Remington 03-A4 Sniper 1903A4 .30-06 Sprg. 24″ Bolt Action Rifle 1943 C&R

SOLD FOR: $3925

LSB#: 210419MB65

Make: Remington

Model: 1903A4. Sniper Version of the 1903A3

Serial Number: 3416121

Year of Manufacture: 1943 (page 375 of Joe Poyer’s book, The M1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations, 3rd Edition) Barrel Date: July, 1943

Caliber: .30-06 Springfield

Action Type: Bolt Action, Internal Magazine

Markings: The left side of the receiver is marked “U.S. / REMINGTON / MODEL 03-A3” and the right side is marked “3416121”. The top of the barrel is marked “R A / flaming bomb / 7- 43”. The bottom of the barrel is marked “P”. The safety is marked “SAFE READY” and the magazine cutoff is marked “ON OFF”. The magazine cutoff, front sling loop, stacking loop, rear sling loop base, underside of the bolt handle, right of the nosecap, rear of the safety, extractor collar, are all stamped “R” for Remington. The bottom of the grip is marked with a twice stamped “circled P” proof and “3”. The left side of the stock above the trigger is marked “RA”, “JA”, and “BA / OAB” in box. There are a few stampings on the bottom of the stock in front of the bottom metal. There are what appears to be a faded “SS” in the trench block cut of the stock.

There is a plate on the right side of the scope that reads “TELESCOPE / M84 / SERIAL NO. 12732”. The right side of the tube is marked “7667424” in front of the turret housing.

Barrel Length: Approximately 24 Inches

Sights / Optics: The front and rear sights have been removed to use the scope. The top rear of the receiver has an integral male dovetail. A one piece Redfield Jr. scope mount is secured to the integral base and screwed to the receiver. The mount has two scope rings attached. The rings & base show a couple scrapes, oxidation, and handling marks. The screws show light use. Overall the rings and one piece base are in about Very Good condition. The rings hold a 2.2 fixed power M84 scope with a post and elevation crosshair reticle and a rubber eyecup. The view through the scope is clear but there are a few little debris that should clean off. The tube shows some small spots of light surface light oxidation and scattered light hairline scratches. Overall, the scope rates in about Very Good Plus condition.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece oil stained hardwood stock has a pistol grip, metal nosecap, stacking loop, two barrel bands, two sling loops, two through bolts, cutout for the bolt handle, scallop under the magazine cutoff and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The cutout for the bolt handle is slightly swept to the rear to match the 1903A4’s modified bolt handle. The wood shows some dings through the finish, a few scratches & compression marks. The most prominent are on the sides of the buttstock and front of the pistol grip. There are scrapes into the wood on the bottom of the forend from the barrel band. There is a crack on the right side of the handguard along the edge behind the barrel band. The LOP measures 13 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some light finish loss, a few scabs, and a few minor scratches. The stock rates in about Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The two grooved bore is bright with sharp rifling. There are a few spots of very shallow surface erosion in the grooves, hardly noticeable. The bore shows an M.E. of 0.0.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. The bottom metal shows some light thinning and spots of discoloration from previous oxidation. The receiver has light handling wear and mottled oil marks. The barrel shows a few little dings and scuffs. There are a few scabs on the barrel. The reprofiled bolt has some tool marks and what looks like erosion on the underside. There is some scuffing and light frost on the bolt handle. There are a few light handling marks on the remaining metal. A trigger shoe has been installed. The screwheads show use with lightly worn slots. The markings are deep. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The safety lever works but does not turn past the rear of the scope. This is a design flaw due to the expedited implementation of the 03-A4 Sniper Rifle during war time. This condition is common for 03-A4 Rifles and not unique to this rifle. 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: The rifle comes with a scope assembly; see above. Also included is a CMP case.

Our Assessment: This Remington Model 1903A4 Sniper is a Nice example of a WWII Military contract sniper rifle. The rifle is in the correct 1903A4 sniper configuration and has the correct serial number to fall within the 1903A4 serial number range (see page 357 of Joe Poyer’s book, The M1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations, 3rd Edition). It has lots of Remington marked metal parts and its receiver markings are offset to read them with a scope base installed. The handle is slightly bent and excess metal has been trimmed away to allow the bolt handle to fully open with the scope mounted (page 205-206). The rifle has a nice metal finish, strong bright bore and a stock with nice markings. This rifle has a 2 grooved bore. According to page 352 to 353 of “The M1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations 3rd Edition” by Joe Poyer, Remington sniper rifles were made with 2 and 4 groove barrels depending on availability. This one has an M84 scope which were used in the Vietnam era just before the 1903A4 was declared obsolete. This rifle is one well worth collecting. Please see pur photos and good luck!