Remington 1903A3 03-A3 .30-06 WWII Bolt Action Rifle MFD 1943 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1075

LSB#: 210412RW02

Make: Remington

Model: 1903A3 (03-A3)

Serial Number: 3797302
Year of Manufacture: 1943 (Page 375 of Joe Poyer’s book, The M1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations, 3rd Edition). Barrel Date: May 1943

Caliber: .30-06 Springfield

Action Type: Bolt Action, Internal Magazine

Markings: The top of the receiver is marked “U.S. / REMINGTON / MODEL 03-A3 / 3797302”. The top of the barrel is marked “R A / flaming bomb / 5- 43”. The bottom of the barrel is marked “P”. The safety is marked “SAFE READY” and the magazine cutoff is marked “ON OFF”. The bottom of the grip is marked with a “boxed P” proof. There are a few other small faded markings on the rifle. There is a faded cartouche on the right of the wrist.

Barrel Length: Approximately 24 Inches

Sights / Optics: The front sight base has a dovetail cut installed with a Lyman globe sight with an aperture. The front sight has some wobble in the dovetail base. The rear sight is a Lyman 48S aperture peep sight mounted to the right of the receiver.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The hardwood stock has a pistol grip, metal nose cap, stacking loop, barrel band, 2 sling loops, 2 reinforcing bolts, and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The stock has some little dings and light compressions, some of the most noticeable are on the left side behind the barrel band. There are a few little marks into the finish, they are most noticeable on the left of the buttstock. There are a few faint scattered draglines. The LOP measures 13 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some scattered light marks, finish loss on the edges, and a few little spots of frost. The stock rates in about Fine overall condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original with Polished Bolt

Bore Condition: The 4 grooved bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There are some spots of light erosion, mainly in the grooves. The bore has an M.E. of about 0.5.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. The bolt has been polished. There are some spots of erosion, most noticeable on the left of the barrel at the muzzle and on the top of the receiver at the front of the ejection port. There is thinning on the receiver. There are some little nicks and light scuffs on the bottom metal, nosecap, and front sight base. The sights have been replaced. There is standard operational wear. The screw heads show light use. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good-Fine condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The M1903 Springfield rifle is a clip-loaded 5 round magazine-fed bolt-action service rifle. It was adopted as the standard United States military bolt-action rifle in 1903 and served our country through two world wars even after it was “replaced” by the M1 Garand in 1937. It continued to serve as a sniper rifle through the Korean war and into the early days of the Vietnam war. It remains popular as a civilian firearm, historical collector’s piece and also sees use as a military drill rifle. This one was made by Remintgon in 1943 and has nice markings and some wear to the metal, the sights have been replaced with aperture sights but this will mark a fun shooter. It looks great, has nice markings, and a good bore. This will be a nice addition to your C&R or military surplus collection. Please see our photos and good luck!