Machodoc
Old Guy
Here's the deal. I mentioned in another thread, a few days back, that I'd bought a Remington 1903A3 on a whim, and that it appeared to have been a Frankengun put together by someone using surplus parts. I violated one of my own fundamental rules by buying a rifle that I don't know squat about (learning fast), but I soothed my conscience and wallet by saying it should be a nice shooter.
Then I started sorting things out, doing more research, and my fundamental neurosis about guns that could be made better started to kick in.
It turns out that the source I'd used for dating the serial number on the receiver was faulty, and I checked it against a more reliable source. The receiver was one of the last ones turned out by Remington in December of 1943. O.K. It looks almost new.
The barrel, which also looks almost new, was made by Remington in February of 1944, so that's not an unrealistic match. The possibility of a receiver being paired to a barrel that could have been made as little as 4-5 weeks later isn't far fetched in wartime production.
So I started looking at the little parts--and learning as I go. The sling hardware and stacking swivel appear to be NOS Remington, as does the front sight. So the mouse started wanting more to go with the cookie. It now has an NOS Remington front sight cover to go with it--perfect match.
The very worn buttplate just looked out of place with all that NOS stuff on it, so it now has an NOS Remington buttplate waiting to be installed--fresh out of the WWII cosmoline soaked paper wrapper.
Magazine, trigger guard, etc., appear to be NOS Remington WWII surplus.
The rear sight looks excellent, but not quite right. I think it may be a reproduction, so the mouse needed something else to go with the cookie, and now I've got an NOS WWII Remington rear sight on its way to me from a guy in the Netherlands who has a cache of parts that we left there.
The bolt ... hmmm ... not sure about that, but I think it's a mix of parts. The handle looks new, but it's a Smith-Corona. I've got to school myself a bit more on identifying the other parts of the bolt, but at least some appear to be Remington. I'll have to do some scrounging, but the parts seem to be out there, and I'm sure that someone with a S-C would love to have this bolt handle that appears to be NOS.
But the mouse still wanted more. There was no sling. I saw some original slings around, but most of them looked like crap. When you get right down to it, there's no reason why a piece of leather that's 70 years old shouldn't look pretty rough. I want something that I can use, so I compromised and got a leather repro sling that looks rather good. I can live with that.
But the mouse had one more HUGE hunger. The stock that's on it looks OK for a shooter. It appears to be an original Springfield stock, but someone "restored" it by sanding out all the nicks and dings ... and most of the stamps ... then stained it. Again, not bad for a range gun, but that mouse wouldn't be satisfied. So ... I have an original WWII Remington stock on the way. It doesn't appear to have been refinished, still has clear markings, and isn't all that badly dinged up.
The handguard didn't come with it, and the one currently on the rifle may be a reproduction, so I've also got an NOS WWII walnut replacement handguard on the way. That mouse has a huge appetite.
When I get finished, I'll probably only have about double what the rifle is worth invested in it, but it should be a reasonably-matched, almost-new, WWII 1903A3. Both of my sons already want it, so I'm not going to worry about issues that might come up if I tried to sell it. I just won't sell it. Solved!
The C&R mouse can be a pest, you know?
Then I started sorting things out, doing more research, and my fundamental neurosis about guns that could be made better started to kick in.
It turns out that the source I'd used for dating the serial number on the receiver was faulty, and I checked it against a more reliable source. The receiver was one of the last ones turned out by Remington in December of 1943. O.K. It looks almost new.
The barrel, which also looks almost new, was made by Remington in February of 1944, so that's not an unrealistic match. The possibility of a receiver being paired to a barrel that could have been made as little as 4-5 weeks later isn't far fetched in wartime production.
So I started looking at the little parts--and learning as I go. The sling hardware and stacking swivel appear to be NOS Remington, as does the front sight. So the mouse started wanting more to go with the cookie. It now has an NOS Remington front sight cover to go with it--perfect match.
The very worn buttplate just looked out of place with all that NOS stuff on it, so it now has an NOS Remington buttplate waiting to be installed--fresh out of the WWII cosmoline soaked paper wrapper.
Magazine, trigger guard, etc., appear to be NOS Remington WWII surplus.
The rear sight looks excellent, but not quite right. I think it may be a reproduction, so the mouse needed something else to go with the cookie, and now I've got an NOS WWII Remington rear sight on its way to me from a guy in the Netherlands who has a cache of parts that we left there.
The bolt ... hmmm ... not sure about that, but I think it's a mix of parts. The handle looks new, but it's a Smith-Corona. I've got to school myself a bit more on identifying the other parts of the bolt, but at least some appear to be Remington. I'll have to do some scrounging, but the parts seem to be out there, and I'm sure that someone with a S-C would love to have this bolt handle that appears to be NOS.
But the mouse still wanted more. There was no sling. I saw some original slings around, but most of them looked like crap. When you get right down to it, there's no reason why a piece of leather that's 70 years old shouldn't look pretty rough. I want something that I can use, so I compromised and got a leather repro sling that looks rather good. I can live with that.
But the mouse had one more HUGE hunger. The stock that's on it looks OK for a shooter. It appears to be an original Springfield stock, but someone "restored" it by sanding out all the nicks and dings ... and most of the stamps ... then stained it. Again, not bad for a range gun, but that mouse wouldn't be satisfied. So ... I have an original WWII Remington stock on the way. It doesn't appear to have been refinished, still has clear markings, and isn't all that badly dinged up.
The handguard didn't come with it, and the one currently on the rifle may be a reproduction, so I've also got an NOS WWII walnut replacement handguard on the way. That mouse has a huge appetite.
When I get finished, I'll probably only have about double what the rifle is worth invested in it, but it should be a reasonably-matched, almost-new, WWII 1903A3. Both of my sons already want it, so I'm not going to worry about issues that might come up if I tried to sell it. I just won't sell it. Solved!
The C&R mouse can be a pest, you know?
