Hi all and Merry Christmas!

My friend brought this sporterized 03-A3 up here last year before hunting season to see about having it drilled/tapped and scope mounted. Had sporter stock on it then.



I told him IMO twas a bad idea, receiver was perfect, looked unused... would ruin any value. Found out receiver was made it 1942. Barrel stamped 7-43.

Beautiful.



I had a Smith Corona years ago and sold it to a Trooper friend of mine. I decided to give my friend what he was asking for the Remington 03.

Trooper friend comes up one day about 2 months ago looking for some old reloading stuff. Another friend had given me what he was looking for a feww weeks before that and I was wondering what to do with the old stuff.

My trooper friend asked what I wanted for the old reloading stuff. I asked what he did with the stock and other stuff off the Smith-Corona 03-A3 that I sold him years ago. He said he still had it.

We traded, I brought this 03 to save it and today I put it together.

The rest is history.



Danny

You did a good thing, another fine military rifle was saved...Hopefully you'll be rewarded with some fine accuracy at the range. I hate seeing fine rifles like this, pieces of history really, being bastardized into a "deer rifle", to set in a closet, neglected, cleaned once a year if lucky, and a few years down the road traded off for a Mossberg pump......

You are a fine man!!!!  Good job saving one of the greatest bolt guns EVER!!!!

Very nice!! Looks great!!

I saved this 03A3 about ten years ago, it had a cut down stock on it, i bought it at a pawn shop for fifty bucks, went to a gun show that weekend and found the stock and related parts, all in all i have 200 bucks into it. Minus the rare grenade launcher, this is the only pic i have of the rifle, the grenade launcher is a vietnamese copy used during the war, essentially its a M1 garand launcher modified to be used on an 03/03A3 made by sung dung lu dan. Nice rifle you have there, I love 03's to death. McM

Thanks Guys!

Is the rear sling mount near the butt of the stock the same as a Garand? I'm missing that and the screws.

Also, is the front sight post supposed to be covered?

Danny

Your reciever and bbl are probably matching. From the sound of it, you probably got your date info from m1903.com. Their date info is seriously incorrect with respect to the M1903A3. Look here for a little more accurate dating.


The rear sling swivel is different. The sight cover is optional. It was meant to be removed when firing.

I restored these two 03A3s, first was at a gun show, stock cut missing all front hardware, got it for $225, second one was in a pawn shop missing upper handguards and all front hardware but had a correct "C" stock. I got it for $325, sold the stock and got enough $ to pay for & restore gun.






rk

Quoted: Your reciever and bbl are probably matching. From the sound of it, you probably got your date info from m1903.com. Their date info is seriously incorrect with respect to the M1903A3. Look here for a little more accurate dating. The rear sling swivel is different. The sight cover is optional. It was meant to be removed when firing.

Seems date is wrong, the site in the kink you sent says Sept. 1943 right?

S/N 39251XX   U.S. Remington

Danny

Quoted: I restored these two 03A3s, first was at a gun show, stock cut missing all front hardware, got it for $225, second one was in a pawn shop missing upper handguards and all front hardware but had a correct "C" stock. I got it for $325, sold the stock and got enough $ to pay for & restore gun. www.hunt101.com/watermark.php?file=500/2807903A3-med.JPG www.hunt101.com/watermark.php?file=500/28079DSCF0004-med.JPG rk

That is Impressive! I'd love to have a display up like that.

I'd like to lighten my stock a bit like the one in the first pic you posted.

Is this where the Easy Off Oven cleaner comes in? What should I do?

Danny

ETA: Thanks to everyone for the pics and info!

Cool! You turned a potential $200 bubba'd rifle into a $650 military surplus rifle.

I use rubbing alcohol and fine steel wool. Soak the steel wool, lightly rub. When it clogs up throw away. Repeat. Reeat. Repeat......When its clean I use a very light coat of boiled lindseed oil.

rk

Quoted: I use rubbing alcohol and fine steel wool. Soak the steel wool, lightly rub. When it clogs up throw away. Repeat. Reeat. Repeat......When its clean I use a very light coat of boiled lindseed oil. rk

Thank you, will go with that.

Danny

I like all your M1903s. I inherited 3 (all sporterized) and would like to at least turn 1 back to original. Does anyone know where I can get a stock? I was thinking of shooting in it at my local CMP high power matches since I can't afford (or have the space) for a new rifle.

I got an 03A3 from CMP last year for Christmas. It was in immaculate shape. Everything had the green park, minus the front barrel band.

I hate bubba'ized stuff. Classics like these look much better wearing military wood.