Demilled 1903A3

[VeeVee]

Just sharing pictures of a demilled 1903A3 rifle I picked up from a gun show for $99.

[legionnaire]

It looks really nice. From the pics I guess it still needs the sights assembly on it?
Philip

[rickthelibrarian]

You did great for $99, VeeVee!!

[OneZero]

Nice one Vee! i like it

[VeeVee]

Thanks. It was a drill rifle so I think it was "neutered". No rear sight. The tip of the front sight is cut off. Welded barrel. Plastic or fiber glass stock that looks like wood.

The markings behind the front sight says:
SC
(flaming bomb logo)
11 43

[rickthelibrarian]

Your receiver dates from January, 1944 - towards the end of production. The barrel is original. It sounds like you need another magazine spring. Sometimes they wear out.

Regarding the lack of a front sight blade, there was a very good reason for not having one. M1903A3s were often used as drill rifles, which involved spinning them around. I was on a drill team while in Army ROTC in college and rather stupidly took my M1903 along with me. I slipped and gouged my finger with the front sight blade (I still bear the scar). Below is a picture of me while on the drill team in 1969 with the rifle that "stung" me. Naturally, I look EXACTLY the same today as the picture!!

Smith Corona, a typewriter and business machine company, made M1903A3s from late 1942 until early 1944. Unlike Remington, they made no "true" M1903s, but just M1903A3s.

[VeeVee]

A 1903 with finger groove stock. Nice... do you still own it to this day?

You look just like that photo you sent me of present day you... holding a repro gas trap garand in port arms.

[rickthelibrarian]

Yep, I still own it. I bought it as a teenager about 1967. It came with a non-GG stock so I installed one that you see in the picture. I got smart and restored it to the way it was supposed to look (no GG stock) a few years ago. A recent picture of the rifle below.



Just so the rest of you know what we're talking about, here's a picture of me holding a M1903 at a similar position about 37 years after the previous picture (I TOLD you I hadn't changed!!). The rifle I am holding was a M1903 variation called a Pedersen Device, which is very rare. The rifle, which is NOT mine, later sold for about $43,000 at a firearms auction. The gentleman who owned it let me hold it in his garage. I was scared to death I'd drop it on the concrete!!

[legionnaire]

beautiful rifle alright! Thanks for showing!

it went for 43K I'm surprise he didn't let you wear cotton white gloves to hold it or I hope it was hang beside his garden tools?

The rifle hasn't changed or errr I mean you haven't EXACTLY change alright! ;D finally nice to see the Rick behind the call sign.

hey Vic maybe we should have a post were everyone should introduced themselves with the latest photo of themas it si nice to know who who the person is. make it mandatory! ;D

Philip

[VeeVee]

Very handsome.... the rifle I mean. (kidding!) But you do have the same exact grin on your face

Philip, I can't do that. Where's the mystery in that Many people may prefer to stay anonymous.

[26th]

I have seen Philip No need to post that handsome face and make us look bad. haha

Rudy/ps Wonderful rifle you both have.

[milspec]

Greetings Victor and Rickthelibrarian,

Victor, great find on that M1903a3 and under a hundred dollars at that. From your description you probably just have to upgrade it with a wooden stock and complete the rear and front sights as Philip recommended.

Rickthelibrarian, great looking M1903 you have there and fantastic M1903 with Pedersen device. I saw that type of rifle demonstrated on "Mail Call". Apparently the ammunition is really scarce and the device itself even more since the US government destroyed almost all of them. Thats why it costs $43K. Thanks for showing.

milspec

[dimasalang]

I would just like to add some history here on the M1903 rifles that I feel is important and in a way connected to Philippine history. The Philippine American Wars greatest victim was Gen. Lawton who was shot through the heart with a Mauser rifle by a Filipino sniper. The Mauser rifles were proven "superior" to the Krag rifles used by the American. The US War Department reverse-engineered captured Spanish Mauser rifles from the war and designed their own rifle using both the Krag design and the Mauser, but nearly 80% of the rifle is copied from the Mauser(the ergonomics, action of the bolt, and elevator sights are obvious of that)...and the new round(30.03) was developed to out perform the 7 or 8mm Mauser cartridge. During the Philippine-American War only excellent shooters of the Philippine forces were issued Mausers. Just as the M1911 .45 was developed due to Philippine history, the same can be said about the M1903...and it was not until the second world war when the M1903A3s were replaced by the Garands, but the US Snipers still used the M1903A3s up until the Korean war.
I plan to order a M1903A3 from CMP once I get off my a$$ and turn in my 03FFL paper work.

[26th]

You can had this, the US paid the Germans for the copy rights. That is why the action is so smooth, it is German.

Rudy

[dimasalang]

Jun 27, 2008 11:24:35 GMT -5 26th said:

You can had this, the US paid the Germans for the copy rights.

[/color] That is why the action is so smooth, it is German.

Rudy[/quote]

Spain contracted the German company to build their Spanish Mausers...the German company owned the patent.

The US payed the Germans for the copy right after the German company took them to court for patent infringement. The German company won, and Springfield Armory made a licensing agreement with the company in order to use their Mauser design. All Mauser rifles have a silky smooth action...indeed the Germans are excellent designers. Even today, Germans build high quality firearms.

Kevin