1903A1 USMC Clone Questions

[M4.GA]

Hello everyone. I've recently developed a hankering for a USMC M1903A1 Sniper clone for shooting long range. I am curious what everyones' recommendations are for gunsmiths/shops/etc. that would produce a good, reliable shooter. I'm not looking for an all original, high value collectible rifle.

Thanks!

 

[cplnorton]

It depends on how correct you want to get into the build, but it sounds more like you just want a shooter. The M1903A1 Snipers were basically (in the simplest terms) a NM that had the blocks attached and the handguard modified. Honestly if you take a 1903 and add 0 & E blocks Unertl blocks to mount the scope and modify the front handguard, that is what most gunsmiths do that build them.

There are guys who duplicate the traits and such to sort of make them look more real. But if you don't care about that, about any competent gunsmith can add blocks to an 03.

I would look for an 03 that was already lightly sporterized or had holes drilled so you aren't drilling and tapping an unmodified rifle. Plus those rifles would be a lot cheaper.

 

[camocorvette]

There is a cloner rifle in the px right now for a reasonable price.

 

[camocorvette]

SOLD - 1903a4 Clone.

Selling a 1903a4 sniper clone(ish) rifle. Has a standard a3 action instead of the canted roll mark. The action is 1903a3 with a new criterion barrel installed, test fired only. Timney trigger installed Correct weaver 330 M8 scope with tapered post. The scope was completely overhauled and is...

www.snipershide.com

 

[USMCSGT0331]

There is a cloner rifle in the px right now for a reasonable price.

SOLD - 1903a4 Clone.

Selling a 1903a4 sniper clone(ish) rifle. Has a standard a3 action instead of the canted roll mark. The action is 1903a3 with a new criterion barrel installed, test fired only. Timney trigger installed Correct weaver 330 M8 scope with tapered post. The scope was completely overhauled and is...

www.snipershide.com

Except that the OP wants to build a 1903A1 USMC sniper clone, which is a completely different rifle than a 1903A3/4. He would need a regular old 1903 as the base for a 1903A1 clone, not a 1903A3/4.

 

[Modoc]

SOLD - 1903a4 Clone.

Selling a 1903a4 sniper clone(ish) rifle. Has a standard a3 action instead of the canted roll mark. The action is 1903a3 with a new criterion barrel installed, test fired only. Timney trigger installed Correct weaver 330 M8 scope with tapered post. The scope was completely overhauled and is...

www.snipershide.com

You guys suck! SWMBO (Memsahib) just dope slapped me as I showed her that link! That is a wish list item, but life comes first.

 

[camocorvette]

Except that the OP wants to build a 1903A1 USMC sniper clone, which is a completely different rifle than a 1903A3/4. He would need a regular old 1903 as the base for a 1903A1 clone, not a 1903A3/4.

I totally skimmed over that. Good catch Sir.

 

[USMCSGT0331]

You guys suck! SWMBO (Memsahib) just dope slapped me as I showed her that link! That is a wish list item, but life comes first.

You could build a better A4 clone for less, this isn't a rifle I'd recommend to someone looking for an A4 clone. Just my opinion though.

 

[Modoc]

You could build a better A4 clone for less, this isn't a rifle I'd recommend to someone looking for an A4 clone. Just my opinion though.

I appreciate the input, but it isn’t my biggest obstacle. I’d like a correct rifle to shoot NRA Military Silhouette with, but I am also shooting SASS, Wild Bunch (and their long range categories), NRA BPCR, NRA Lever Action Silhouette (all 3 flavors), NRA Handgun Silhouette, and tryin not to go down the rabbit holes of other shooting sports. Not to mention the hunting rifles, pistols, and shotguns.

I will say that she’s kept a roof over our head and food on the table instead of being totally gun poor.

At least she enjoys shooting most of them WITH me!

 

[USMCSGT0331]

I will say that she’s kept a roof over our head and food on the table instead of being totally gun poor.

At least she enjoys shooting most of them WITH me!

You are truly living the good life, I tip my hat to you, sir!

 

[Modoc]

You are truly living the good life, I tip my hat to you, sir!

This weekend’s outing. Two hunts on our local club. You couldn’t have asked for nicer days.

This biggest laugh is that when “I” upgrade HER gear, she is like WOW! I was fine before, but this is SO much BETTER!

The next Honey Do is a tang sight for her NRA Lever Action Silhouette Rifle.

 

[Modoc]

You can spot someone who cares, her eye pro and hearing protection cost MORE than her shotgun. BTW that Winchester 1300 Youth was the FIRST gun that I bought. It took a lot of lawns mowed to pay it off.

For those wondering, Rudy Project Rydons with prescription inserts and Axil Pro-S ear protection.

 

[Modoc]

Out of curiosity, how exacting are the rules for the various Military Sniper Rifle Matches? Like rivet/stitch counting tight, or the 5’ rule? 5’ rule being extremely close: action, furniture, optic/sights be close but not exact.

 

[cplnorton]

I know the CMP requires the rifles to have a C (pistol) grip stock. Instead of the S (straight) grip stock.

Which is absolute crap as the Marines used both styles. This is one of my pet peeves and has been for over 10 years. lol

Otherwise I think the CMP rules are pretty standard. Basically just a standard 03 with blocks and a scope. There are rules on the scopes but most people use the Malcomb repo scopes anyways.

 

[lonegunman762x51]

I had a chance to pick up a CMP built clone several years back and took it, the gun is well built and perfectly acceptable as a vintage sniper rifle, best of all shooting it does not hurt an original gun. If you find one of their guns, it might be worth a look.

 

[Charger442]

I know the CMP requires the rifles to have a C (pistol) grip stock. Instead of the S (straight) grip stock.

Which is absolute crap as the Marines used both styles. This is one of my pet peeves and has been for over 10 years. lol

Otherwise I think the CMP rules are pretty standard. Basically just a standard 03 with blocks and a scope. There are rules on the scopes but most people use the Malcomb repo scopes anyways.

Scant stocks are verboten?

 

[cplnorton]

Scant stocks are verboten?

The way I read the rule book, you can use a Scant on a 03a4. But you cannot use one on a M1903A1 Unertl.

This is one of my biggest pet peeves so let me rant a little bit. lol About 1/4 of all the original M1903A1 Unertl Snipers I know of were found with straight stocks. We have pics of them in combat in WWII with straight stocks. Heck, I have a Unertl Sniper with a straight stock that has all the Marine rifle team mods. So it's an original stock to a M1903A1 Sniper. So I think this is why this rule is such a pet peeve of mine. I cannot use my "Real" rifle in a match unless I would change the stock. Also my rifle is probably one of the most well known ones out there.

But I guess what should I expect, the CMP calls them the 1941A1 Springfield. This says a lot about their knowledge of the weapon. The Marines never used the 1941 Sniper name, let alone the 1941A1 name. All of those are names were created by collectors or some author. So if they don't even know what the rifle was called, I guess I can't expect them to know about the stocks.

 

[Sarthree]

Bruce Dow of Dow Arms room in Florida has made six for our VSM team. He is amazing

 

[Defender3]

Was the 1941 USMC Sniper ever the correct nomenclature or was it just that the Marines built the 03A1's in 1941?

 

[cplnorton]

I've never seen the 1941 name used by the Marines. It seems we as collectors have created that name for these rifles. Pretty much the Marines just nicknamed them a 1903 Sniper, or 1903 with telescopic sight. Which meant they often confused them with the other 1903 Sniper variants the Marines were using during WWII.

The Marines didn't start building these rifles till Jan 1943, and they didn't plan on using the M1903's till around the summer of 1942. So the 1941 name really doesn't fit the dates they were created or made. All I can think of that would be associated around 1941 would be there was a sniper rifle trial by LLoyd and VanOrden but that chose a Winchester Model 70 with 8X Unertl. Which never happened.

I honestly have no idea who coined the 1941 sniper name. But it's really not based on any factual research that I can see. But a lot of the names we have for Marine Sniper rifles such as the Mann Niedner for example, that isn't factual either.


Now at the end of WWII they did receive an official name. There is some slight variation to this in the Marine docs but it's always something close to this:

USMC Rifle (Sniper's) Caliber .30 M1903(A1), W/Telescope, Sighting, Unertl 8X​

 

[Atomic_Lobster]

The way I read the rule book, you can use a Scant on a 03a4. But you cannot use one on a M1903A1 Unertl.


View attachment 8599270

Why no love for the Mark 1 receivers

 

[cplnorton]

Why no love for the Mark 1 receivers

I have never seen any safety issue on why they could not be used. My guess is it's just because Mark I's were never built into snipers. So maybe they were basing the decision on a historical reason not to use them.