Remington Model 1903

[Vly]

Ever since the CMP sold out of the 1903's, I've been looking around for a reasonably priced one in good condition. I finally found one! This rifle was a CMP Greek return, but had never been fired by the guy who bought it. I spent an hour cleaning preservative grease out of all the nooks and crannies.

http://www.fototime.com/E345EE4D58CFD8E/standard.jpg


http://www.fototime.com/FC20C2D2439C259/standard.jpg

Remington began building 1903's in September of 1941 at serial number 3000000. As you can see, my rifle was just over 6000 units into production and the barrel is dated 11-41, so I think they are original. The barrel is a 4 groove with a beautiful bore. The trigger is not at all like a military rifle - the pull is light and breaks cleanly.

But the proof is in the shooting, so off to the range we went. So far I have only tried 2 boolit styles and 3 powders, but the results with each have been very encouraging. The target below is representative of how it has shot so far. The loads I have used had been loaded for my 03-A3. I have been shooting 10 shot groups to see how consistent the load performed.

http://www.fototime.com/D3649094E18354C/standard.jpg


So I am very happy with my new acquisition. I foresee a fun summer of experimenting with different boolits and powders.

[junkbug]

Congradulations.
I just stumbled onto one myself, barrel dated 12/42 and serial # 3363xxx, being sold by a friend at the range, so I nabbed it. Like yours, this one has the scant stock. I only shot 16 rounds of some mystery surplus, but the groups were promising. Can't wait to try some cast in it.

Thanks for the tip on sizing to .311. I take it they chambered OK, without having to force the bolt.

What does the Saeco 313 look like? I have a Saeco 30 cal mold I bought at a swap meet, which I believe is a 315. It has straight sides, one grease groove, gas check shank, and a truncated, small tipped flat nose. I will try it first.

Sean

[Vly]

Junkbug - Congrats on your rifle as well. Post some pics when you get a chance.

Photo below shows Saeco 313 compared to the 315. The 313 weighs @ 165grs, whereas the 315 is @ 175grs. Both are excellent shooters. I like the 313 because it shoots well and I have it in a 4 banger mould. Anyone who has used a Saeco 4 banger knows the joy they bring with ease of casting and a big pile of boolits. I think the 313 is currently out of production.

313 is on the left, 315 on the right.

http://www.fototime.com/928FD2A620C64DD/standard.jpg

The .311 sizing chambers easily in this rifle as well as my 03-A3. I try to shoot the biggest bullet that will chamber properly.

Your 315 mould is an excellent one and I'm sure you will get good results with it.

Edit - Junkbug - After rereading your mould description you likely have an RG4 or a 301.

[Buckshot]

...............Vly, that is certainly a handsome rifle! Good job in gloming onto it! It's something to be proud of for sure. I have a Remington also, but it's in a A1 stock. The serial number is 3066542, and the barrel date is 1-44 (it's a 4 groove) so I don't know if it'd been redone before I got it or not.

...............Buckshot

[junkbug]

My Saeco mold is neither of the two boolits you have pictured. I will have to dig it out, and take some photos of it, and the rifle. It has one large lube groove, but the same general shape your two have. Can't remember what weight they throw.

My old digital camera doesn't take magazine quality photos, but at least they are of a somewhat smaller file size, so they should post OK. Posting pictures on a forum is something I have not yet done.

Sean

[Bob S]

...............I have a Remington also, but it's in a A1 stock. The serial number is 3066542, and the barrel date is 1-44 (it's a 4 groove) so I don't know if it'd been redone before I got it or not.

...............Buckshot

Buckshot:

It sure sounds like you have an 03A3 barrel on the Remington '03. Remington quit making '03 barrels long before 1944, High Standard and Sedgely had the "spares" contracts. I might even have been the guilty party that put it on there, circa 1968 or 69.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[stillhunter]

Try Lyman 311284 and 14 grs 4227 for inch groups at 50 yds and no recoil. Same bullet ahead of 23 grs 4227 for 2 in groups at 100 yds. Seat case mouth to top of second grove for short throat jump. You will love it. Enjoy your gun..!!

[Buckshot]

Buckshot:

It sure sounds like you have an 03A3 barrel on the Remington '03. Remington quit making '03 barrels long before 1944, High Standard and Sedgely had the "spares" contracts. I might even have been the guilty party that put it on there, circa 1968 or 69.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

...........Hi Bob, haven't seen you around the board in awile. Are you sure? It's stamped RA with the flaming bomb over the date 1-44.

................Buckshot

[Vly]

Here is a Remington 03A3 barrel on a late '43 receiver, so this is likely a replacement barrel. So Remington did make at least some barrels into mid to late 1944. I think what Bob is saying is Remington did not make 03 barrels into 1944, so you likely have a 03A3 barrel on an 03 receiver.

http://www.fototime.com/28A366AB02A40E1/standard.jpg

[mike in co]

well here is me being dumb...

is RA remmington arms or is rock island arsnal RA ???

not a usa mil surplus expert at all....

CAUSE MY SMITH CARONA HAS/HAD AN 42 RA AND NOW A 44 RA


mike in co

[Patrick L]

Junkbug,

Its probably a Saeco 301, which is a 196 gr TC bullet. I have a 4 banger of that, and it is one great boolit for the 1903!

[Scrounger]

well here is me being dumb...

is RA remmington arms or is rock island arsnal RA ???

not a usa mil surplus expert at all....

CAUSE MY SMITH CARONA HAS/HAD AN 42 RA AND NOW A 44 RA


mike in co

RA is Remington; RIA is Rock Island Arsenal.

[Bob S]

Buckshot:

My health has been sort of "volatile" for the last several months, have not spent much time in front of the computer, even less time on the range. :(

The last Remington M1903's were assembled and shipped in March 1943; Remington did not have a contract for "spare barrels" so the last likely date for a true M1903 barrel by Remington is 2-43, and some say no later than 12-42. During the transition from M1903 to 03A3, some interesting hermaphrodite parts got put into rifles, including 03A3 barrels with the front sight spline milled integral with the barrel like the '03, and receivers that started as 03A3's but were finish machined on the receiver bridge as M1903's and marked as such ... this was due to an error in the calibration of the first batch of 03A3 sights, and let Remington continue to produce and ship complete rifles until the corrected 03A3 rear sights could be made. But by March 1943, the 03A3 line was up and running and no further M1903 parts were being made at Remington.

The last Remington (and also Smith Corona) 03A3's were assembled and shipped in February 1944. The latest barrel date that is likely to be an "original" Remington 03A3 factory installation is 1-44. Anything later than that is a "spare barrel" from one of the two contracts that Remington had for spare parts for the 03A3, including barrels. (03A4's were assembled and shipped until June 1944)

In the mid-late 60's, you could get a new 03A3 barrel from the DCM for 98 cents. A new M1903 barrel was about $10 from places like Sherwood. You could also get a Springfield or Rock Island rifle for about $20, which may have a "frosted" ... or worse ... bore. The poverty striken college kids I hung out with (I was one of them) who were interested in getting into High Power would get the $20 Springfield and the new 98 cent barrel, and I would put them together. The breech bolster of the barrel needed to be turned down some to accept the M1905 "ladder" sight of the M1903 rifle, and a small notch was filed in the front sight key to accept the M1903 fixed base of the front sight: other than that, it was a routine rebarreling job. Some guys elected to keep the 03A3 front sight, because the new barrel came with the front sight base on it. With an 03A3 front sight, the battle sight zero with the M1905 sight (with the ladder down) was about 150 yards instead of the 547 yards with the "stock" M1903 front sight.

Anyway, I did a bunch of them like this (I'm sure others did, too), and it would be really cool if one of "mine" managed to find its way to California. :-D

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Buckshot]

.............Ah, so it would be a modified 03A3 barrel, utilizing the rear sight band and Buffington sight, a-la' the REAL M1903?

................Buckshot