would be black as opposed to normal park.....:>

 

[StantonCree]

Bolt is parked.....pic over load to follow

 

[StantonCree]

Arsenal Mark

 

[StantonCree]

Inspector mark FJA

 

[StantonCree]

Factory proof

 

[StantonCree]

Bottom stamp is a 7 and a 3 in diamond

 

[StantonCree]

Factory R on barrel band/bayo metal

 

[StantonCree]

Factory R on front sight post

 

[StantonCree]

Barrel markings RA. 2-43

 

[Melnic]

The comment "looks like it has never been shot" kind of stuck with me and why I was thinking repurposed drill rifle
But what makes you think that?
Or were you trying to say it looks "unissued"?

There are enough scratches in the photos that I would not have used those words.
If you are interested in it shooting well, do you have a muzzle Gauge?

 

[StantonCree]

Fully parked bolt