U.S. Remington Model 1903 M1903 .30-06 Bolt Action Rifle, 1944 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,125.00
WOA#: WY240508BR021
Make: Remington
Model: M1903
Serial Number: 3094707
Year of Manufacture: June 1944
Caliber: .30-06
Action Type: Bolt action, internal 5 round magazine
Markings: The top of the receiver is marked “U.S. Remington Model 1903 3094707”. The magazine cut-off is marked “ON” and “OFF”. The safety is marked “READY” and “SAFE”. The nose cap is marked “R”. The top of the barrel is marked with “S A” mark, a flaming bomb, and “6-44”. The stock is marked, “SSA / P”
Barrel Length: 24”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade atop a barrel mounted base. The rear sight is a u-notch blade attached to a fully adjustable sight ladder marked from 3-27. When flipped up separate notches and an aperture on the ladder can be used for sighting.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece wood stock has a semi-pistol grip, metal nose cap with bayonet lug and sling loop, barrel band with sling loop, sling loop, two through bolts, and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The buttplate has wear along the edges, especially at the heel. There are light compression marks and scratches throughout the wood. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in at about Excellent to Fine overall condition.
Type of Finish: Parkerized.
Finish Originality: Factory refurbished.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is mostly sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 9/10.
Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950s.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. There are faint scuffs and scratches throughout the metal surfaces. The leading edges are thinning. The action and bolt show some operational wear. There are impact marks on the bottom metal and trigger guard. The screw heads show light to moderate use. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about 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: During the Spanish-American war at the close of the 19th century, the U.S. Army was equipped with the Krag-Jorgensen rifle. The side-loading .30-40 caliber rifle was vastly outperformed by the Spanish M1893 Mauser, which had the ability to be loaded with charging clips and had a much more flat shooting and accurate round in the 7mm Mauser cartridge. Work to find a replacement for the Krag rifle was undertaken almost immediately during the war. It was decided to take the Mauser design from the 1893 and tweak it slightly to meet the needs of the U.S. military. This led to the M1903, which was originally chambered in the round nose .30-03 cartridge. This was quickly changed to the spitzer bullet .30-06, thus creating the M1903 that served as the primary service rifle of the U.S. from its introduction until being replaced by the M1 Garand in the late 1930s. Variants of the M1903 would continue to see service through the Second World War. This example was originally made by the Springfield Armory in 193. The stock only has light wear to it. The metal retains most of its arsenal refinish. The bore is in great shape and should be a nice shooter. This would fit into any U.S. surplus collection. Please see our photos, and good luck on your bid! -R.E.