Help with M1903

[DangerStove]

Hello all,

My girlfriend was recently gifted her grandfather's m1903 03-a3 that he was issued during the korean war. The stock/barrel are missing and we were given a box of parts. Does anyone know of a good resource for finding the small parts/pins etc and have any advice for restoring this firearm? I have some tools from working on modern bolt action rifles. Thank you in advance.

 

[pitspitr]

No Hope, just sell me the parts...cheap
Seriously though, Ebay, Gunbroker, Grandpa's gunparts, S&S

 

[DangerStove]

No Hope, just sell me the parts...cheap
Seriously though, Ebay, Gunbroker, Grandpa's gunparts, S&S

We have seen sale prices but she is wanting to keep this in the family and shoot on occasion.

 

[camocorvette]

Springfield 1903A3 Parts List | Numrich

Shop for Springfield 1903A3 parts and the schematic with Numrich Gun Parts.

www.gunpartscorp.com

That would be a good start for missing parts. I'm not knowledgeable on the Springfield. There's a few guys on here that are though.

Possibly @pmclaine @sirhrmechanic @buffalowinter @Greg Langelius * [USER=7363]@kraigWY

There's alot of knowledgeable guys on here and I'm sure in no time they will chime in.
That's a great piece of history. Do you know what here Grandfather did during the war? Are there serial numbers that match on any of the pieces you do have?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I don't know much about 1903's... but any that were issued with scopes during the Korean War makes your girlfriend's grand-dad someone worth looking up!

You can get his DD214 and records. Which may prove very interesting. Because that likely would have been issued as some kind of makeshift sniper or designated marksman rifle.

Research, research, research. And if it is really something special (which it could well be) then have a very careful and sympathetic restoration done. Regardless of cost. Get it right. There are specialists.

I'll let some of the other guys above comment on the rifle itself. But when it comes to the history, do your due diligence!!

Really cool and thanks, OP, for posting!

Sirhr

 

[pmclaine]

That looks to be an 03-A4 and if so you have a nice pile of money sitting there. The bolt alone is highly sought after.

Post a photo of the manufacturers marking on the front ring. If it is off set left you have a sniper rifle with scope. It will be marked Remington 03-A3 but it is in fact an A4.

I have the name of a good parts supplier I have to dig out. Bought a bunch of spares from them.

Join the CMP and start getting educated. You will find plenty of help to restore that gem.

Look for a Keystone replacement Cstock (best shooter) or a scant stock.

Stand by for more info

 

[pmclaine]

Amherst Military Depot.....

US Military Gun Parts, USGI Gun Parts, Army Manuals, M14, AR-15, 1911A1, 03A3, M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M1903A3, M14 , M1 USGI replacement parts, Army Manuals, guidebook for Marines

www.amherstmilitarydepot.com

Barrels are plenty available but going up in price.

Remington made the 03A4 and finding a Remington barrel might be difficult. Sniper barrels were from the standard production. I think even two groove barrels were used.

If all you are looking for is a shooter I'd suggest White Oak Armory......they make great AR match barrels and at one point were producing 03 barrels. The Criterions would also be suitable CMP sells those. Just about any modern 03 barrel should outperform GI.

The CMP actually has a service to build snipers. If you speak with them, show what you have for parts they will build the complete rifle to include missing parts and stock.

Custom Gunsmithing - Civilian Marksmanship Program

The CMP Custom Shop provides a variety of repair, upgrade and custom services for U.S. Military rifles, specifically those from early eras.

thecmp.org

Keep us updated!

 

[Lange Carabine]

Best I can tell from the s/n the reciever at least is an original Remington a4 made in July-August '43. Dont know about the bolt, but probably GTG there too.
If made in July the correct barrel would be marked R.A. 2 -9-43, most common bbl date see on july guns is 6 or 7-43.
Made in august correct bbl date would be R. A. 7-9 43, with a most common date of 7 or 8-43.
Theres a guy named Chuck Moline in Denver, Co. that specializes in rebuilding and restoring '03a4's and theres a good chance he has a correct original barrel and stock along with the other small parts needed.
His business is Warpath Metal Finishing.
You can also find him in the Springfield 1903/1903a3 a4 forum at milsurps.com under the name chuckindenver.

 

[DangerStove]

Thank you everyone for the information, we will be visiting her parents tonight for dinner so I will ask about grandpa's history in the war. I will keep this thread updated with our progress with the rifle and grandpa's history.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Amherst Military Depot.....

US Military Gun Parts, USGI Gun Parts, Army Manuals, M14, AR-15, 1911A1, 03A3, M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M1903A3, M14 , M1 USGI replacement parts, Army Manuals, guidebook for Marines

www.amherstmilitarydepot.com

Barrels are plenty available but going up in price.

Remington made the 03A4 and finding a Remington barrel might be difficult. Sniper barrels were from the standard production. I think even two groove barrels were used.

If all you are looking for is a shooter I'd suggest White Oak Armory......they make great AR match barrels and at one point were producing 03 barrels. The Criterions would also be suitable CMP sells those. Just about any modern 03 barrel should outperform GI.

The CMP actually has a service to build snipers. If you speak with them, show what you have for parts they will build the complete rifle to include missing parts and stock.

Custom Gunsmithing - Civilian Marksmanship Program

The CMP Custom Shop provides a variety of repair, upgrade and custom services for U.S. Military rifles, specifically those from early eras.

thecmp.org

Keep us updated!

And this is why SH has the varsity on tap, at a moments' notice and offering up some amazing advice that is right on the money...

See the above highlighted comment. Thanks PM!

Outstanding...

Sirhr

 

[pitspitr]

We have seen sale prices but she is wanting to keep this in the family and shoot on occasion.

Good for her! History like that can't be replaced. And as had been said, do it right! Don't go cheap. If you do, at some point she will regret it

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

Would be nice to see it restored.

 

[USMCSGT0331]

Best I can tell from the s/n the reciever at least is an original Remington a4 made in July-August '43. Dont know about the bolt, but probably GTG there too.
If made in July the correct barrel would be marked R.A. 2 -9-43, most common bbl date see on july guns is 6 or 7-43.
Made in august correct bbl date would be R. A. 7-9 43, with a most common date of 7 or 8-43.
Theres a guy named Chuck Moline in Denver, Co. that specializes in rebuilding and restoring '03a4's and theres a good chance he has a correct original barrel and stock along with the other small parts needed.
His business is Warpath Metal Finishing.
You can also find him in the Springfield 1903/1903a3 a4 forum at milsurps.com under the name chuckindenver.

Another recommendation for Chuck at Warpath Metal Finishing, he built me a 1903A4 from parts I gathered and it turned out perfectly! Send your parts to him when you're ready, he can also source parts and usually has some stuff on hand.

 

[camocorvette]

Love this community for this exact reason. Within a few hours and more knowledge then a Google search would find.

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

Sarco out of Pennsylvania is another great source for parts. Great guys to deal with and really fast shipping.
That is looks to be a Korean war era A4.

The scope is the correct Lyman Alaskan 2.5x with the eye cup and sun shade.
The eye cup is on the sun shade, switch that to the objective and you are gtg .

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

Sarco was a huge help with my stock and hardware

 

[TurdFerguson]

Nice A4, had to zoom in, too look at it. If it was mine I would either: A) buy an A3 and strip the parts or B) Find an A3 somone has sportarized and pull parts. (hit up your local pawn shops.)

The biggest pain you'll find is the barrel. Its a standard 03 barrel missing with the front sight. The barrels were parked without the front sight, if I remember correctly the A3's were parked with the front sight on, so if you steal a barrel, there will be a spot in the white where the front sight used to be.

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

Barrels are the easy part. Criterion makes brand new match barrels. They are under $200 and come short chambered. Finding an original barrel,
that would be a trick. You could always go with an NOS barrel and re park it.
Finding and fitting a good stock is a pain, but also very rewarding.
You have the start to a beautiful rifle my friend. Take your time and do it right.

- Jon

 

[MK20]

If you need an 03 barrel I have a friend who had piles of NOS. I think he still has a good number.
Let me know if you end up not being able to find one.

 

[pitspitr]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133885418277?hash=item1f2c315b25:g:Lg8AAOSw1DphTJBQ You would have to have it re parked, but hey...

 

[DangerStove]

We got some of the story for gramps: he was in the 555th artillery support as a sniper protecting the battery and got out as 1st sargent. When he was in the hospital(end of life) he had a tough time with the asian nurses.

It looks like she wants to go with the modern barrel as there is a local club that holds military silhouette matches she would like to compete in.

Would there be a problem with dunking the action into an ultrasonic bath?

thanks again to everyone supplying information and links to follow. This will be here first rifle as she just uses ours(mine) when we go shooting.

 

[MarshallDodge]

We got some of the story for gramps: he was in the 555th artillery support as a sniper protecting the battery and got out as 1st sargent. When he was in the hospital(end of life) he had a tough time with the asian nurses.

It looks like she wants to go with the modern barrel as there is a local club that holds military silhouette matches she would like to compete in.

Would there be a problem with dunking the action into an ultrasonic bath?

thanks again to everyone supplying information and links to follow. This will be here first rifle as she just uses ours(mine) when we go shooting.

You guys have a great story and I'm glad your GF is showing interest in the rifle. I love the 1903A3 as that is the first centerfire rifle that I shot when I was 12.

Putting a modern barrel on the gun isn't a big deal as you don't have an all original gun to begin with. The big thing is to never modify the parts that you have.

 

[corsairpilot62]

Featured Products - Liberty Tree Collectors

www.libertytreecollectors.com

Gun Parts & Firearm Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts

Numrich Gun Parts Corporation, America’s leading supplier of current and obsolete gun parts, accessories, and military surplus since 1950.

www.gunpartscorp.com

 

[DangerStove]

Post a WTB ads, you might be lucky .

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Another vote for Sarco. They and Numrich are good sources of parts, but you must take into account that the days when such parts were plentiful are long gone.

 

[DangerStove]

Just an update, that lab my SO works at is being pretty shitty about the vaccine mandates, not giving her direct answers and all that. So this project is having to be put on hold until we know what her employment is going to look like in the future. Once we can figure that out we will pick back up. Thank you all for the great wealth of information that has been provided.

 

[pmclaine]

Another vote for Sarco. They and Numrich are good sources of parts, but you must take into account that the days when such parts were plentiful are long gone.

Lots of Sarco and Numrich is "Made in Chyna".

There are still plenty of GI parts to be had be careful with those two.

 

[pitspitr]

Just an update, that lab my SO works at is being pretty shitty about the vaccine mandates, not giving her direct answers and all that. So this project is having to be put on hold until we know what her employment is going to look like in the future. Once we can figure that out we will pick back up. Thank you all for the great wealth of information that has been provided.

Do like I say and not as I do. Don't be in a hurry and do it right

 

[pmclaine]

Just an update, that lab my SO works at is being pretty shitty about the vaccine mandates, not giving her direct answers and all that. So this project is having to be put on hold until we know what her employment is going to look like in the future. Once we can figure that out we will pick back up. Thank you all for the great wealth of information that has been provided.

May need it sooner than you think than.

 

[kentuckyMarksman]

I bought one of the 1903A3 parts kits from Sarco to go with an an action I had bought. Had numerous USGI parts in it, but numerous Chinese made parts in it as well. I replaced the Chinese parts with USGI that I found online, bought a Minelli stock, and sent it to the CMP for assembly. You can do the same with your parts.