I just purchased a sporterized Smith Corona M1903A3 from Gunbroker. When I picked it up from my FFL01 (sporterized stock makes it non-C&R, although scope does not), I noticed that the serial number was C3711163.A little research indicates that it is outside the 'established' range of Smith Corona M1903A3 SNs, and this is why the 'C' was stamped on it.In another thread, on another forum, John Beard seems to corroborate this.Pity a unique rifle like this was drilled and tapped!is Good!'
PS - Sorry about the fuzzy picture - I'll try again. Second trial not much better than first - but readable. SteelapI found this information from M1903A3Month-end Serial Numbers (Compiled by William Hansen - Used with Permission)1942Dec 3Jan 3623568Feb 3633908Mar 3647887Apr 3665790May 3684449Jun 3701851Jul 37Aug 4742368Sep 4765852Oct 4789047Nov 4809923Dec 4Jan 4840077Feb 4845831Approximately 28,000 additional serialized receivers were produced but not made into rifles by S-C.And Bruce Canfields writes: Remington “over ran” some of Smith-Corona’s first block of serial numbers. Consequently, there were an estimated 3,600 Remington ’03A3 rifles produced with numbers initially assigned to, and used by, Smith-Corona. The receivers with these duplicate numbers were stamped with a “C” next to the serial number for identification and inventory control purposes. SteelapApproximately 28,000 additional serialized receivers were produced but not made into rifles by S-C.Interestingly, Remington “over ran” some of Smith-Corona’s first block of serial numbers. Consequently, there were an estimated 3,600 Remington ’03A3 rifles produced with numbers initially assigned to, and used by, Smith-Corona.
The receivers with these duplicate numbers were stamped with a “C” next to the serial number for identification and inventory control purposes.Your sources are misinformed.J.B. Looking at Poyer's book on the Springfield.it appears that both Remington and Smith Corona had overlapping S/N ranges:1944Remington had 4,200,926 - 4,999,100Smith Corona had 4,828,436 - 4,845,831There is also an appendix in Poyer's book dated May 9, 1945 outlining the various contracts that were issued to Remington beginning July of 1941 and continuing on until ceasing production February 29, 1944.The British had contracted with Remington to produce rifles for them beginning April 16, 1941. Initial contract was for 500,000 units at a cost of $50 each. The US contract was at a cost of $54.15 each.The author states this caveat:In the case of Remington and Smith-Corona the annual serial number ranges are based upon estimates made by reports of monthly production and observation of serial numbers and barrel dates.There is also this notation concerning duplicate serial numbers:August 11, 1942 Capt. Morin wrote to Remington concerning duplicate serial numbers. Up until this time duplicate serial numbers found had been stamped with the letter 'A' before the serial number. Morin instructed Remington to begin using the letter 'Z' instead.QS.
Looking at Poyer's book on the Springfield.it appears that both Remington and Smith Corona had overlapping S/N ranges:1944Remington had 4,200,926 - 4,999,100Smith Corona had 4,828,436 - 4,845,831There is also an appendix in Poyer's book dated May 9, 1945 outlining the various contracts that were issued to Remington beginning July of 1941 and continuing on until ceasing production February 29, 1944.The British had contracted with Remington to produce rifles for them beginning April 16, 1941. Initial contract was for 500,000 units at a cost of $50 each. The US contract was at a cost of $54.15 each.The author states this caveat:In the case of Remington and Smith-Corona the annual serial number ranges are based upon estimates made by reports of monthly production and observation of serial numbers and barrel dates.There is also this notation concerning duplicate serial numbers:August 11, 1942 Capt. Morin wrote to Remington concerning duplicate serial numbers.
Up until this time duplicate serial numbers found had been stamped with the letter 'A' before the serial number. Morin instructed Remington to begin using the letter 'Z' instead.QSPoyer's information does not appear to correlate with Ordnance documentation I have.
The date, for example, pertaining to duplicate serial numbers is discrepant. And he clearly has not researched the matter. I'll leave it at that and not belabor the point.J.B. William Brophy's book is still the yardstick for M1903 books, although it is getting a little out of date. (last written in 1985).As I said before.why not write your own book?Since so much of the information is outdated.:cool:Some of the Amazon reviews of Col. Brophy's book:'If you're a collector of books and a serious collector of small arms this book is great. If you are trying to find details of a specific version of the 1903 Springfield rifle this isn't the book for you.
Not enough specifics about the versions of the '03 that most people would happen to own. It is an excellent reference for the why's and how's of the rifle's existance but again, not enough about the myriad of versions and variations that came from the three major manufacturers.' 'The book is really great, with a lot of work evidently put in on it.
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I would consider it a must for any serious collector's library. However, be forewarned, all of the photos are in black and white, and some are too dark to reveal the detail you would like to see for identification purposes. Having that been said, I still would want it as a part of my reference library, if not, but for the devotion that Lt. Brophy put into it.' As I said before.why not write your own book?Since so much of the information is outdated.:cool:Some of the Amazon reviews of Col. Brophy's book:'If you're a collector of books and a serious collector of small arms this book is great.
If you are trying to find details of a specific version of the 1903 Springfield rifle this isn't the book for you. Not enough specifics about the versions of the '03 that most people would happen to own. It is an excellent reference for the why's and how's of the rifle's existance but again, not enough about the myriad of versions and variations that came from the three major manufacturers.' 'The book is really great, with a lot of work evidently put in on it. I would consider it a must for any serious collector's library. However, be forewarned, all of the photos are in black and white, and some are too dark to reveal the detail you would like to see for identification purposes. Having that been said, I still would want it as a part of my reference library, if not, but for the devotion that Lt.
Brophy put into it.' QSA quick internet search would reveal the background of a couple of the posters, and the fact that they are, indeed published, AND, have recently expended a great deal of time researching at the National Archives, the manufacturers, handled thousands of rifles at the CMP, and known rifles in the hands of advanced collectors with impeccable provenance.Name calling (Fireside Experts), STILL has no place on this forum, any forum, nor in society at large.
It reveals the level of veracity of your own research and knowledge, as well as a peek into personalities.I don't have a dog in this fight, I have a number of references available to me, but I find that Rick and John offer a level of reputable information that is not available from other sources.I also have to note a discrepancy in the first reviewer of Brophy's book that you quote, in that he claims three manufacturers of M1903 pattern rifles, when in fact, there were four. Sorta knocks the wind out of his sails, in my opinion.
A 25 year old book about a rifle that hasn't been produced in 65 years is outdated?There has been a LOT of things that have been discovered about the M1903 since William Brophy's book was written. The Civil War has been over for over 145 years and new facts and intrepretations keep coming up all the time (much less WWII).I appreciate Darreld's very kind words, but I am FAR from the final 'word' on M1903s. I have always regarded myself as a 'student', NOT an 'expert' on the M1903.
When I first started frequenting online forums about 12 years ago, I thought I was pretty knowledgeable. I soon found out that I hardly scratched the surface! Oh.I stand corrected!QSAnd you should!Why don't you 'Fireside' Experts.write your own book.or better still suggest a more correct reference?QSI wish John and Rick would collaborate on a book. I'd be one of the first in line to buy it. As for the 'Fireside Experts' crack, you are sadly displaying your own lack of knowledge of the level of experience and expertise of these two gentlemen.Wouldn't it be more helpful to assist in the dissemination of the 'correct' information as opposed to 'lying in wait' to quicklydebunk information from another reference source.QSIsn't that why we post questions - to get informations from the experts?Not all of 'US' have so much 'Secret' knowledge.QSI found out about the 'C' prestamp from Googling - I found a post from (gasp) John Beard.Perhaps, instead of criticizing, you should learn.' Life is Good!' Rick has spent several days/weeks/months via email and PMs explaining the 1903 and its variants to me.
I still go back and read all the emails and look at the pictures and documents that were sent to me when I think of questions.I have yet to see a question get asked! All anyone has to do is ask and I would bet everything I have, Rick and John would answer them and show them the data/pictures they have pertaining to the question.I will buy the book if ya'll will write it. Then I could leave Rick alone. I totally enjoy learning.that is why I am so curious as to the 'correct' publications.:rolleyes:QSBrophy, Campbell, Canfield - All great books, but none are perfect.
I have plenty of notes/corrections written in all my books.I have Poyers book, but can not remember the last time I opened it. When you accumulate better references, gain forum knowledge and first-hand experience, Poyers book quickly becomes near useless. I won't trash it, but I seen no point in trying to mark corrections in it, either.
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My intent in these post is not create a “Basement Article” but rather a quick reference of the 1903 Service Rifle as to the commonly requested questions relating to the Arms. As such majority is actually already found in publication via other internet sources and published books.Springfield Armory was on a Jul 1 – Jun 30 fiscal year and reported numbers of rifles completed for each year but not the dates of serial numbers struck. From 1907, the Armory reported the first serial number of the year. Since no effort was made to use the receivers in numerical order, considerable variance exists between the number of rifles built and the number of serial numbers struck. Therefore, rifle completion dates can not be precisely determined.1903 Jul 1 – 1 M1903 production begins with Rod Bayonet rifle (RB assembly: December 1903 – January, 1905)1904 Jan 1 –?1905 Jan 1 – 91792 Calculated SN (Beard & Ferris) Last Rod Bayonet rifle completed (74408 RB’s made)Distinctive Rod Bayonet parts production ceased Jan 11,1905.
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Remington M1903/A3/A4Month-end Serial Numbers1941 M1903/A3Oct 3000009Nov 3001282Dec 2 M1903/A3Jan 3017335Feb 3029316Mar 3051205Apr 3077187May 3105878Jun 3138819Jul 3169956Aug 3198937Sep 3224009Oct 3258293Nov 3295471Dec 3 M1903/A3 M1903A4Jan 3384420Feb 34193Mar 35656Apr 35166May 37290Jun 37732Jul 38499Aug 38914Sep 39874Oct 40503Nov 40968Dec 418561944 M1903A3 M1903A4Jan 410Feb 4209xxx Z3747Mar 4996805Apr 4998493May 4998558Jun 499859x. Now lets Talk the Low Serial Number SpringfieldsLow numbered Springfield receivers and the terrible danger they pose to a shooter. (Low numbered receiver are those with serial numbers below 800,000 made at Springfield Armory, and below 286,506 made at Rock Island Arsenal.) Some have stated emphatically no rifle with a low numbered receiver should ever be fired under any circumstance because of the risk of serious injury or death, but that high numbered receivers are perfectly safe.But what of the history: The U.S. Model 1903 rifle, commonly called the Springfield, was used by the U.S. Military between 1903 and 1945.
Remington 1903a3 Serial Numbers 4130000
When the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 there was a marked increase in the use of this rifle for training. Between July and December 1917 eleven rifle receivers shattered, causing one severe and 10 minor injuries to the soldiers using the rifle. Despite the intense demand for rifles caused by our entry into the war, production at both Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal was halted in early 1918, and an investigation launched to determine the cause of the problem.It was determined that the workers responsible for heat treating the receivers had used an “eyeball” method that relied on the color of the heated metal to determine if the steel had been heated to the correct temperature. Unfortunately, according to General Hatcher, the officer in charge of the investigation, “ it was quickly found that the ‘right heat’ as judged by the skillful eye of the old timers was up to 300 degrees hotter on a bright sunny day than it was on a dark cloudy one” (See Hatcher, Julian Hatcher’s Notebook, Third Edition, Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1966, page 215). Heating to the higher temperatures led to crystallization of trace elements within the steel, making it too hard, and rather than deforming under high pressure, the receiver shattered, often permitting the bolt to exit the receiver, causing injury to the shooter. Between 1917 and 1929 three soldiers lost an eye to receiver failure, and six more had unspecified injuries consider serious.
An additional 34 soldiers received minor injuries from receiver failures. There were no deaths reported from the failure of a Springfield receiver.The heat treating method was immediately changed to a double heat treatment, and pyrometers were used to determine the temperature of the heated receivers.
The change in heat treating was instituted between serial number 750,00 and 800,000 at Springfield and by serial number 285,506 at Rock Island Arsenal. Rifles manufactured after these serial numbers are referred to as “high numbered” receivers and are commonly stated to be safe to shoot.Between 1917 and 1929 there were 68 burst receivers. Of the 68 no serial number were available for 11 receivers, four of those that failed in 1917. Two of the 68 were made at Springfield Armory and had serial numbers in the 950,000 range. Of the remaining 57 receivers 33 were manufactured by Springfield Armory and 24 by Rock Island. Hatcher provided the serial number and the date of failure for all 33 Springfield Armory receivers, and the same data for 22 of the 24 Rock Island receivers (see Hatcher, pp 442-447). This information was used in the analysis that follows.
The overall failure rate by 1929 was 68/1,085, 506 or 6.3 per 100,000 receivers.The purpose of this post is to put the risk of Springfield receiver failures into prospective using simple statistics, thus permitting the interested reader to make his own decision about the safety of the Springfield rifle receiver. A final tidbit is that while the Army suspended issuing low serial number Springfield the Marine Corps heeded General Hatcher advise by adding the “Hatcher” Hole to the left side of the receiver. There has been no reported failure by a USMC low serial number 1903.Every Gunsmith will advise NEVER shoot a LOW Number Springfield. Regardless of my opinion —- That is the safe answer(just call me for proper disposal of that unsafe firearm LOL)If your “Springfield” is marked 1903A3 or 1903A4 or in a serial number range higher than listed above it is NOT a Low Serial number and should be considered safe after a Competent Gunsmith checks headspace, throat and muzzle erosion. “Bannerman Special Model 1937” Springfield RifleFrancis Bannerman Sons was a famous surplus dealer located in New York, operating from shortly after the Civil War until the 1960s. After decades of accumulating huge quantities of surplus parts and trying many clever improvisations, they managed to make complete rifles to be sold at very low prices to cash strapped buyers at the end of the depression. “Low number” Model 1903 receivers being scrapped as potentially unsafe were fitted with barrels of unknown origin.
Model 1917 bolts, stocks, and trigger guards were modified slightly to fit. Krag rear sights were welded to early M1903 rear sight bases and shimmed on the barrels. Assorted bands and swivels were used. Very ingenious and profitable, these are probably the oddest of all the 1903 rifles.Sporting rifles for NRA members“U.S. Rifle, Model 1903, Sporting type, star gauged. Fitted with Lyman 48 Receiver sight”High quality Model 1903 rifles with specially selected “star gauged” barrels and the “NRA style” stock were offered for sale to NRA members circa 1924-1938, ostensibly because of a lack of commercial sporting rifles on the market at the time. (The Winchester Model 54 and 70 and the Remington Model 30 were introduced during that period).
5,538 NRA Sporters were made. NRA Sporter rifles were sometimes left in their original configuration, sometimes crudely adapted to the owner’s preferences, and sometimes used as the basis for beautiful custom rifles. This is an example built into a classic 1930s style rifle with a Griffen & Howe mount and Lyman Alaskan scope. It was made for a left handed shooter, so it has the cheekpiece on the “wrong” side of the stock!
Although not “original” it shows how the NRA Sporter rifles met the needs of their owners,Star gauged barrels will be marked as suchThis information is via 1903. Between 1921 and 1957 The Arsenal produced Several Match and Target variations for issue/sale. ( note that shooters participating in the National Matches or International matches could and often did buy from the Gov’t aka DCM- Director Of Civilian Marksmanship these rifles before, during, and after the matches)Model 1921 International – 101921 International Rifle Team’s competition in Lyons, France, included a 24″ heavy barrel set into modified straight and pistol grip sporting stocks using a Lyman 48 receiver sight. That successful experience led to an improved long-range rifle designated Rifle, U.S. Caliber.30, Model 1922.Model 1922 caliber 30 Heavy Barrel – 133This model included a 24″ heavy barrel set into modified straight and pistol grip sporting stocks using a Lyman 48 receiver sight.Modifications to the stock included a palm rest attachment. The first modified with these heavy barrels were used at the 1919 National Matches held in Caldwell, New Jersey that led to the development of the Model 1921/22/23 and all following International versions From 1921 to 1931 each year the arsenal produced 40 rifles each year for International use.
Those numbers are not captured in in this listing these numbers for total production will total approx 390 produced from 1921 to 1931. All of the International version shared a common theme the introduction was supported by Congress and the Industry as well. The reason that rear sights are Lyman 48 is that Frank Lyman offered to install a special sight free of charge on every international version.
The modified Lyman 48 was not divided in half MOA but rather thirds, and oversized target knobs was installed.Model 1903 National Match – 22,938Model 1903 National Match with P.G. Stock – 245AKA Model 1903 National Match Style “NB” Identified with the acceptance stamp of P.G. On the left side of the stock.1925 -1001926 -951927 -50Model 1903A1 National Match – 10,644Model 1903 Star Gauged – 1,265Model 1903 Special Target Rifle – 2,595Model 1903 National Match Style “B” – 150Model 1903 International – 40Aka the Model 1923 International these 30″ heavy barrels had twist ranging from 10, 12, 14 Twist.Barrel selected for this rifle varied from Winchester, H. Pope, or Remington.
Pope barrels was left hand twist with progressive aka gain twist at 1-14″. Winchester “Globe” front sight, and Rinkuna double-set trigger, as well as the Lyman 48 rear sight.
Another feature was John Garand’s “Super Speed Firing Mechanism” that greatly reduced the “lock time.”Model 1903 International (Martini Action) – 40Twenty-five of 40 produced Model of 1927.30″ caliber International Match Rifles produced by Springfield Armory were similar to the Model of 1924 except for a 28″ barrel, altered palm rest attachment, and Woody double-set trigger.Model 1903 National Match Style “T” – 100Model 1903A3 National Match – 140In 1951 with the suspension of the National Matches since 1941 DCM had found that WWII had depleted the available the M1903A1. Thus another run of available match rifles was needed. Numbers was set to be higher (200 for evaluation) but was stopped at 140 because the view was that it was a useless design. What caused the main flaw while the rifle retained a vast majority of the issue 1903A3 parts triggers and sears was reverted to the 1903A1, was the removal of the issue rear sight and installation of a Redfield Olympic rear sight attached to the left side of the receiver.
This arrangement caused interference with operation of clip feeding. And in the other alternate postion it interfered with the bolt handle operation. This was overlooked once noted production stopped at 140 and scrapped, never issued for match use and related to sit in various warehouse finally was disposed via DCM sales. This is the rarest of the National Matches I do not know or have the numbers.Just this sort condensed list totals about 38,000 Target versions produced by the arsenal for public sale to promote Marksmanship a lesson learned in WWI. This rifle stayed on the lines until the 1960s competing against the M1Garand and the M14 oddly the M14 sealed the fate for the 1903 only to be ousted by the M16 at a later date.If any further details are needed I would suggest LTC Brophy’s book “The Springfield 1903 Rifles” be sought out. Several times I am asked what should I look for in a 1903.Hmmm that is real tough question that begs the counter question, What do you want out of it?Do you desire a non collector grade “shooter” that is safe to fire?That is probably the easier one to answer find the Stock that fits you well be that a C, modified C, S, or after market although I have no basis for advising against it other than I just don’t think they will stand the long jar I would stay away from the Navy issued drill stock that are a resin.
Just a preference I treat them as a barrelled action only with parts, because the stock will be thrown away.Research the parts that are undesirable such as Low Carbon bolts ( go here folks this site does a wonderful job breaking it down )Check the sights for function make sure the stock fits the action fire it does it shoot to suit you?Do you want a “correct” grade?This is often the hardest two world wars, a conflict in Korea, Land Lease program Rifles, another conflict in Vietnam yes the 1903 was used there, and a aggressive rebuilt program of all those wars destroyed many a collector dream. This is discounting all the “Bubba” Bannerman’s and the WESOG (Wiley E. Coyote School of Gunsmithing with A.C.M.E gun parts as the supplier ) gunsmiths, R.F. Sedley’s looking for a quick buck. I would venture to say that a vast majority of the “correct” grade rifle have been retrofitted back to what was commonly on the bench during the original built based on serial number.
Mar 24, 2016 - The models should become visible when you do this. Show up on the menu because there are no graphics there/no player models loaded. Oct 21, 2013 - me and my friend were trying to play Synergy, and his player model kept randomly switching, everytime he tried switching, it would either change. Showing 1-11 of 11 comments. No, were not using any playermodel mods:c. Jul 2, 2018 - So i want to play as gordon freeman in synergy but it wont work all i. In the workshop section in the menu and it does show up there but not. Apr 12, 2017 - When i was selecting a player model, i noticed that the Player Models are invisible in the player. Synergy Help and Support (Bugs) Topic Details. I think he meant: they won't show up in the menu unless you're in-game. Synergy player models not showing on windows 10.
As during a Arsenal or depot rebuild, rifles are stripped down all parts checked for serviceability thrown in a bin and randomly installed on a different rifle. This same statement is true of EVERY service rifle used since the 1800. This explains why correct grades fetch so much money as many actually seek out the correct stocks, sights, barrel bands, bolts. Because of this I am more leery of a “correct” grade than a arsenal re-built and will not own one personally. This is based on the willingness of people to “get over” many times the bolts are just swapped without headspacing onto a unserviceable barrels solely based on the fact that the barrel date is correct. These rifle usually sit in the owners safe taken out fondled showed off and put back Never firing a shot. As such a unsafe rifle is never found only when somebody chambers the round and fires it does it become evident, then the remark is “Hey a low or high serial number Springfield blew up, do you think the heat treat was bad”???
Proof Testing and Proof MarkingBefore leaving the Arsenal/manufacturer, M1903’s and M1903A3’s were proof tested for safety. Proof testing was done by firing several cartridges loaded to produce a pressure substantially greater than that produced by the standard issue military cartridges that would be used in the rifle.
If the rifle survived this test of its strength the letter P enclosed in a circle was stamped on the stock just behind the triggerguard, and the rifle was ready for acceptance by the military.The earliest proof marks used on Model 1903’s were a script letter P which was later changed to a block letter P.U.S. Model 1903’s and 1903A3’s will sometimes be found with two letter P’s stamped behind the triggerguard. The second letter P is believed to have been used when a rifle when through a complete rebuild. Because of the extent of the work it was likely proofed a second time. If a stock is stamped with two letter P’s there is a good possibility that it will also have other marks indicating an arsenal rebuild. The other interesting fact is that Springfield Arsenal was so confident that the Experimental model of 1901 used to prototype the 1903. That they actually “jumped the gun” so to speak and occasionally a 1903 is found with a 1901 receiver, Barrel ( two versions 24 and 30″) due to the fact that the original cartridge was based on.30 Caliber Government model 1903 used to replace the.30 U.S.
Army (aka 30-40 Krag) both used the 220 grain round nosed thus requiring 1-10″ when the 30-03 cartridge was revamped shortly after introduction because of German and other nations advancement (side bar 7.5 x 55 Swiss) a Spitzer design was developed (1905) then adopted (1906) this round was found to be more accurate with a 1-12 twist based on the new bullet length. Because the arsenals had been producing the 1-10 twist for three years a study was done with the new cartridge while not as accurate as the 1-12 it was within “acceptable” limits this is why the norm is 1-10 no other reason than cost of re-tooling. This twist error was later correct with the introduction of the M-14 being a Right hand 1-14 4 groove twist. Some good information, Sgt. Mike, on the M1903.
However, some of the information on stock markings is now obsolete or incorrect. Most of it appears to have been from William Brophy’s book on the M1903, written over 30 years ago.1) RLB and FJA are identified correctly, but neither man was an inspector. They were (at various times) commanders of the Rochester Ordnance District, which contained Remington, Smith-Corona and other arms manufacturers. They did not personally inspect completed rifles or firearms.2) The END stamp has been considered to be not used.3) There were a few RIA M1903s stamped with WJS (identitiy is not known) who normally worked at Springfield.
To my knowledge, no “JES” was used.4) Frank Krack (RIA/FK) was the chief arms inspector at Rock Island from 1941-46, not during the 1920s (see C.S. Ferris’ book on the Rock Island Arsenal for details)5) RIA/EB (also from Rock Island) was Elmer Bjerke, who held a similar position as Krack from 1946 to 1958.
As far as books, you have two choices - Clark Campbell's newest (2003) revision on his 'The '03 Rifles Era' has a rather confusing chart; I am almost certain Bruce Canfield's NEWEST version due out towards the end of the month) will have a reliable chart.For the record, your 1903A3 was made in September, 1943. A correct barrel would be an RA in the July to Sept., 1943 range.Sorry about the strong reply - I just cringe when someone mentions m1903.com/oldguns as a 'reliable' look-up site. Their Springfield Research Service link, on the other hand is VERY good.I PM'ed you but you might not have caught it.
This article was first published in American Rifleman, November 2002.Few arms have served the U.S. Military as long or as well as the famed “U.S. Rifle, Caliber.30, Model 1903.” Known as the “Springfield,” or simply the “’03,” to several generations of American servicemen and arms enthusiasts, the M1903 has gained an enviable reputation as one of the best bolt-action military rifles of all time.
The M1903 was manufactured by Springfield Armory at varying levels of production from 1903 until the late 1930s and at Rock Island Arsenal from 1903 until 1913 and again from 1917 until just after World War I. Even though large numbers of M1917 “American Enfields” were manufactured and issued during World War I to supplement the supply of M1903s, the “Springfield ’03” remained the standard U.S. Military service rifle until the adoption of the semi-automatic M1 “Garand” rifle in 1936. Even after adoption of the M1, however, the ’03 remained the primary American service rifle until production of the Garand could meet the demand.
Though not used in as large numbers as the M1 Garand, Remington ’03s provided valuable service to our armed forces during World War II.Such was the situation at the beginning of World War II. The disaster at Dunkirk left the British in extremely perilous straits as thousands of badly needed rifles were abandoned in France when British troops were evacuated to England. Representatives of the British government turned to the United States for the acquisition of new arms. Several avenues were explored, including discussions with Remington Arms Company for the production of rifles under British contract.
It was suggested that the old M1903 production tooling in storage at Rock Island Arsenal be used to produce rifles for the British. War Department agreed to lease Remington the somewhat worn Rock Island ’03 manufacturing equipment and provided some 600,000 walnut rifle stock “blanks” also in storage. Remington agreed to pay for the stock blanks by manufacturing cartridges for the U.S. Government under future contracts.The British desired certain modifications, primarily related to modifications required to utilize the standard.303 British cartridge. Other changes included altering the stock (and muzzle) to allow use of the Lee-Enfield No. 4, Mark I bayonet and modifying the grip of the stock to mimic the “hook” type pistol-grip found on the Lee-Enfield.
Springfield Armory 1903 Rifle Worth
Some changes were fairly easy to accomplish, and others were more involved. The British were pressing for new rifles as soon as possible, and passage of Lend-Lease legislation opened up other avenues of arms procurement. Since the proposed Remington.303 rifles were no longer vitally needed, the British contracts were canceled in September 1941 before any rifles were manufactured. Model 1903A4 Sniper rifle was based on the ’03A3 as developed by Remington to save production costs in ’03 rifle manufacture.The U.S. Ordnance Department immediately contracted with Remington for M1903 rifles in order to arm the rapidly expanding U.S. Armed forces.
Government ordered 134,000 M1903s from Remington the same day that the British contracts were canceled. By this time, Remington was ready to go into limited production of M1903s. The firm was assigned the serial number block of “3,000,000 to 3,599,999” for its initial production. Ten “trial production” M1903 rifles were produced soon after the contract was granted, and the first 1,273 production rifles were delivered in November 1941. These were initially to have been given the “M1903A1” designation, which would have required full pistol-grip (“Type C”) stocks.
However, the large supply of stock blanks acquired by Remington were primarily suited for fabrication of the straight-grip type of stock, so the M1903 nomenclature was not changed. Interestingly, some internal Remington documents during this period refer to the rifles as “M1903 Modified.”These early production Remington M1903s were very similar to the ’03s turned out by Rock Island late in World War I, including finely finished straight-grip (“Type S”) stocks with “grasping grooves” and handguards with a prominent sight-protecting “hump.” They were well-crafted, finished in black-tinted Parkerizing and utilized the same type of heat treatment as found on late production Springfield M1903s. The receiver rings of the new Remington ’03s were stamped “U.S./Remington/Model 1903/Serial No.,” and the barrels were marked “RA” (Remington Arms) in addition to the month and year of manufacture.
The stocks were stamped with an Ordnance Department escutcheon (“crossed cannons”) and the initials “RLB” on the left side below the magazine cut-off recess. Exitos de queen. “RLB” represented Col. Bowlin, Chief of the Rochester Ordnance District. Inspector’s cartouches are found on the left side of the stock. The early Remington M1903 and M1903 “Modified” rifles (r.) were inspected by Col. Bowlin, “RLB,” chief of the Rochester Ordnance District. Replacing Bowlin was Col.
Atwood, “FJA,” who inspected the majority of the M1903A3 (below) and M1903A4 rifles produced by Remington later in the war. The ’03A3 was the simplest ’03 variant. Changes were made to speed production without compromising the accuracy strength and efficiency of the rifle. Stamped metal components were used wherever possible, such as on the trigger guard (l.).The attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in increased orders from the U.S. Government for the Remington M1903s.
Remington 1903a3 Stock Markings
The initial order for 134,000 was increased to 308,000 and again raised to 508,000, with a target production rate of 2,000 rifles per day. This huge increase in demand coupled with production problems stemming from use of the nearly worn-out Rock Island machinery resulted in something of a dilemma for Remington if the ambitious production schedules were to be met. Representatives from the Ordnance Department visited the factory and determined the company was spending too much time on unnecessary or cosmetic features of the rifles. The company was permitted to reduce the amount of metal polishing prior to finishing, reduce or eliminate unnecessary machining and to relax many non-critical tolerances.
A gas escape hole was drilled into the left side of the receiver as had been done at Springfield Armory since 1936. The milled upper band (top) was used on Remington M1903 and M1903 Modified rifles, while the stamped sheet metal upper bands (below) was employed on M1903A3s.As Remington’s production continued, an increasing number of changes were made to the original specifications in the interest of reducing production time. Some of these changes were not readily apparent while others were quite noticeable—such as the elimination of the “lightening cuts” on both sides of the rear sight base, the elimination of the small gas escape hole on the right side of the receiver and the drilling of the rear guard screw hole completely through the receiver tang. Authorization was also granted to eliminate the “grasping grooves” on the stock and other features to reduce production time for the stock and handguard.
The use of some stamped components to replace costly and time-consuming milled parts was also instituted. The stamped parts included the lower barrel band (and band spring), butt swivel, magazine follower and, eventually, a one-piece trigger guard/magazine assembly.By the first quarter of 1942, the changes in the original specifications were sufficient to result in a rifle that was noticeably different from the early production Remington M1903s. The rifles with the changes were termed the “M1903 Modified” although, as stated, there is some indication that this term was in use as early as November 1941. In any event, the “M1903 Modified” designation has come into widespread use today to differentiate the Remingtons that incorporated the manufacturing modifications from the original, finely crafted ’03 rifles that were turned out during the first few months of production and will be used in this article to identify this variant from the earlier and later variants. It should be recognized that the production “shortcuts” were phased in over a period of time. Some of the earlier M1903 Modified rifles will have few stamped parts and later production will exhibit more stamped components.Remington turned out M1903 and M1903 Modified rifles as fast as production permitted, and they saw use as training rifles and were used in combat fairly early in the war.
Most of the early production Remington M1903s were diverted to military aid requirements similar to “Lend-Lease” for our Commonwealth allies, and many of these rifles were sent to New Zealand forces. It has been reported that a number of Remington M1903s were utilized by the U.S. Marine Corps in some of the early Pacific campaigns.Even though the Remington ’03 rifles evidenced a number of manufacturing shortcuts, they possessed a strong action, and all of them are in the “high number” category.
Remington was able to save production time by developing an adjustable rear peep sight with some stamped components. It was mounted on the rear of the M1903A3 rifle’s receiver.In early 1942, it was determined that production could be increased even more if the rear sight base and related parts could be dispensed with, as these components required a great deal of time-consuming machining. Remington engineers modified the basic design of the rifle by eliminating the M1905 pattern rear sight and replacing it with an adjustable peep sight mounted on the rear of the receiver. The handguard (now termed “barrel guard”) was lengthened to cover the gap between the receiver and the upper band of the rifle. The rear sight of the M1903A3 rifle was actually a better “battle sight” in many ways than M1905 pattern sight.
In addition to the changes made in the rear sight, there was also more extensive use of stamped parts. The substantially modified rifle was standardized as the “U.S. Rifle, Cal.30, Model of 1903A3” on May 21, 1942. Remington began deliveries of the new variant in December 1942. There was a period of time when the company manufactured the M1903 Modified and the M1903A3 variants concurrently. The last of the M1903 Modified rifles were turned out in May 1943.The new rifle was marked “U.S./Remington/Model 03-A3/Serial No.” on the receiver ring.
The “03-A3” designation was a bit unusual as it was essentially a colloquial term rather than the official nomenclature for the rifle. As with the preceding Remington ’03s, the barrel had the “RA” and “flaming bomb” markings as well as the month and year of production. The left side of the stock was stamped “FJA” (for Col. Atwood), “RA” (Remington Arms) and the “crossed cannons” Ordnance Department escutcheon.
A circled “P” proof mark was stamped on the grip behind the trigger guard, and various cryptic Remington internal inspection markings were stamped on the stock forward of the trigger guard. The stock furniture (one-piece upper band assembly, lower barrel band, band spring, sling swivel, buttplate and trigger housing/floorplate assembly) were constructed of stamped sheet metal. Typical receiver ring markings for the main three Remington ’03 variants are shown above (left to right): M1903; M1903 “Modified” and M1903A3.The M1903A3’s stock was similar to the straight grip stock previously utilized with the M1903 Modified but was inletted to accept the “barrel guard ring” necessitated by the longer handguard. The ’03A3 stocks were also inletted for the M1905 sight as well. In addition to the straight grip stock, Remington also manufactured some stocks with semi-pistol grips, often dubbed “scant” or “scant grip” stocks today. The adoption of this pattern stock enabled Remington to utilize many of the stock blanks the firm had on hand from the abortive British rifle production contract.
Most, if not all, of the “scant grip” stocks were utilized for replacement purposes, except for some that were used with M1903A4 sniper rifles (to be discussed later).In October 1942, Remington was given permission to produce two-groove barrels for the M1903A3 as prior testing at the Aberdeen Proving Ground revealed that satisfactory accuracy could be obtained with them. Two-groove barrels resulted in reduced manufacturing time and cost which further boosted the ’03A3s production rate.With the adoption of the ’03A3, simplification of the M1903 was taken as far as feasible without adversely affecting the accuracy, strength or efficiency of the rifle. The rather rough-hewn ’03A3 could be manufactured much faster and at a lower cost than the earlier rifles, yet boasted a strong action and a more efficient “combat sight” than its predecessors.Remington received ever-increasing orders for ’03A3s, and the Ordnance Department sought an additional source. To this end, the Smith-Corona Typewriter Company was granted a contract for production of M1903A3s. The Smith-Corona ’03A3s were essentially identical to their Remington counterparts except for markings. Smith-Corona was eventually assigned two blocks of serial numbers. Smith-Corona did not use all of the numbers from the second block.
The serial numbers used by the company went only into the 4,870,000 range. Remington only used a relatively few serial numbers from the final block, stopping at the very low 4,200,000 serial number range. There were also some serial numbers used for M1903A4 sniper rifle production from this final block as well.Remington (and Smith-Corona) turned out ever-increasing numbers of M1903A3s, and they provided valuable use for our rapidly expanding armed forces. Many of the rifles were utilized for training purposes “stateside,” but a number were shipped overseas for issue as supplemental service rifles. Although not used as combat rifles in extremely large numbers as compared to the M1903 or M1 Garand rifles, M1903A3s definitely saw combat use in several theaters of the war including the European and the China-Burma-India theaters.M1903A4 Sniper Rifle. The front sight was omitted on ’03A4 rifle barrels, although the milling cut was present in the event that the barrel did not prove suitable for sniping use. Both ’03A3 and ’03A4 Remington rifle barrels were marked with “RA,” a “flaming bomb” and the month and year of manufacture.U.S.
Army troops did not have a standardized sniper rifle in inventory at the time of the declaration of war, and there was increasing demand from overseas for sniper rifles. The demand for sniper rifles was too great to permit lengthy delays in developing a M1 Garand-based new arm, so the War Department contracted with Remington for a sniping version of the M1903 rifle.
By this time, the ’03A3 was about to go into production, so the specifications were changed to develop a sniping version of this variant instead. In January 1943, the War Department contracted with Remington for 20,000 sniper rifles based on the M1903A3. The new rifle was designated “U.S. Rifle, Cal.30, M1903A4, Sniper’s” and was basically a standard M1903A3 rifle without the front sight attached (although the milling cuts were present) fitted with a Redfield “Junior” mount screwed to the receiver ring and attached to the rear sight dovetail. Interestingly, the “’03-A3” nomenclature remained on the receiver ring of the new M1903A4 sniper rifle although this marking was applied to the extreme left of the receiver ring and the serial number stamped on the extreme right side which permitted both markings to be plainly visible with the Redfield mount in place.As the M1903A4 was recently the subject of an article in these pages (“Making The Most of G.I.
Marksmanship: The M1903A4,” January 2002, p. 56), the discussion here will be limited to the rifles themselves rather than the optics and mounts used on them. The’03A4’s bolt handle was concavely forged to provide clearance for telescopic sight, and the stock was inletted to accommodate the bolt handle. Early production M1903A4 rifles had four-groove barrels, but this was soon changed to two-groove barrels, and the bulk of them had the latter. Most ’03A4s had full pistol grip (“Type C”) stocks but, as stated, some were also delivered with the “scant grip” stock.
The markings on the stocks were identical to those of M1903A3s of the same vintage, and the only real difference was the inletting for the concave bolt handle. Some of the “Type C” stocks were supplied by Springfield Armory (stamped “S” in the cut-off recess) and some later stocks were procured from the Keystone Company (stamped “K” in the same location).Remington was initially assigned the serial number block of 3,407,088-3,427,087 for ’03A4 production. In June 1943, the Ordnance Department ordered an additional 8,365 ’03A4 rifles from Remington. The company was assigned the serial number block of 4,000,001-4,015,000 for the additional ’03A4 rifles. However, M1903A3 rifle production extended into this block of numbers and the M1903A4 rifles in this range had a “Z” prefix to the serial number in order to prevent duplicate numbers.Remington ceased production of the M1903A3 in February 1944 and continued with M1903A4 production until June of the same year.
By the time manufacture ceased, Remington had delivered 348,085 M1903 and M1903 Modified Rifles, 707,629 M1903A3 Rifles and 28,365 M1903A4 Rifles. (Smith-Corona manufactured an additional 233,998 ’03A3s).Following the conclusion of World War II, large numbers of M1903s and M1903A3s were refurbished (overhauled) at a number of ordnance facilities. Many were subsequently sold via the auspices of the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) and given away to allied nations under various military aid programs. Recently, the Civilian Marksmanship Program obtained a sizeable quantity of M1903s, including a number of Remington M1903, M1903 Modified and M1903A3 rifles, and offered them for sale to qualified individuals.While not used in large numbers during World War II as compared to the M1 Garand, the Remington rifles provided our armed forces with a badly needed source of reliable and serviceable military rifles. Many are not aware of the rifles of this type turned out by Remington during World War II. However, the Remington rifles were every bit as valuable and serviceable as the ’03s that were made by the government-owned and -operated entities of Springfield Armory or Rock Island Arsenal.
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