New/Unused 03A3?

[Uncle Grinch]

A friend contacted me and told me about a rifle he found in his father-in-laws attic while cleaning up after he (father-in-law) passed away.

It was a 1903A3 Springfield still in it's shipping box from 1952 and still coated in cosmoline. The bill of sale showed it purchased from the NRA in New Jersey, if I remember correctly, and shipped to a now closed local gun dealer. He said the box and paperwork is marked as NEW/UNUSED. The date on the rifle is 1942.

Now I was only 4 years old in '52, so I have no recollection if the NRA sold new 03A3's back then.

[two dogs]

lucky bastard what a great find

[twotoescharlie]

I purchased one in 1955 from the DCM for $10.00, it was a smith-corona, wished I still had it!!!

TTC

[R.C. Hatter]

:coffee: I don't know if they were new/unused, but in 1957 I paid $27.50 for a 1903-A3
which was classified as "serviceable". The rifle I got was a Remington and it came
from Raritan Arsenal in New Jersey, full of cosmoline. When I got it cleaned up, it
appeared new and unused in every respect, not a scratch or dent anywhere. I still
have it today and use it with cast boolits only.

[Hip's Ax]

Yes, this rifle is real. You lucky guy you!!

My buddies father bought 3 in 1950 for a very low price ($5 each if I recall the beer stories around the camp fire) from the NRA.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I know an older shooter/collector who specialises in the Model 1903 and has an 03A3 in unfired condition still internally oozing of cosmoline. Some years ago I was privaledged to see his collection and handle a few one of which was that particular rifle.

[frankenfab]

Wow, that is really cool! I would love to see pictures of all that stuff.

My dad had a Charter Arms .38 that was always in a holster and laying on top of the canned tomatoes in one of the bottom cabinets. While going through a box one day, I found the receipt from where he had bought the gun in 1964 for $58.00.:drinks:

[Rico1950]

Bought a new SBH in '73 for $99.99.

[EOD3]

What kind of read sight does it have?

[Boz330]

Now I was only 4 years old in '52, so I have no recollection if the NRA sold new 03A3's back then.

I don't know about 52' but I remember $18 1911s and $20 carbines in the cosmo in 62' from the NRA. You could get mail order milsurps 3 for $39 out of all of the gun magazines at the time as well. JFK's assassination put an end to all of that.
At the time I was working in a greenhouse after school and my boss was taking advantage of all of that stuff. He even had a 20MM semiauto cannon that he loaded in the back of his station wagon and took to the rock quarry to shoot.

Bob

[jbunny]

to bad for the restrictive gun laws on cross border shipping as i have a real nice
03-A3 rem for sale.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q273/MOUICH/03-A37.jpg

[Uncle Grinch]

What kind of read sight does it have?


Not sure what you mean. Since it's an 03A3, it has a peep receiver sight. It looks very much like my own 03A3, other than being coated with cosmoline and wrapped in wax type paper.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I recall paying $13 for a Savage made #4 Lee-Enfield in very good shape to Spiegel catalog co. I also ordered 100 mil. surp. ammo with it for $7.99. All this happened in 1961.Robert

[45nut]

I recall paying $13 for a Savage made #4 Lee-Enfield in very good shape to Spiegel catalog co. I also ordered 100 mil. surp. ammo with it for $7.99. All this happened in 1961.Robert

*sigh* born too late here.

[zomby woof]

I paid $400 for mine from the CMP. I think that was a deal!!!!

[dualsport]

Hoping to get one finally this year. How much these days for one in excellent condition?

[Char-Gar]

The Govt. has released 03A3s for sale through the NRA or DCM numerous times since the end of WWII. You friend's rifle may be new or an arsenal rebuilt. It would take a look at the rifle and the stock cartouche to be certain which is the case.

I have had several 03A3s over the years and all have been fine rifles. My current mil-spec 03A3 is an Odgen Arsenal rebuild of a Remington with a 4 groove barrel. It was unfired when it was given to me in the mid-80s.

Anybody interest in one, needs to bite the bullet and pay the money. They will never been any cheaper than they are today.

[ronbo]

This Remington 03A3 was from the NRA in the 50's, am the second owner, it still looks near new and shoots cast bullets well.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Rem_03A3.JPG

[EOD3]

to bad for the restrictive gun laws on cross border shipping as i have a real nice
03-A3 rem for sale.

I haven't been to the Big Maple in 30 years or so, maybe it's time for another visit... :drinks:

[ELFEGO BACA]

If i remember correctly i paid the DCM $14.50 for my 03A3. That was in the early 60s. I started to 'sporterize' it then quit. In the early 70s i sold it. In the mid 90s i bought a 03 from a good friend shot it a lot, found another good 03, and then a few years ago exchanged my first one to my good friend for cash. In the meantime i found a 03A3.
I enjoy shooting cast bullets in both of them - Saeco's #301 @200 grains and Lee's 6 cavity @ 150 grains with a flat point.

[mustanggt]

I love my 03A3. I got it last Sept. at a gunshow for 700. Way things are today I got a fair deal. It's original SC receiver and barrel match 6/43. Red River Arsenal rebuild stock. It's in great shape. Park is good and the bolt is blued and SC also. I shoot cast only in it too. Very accurate. I love owning a true piece of history and wonder what it would say if it could talk.

[Jack Stanley]

Hoping to get one finally this year. How much these days for one in excellent condition?

Around here the asking price starts at about six hundred for a decent Remington . Of course the buyers just look at you like you have three eyes and demand you pay them three hundred dollars to take it off the table . One of the fellas at work was telling me that one of the bigger stores ( Cabelas , etc ... ) had Smith coronas in excellent condition for seven hundred and something .

I used to think the problem here was the table holders at the show wanted gunbroker prices with a very small amount of people to look at what they had . So when I priced my junk about twenty percent less that what they had ...... all I got was tire kickers and dealers that wanted me to pay them to take it :roll:

I've been able to make a couple working guys happy while cleaning up the accumulation is about all . I've learned some want a deal and some want to steal . :mrgreen:

Jack

[jbunny]

just sold mine for $1100 plus shipping.
LRP

[EOD3]

I love my 03A3. I got it last Sept. at a gunshow for 700. Way things are today I got a fair deal. It's original SC receiver and barrel match 6/43. Red River Arsenal rebuild stock. It's in great shape. Park is good and the bolt is blued and SC also. I shoot cast only in it too. Very accurate. I love owning a true piece of history and wonder what it would say if it could talk.

Which is it, Red River Valley or Rock River Arsenal? :?:

[mustanggt]

Red River Arsenal

[old turtle]

I purchased one about 1960 for $10 and $4.50 shipping. I put Lyman 48 sights on it. I shot my first high power match with it. Another shooter felt sorry for me and gave me a old varmint stock. I shot that rifle up to expert. I have put another Springfield barrel on it. My daughter now shoots it.

[8mm]

Got my SC 03A3 from the DCM in 1961 for $14.50. Sporterized it with a shiny reblue, a Lyman 48 rear sight, a Redfield Sourdough front sight, a milled trigger guard and follower, and a "butchered" type C stock with a recoil pad. I still have it today. It is my favorite.

In retrospect, it would have been better if left unmolested. Who knew in 1961 that an 03A3 would be commanding the prices that they are getting today? Either way, it would not be for sale.

Sadly, in the USA of 1961 our government trusted and respected its' citizens enough to sell them surplus firearms. That fact for me, makes this rifle an icon of when America was free.