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1903A3 to 1903A4

elcabio
Hey there.
I have a Remington 1903A3 that i bought a few years ago for $200.It is in good shape and in full military dress. I am looking to make it into a 1903A4 clone and have purchased the base, ring, and scope reproduction from Gibbs Rifle Co. I know that i need to modify the rifle a little and was wondering what the best way to do the bolt was. Should i just buy a bolt for an A4 and if so, where can i get one. Is it easy to modify the A3 bolt to clear the scope or should I give it to a gunsmith. Also, what other modifications need to be done besides D&T the receiver. Any info would be great. Thanks
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    Because of the location of the receiver markings on the A4 vis a vis the A3 it wouldn't work.

    D & T'ing the receiver, having the bolt altered correctly etc. Would be something I would only have a competent gunsmith do. But no matter how good a job he does, you are still only going to have a bubbaed 1903A3.
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  • nmyers
    Well, if you weren't already into this project, my advice would have been, "Don't!" Clones show up on the auction side frequently enough, & the cost to make one today may exceed what you would pay for one.

    A real A4 bolt will cost you $300 just for the bolt body, up to $500 for a complete one; GB auctions are the only place I know to look for one. (Original bolts were blue, but most rebuilt A4's have greenish parked parts.) Bending an A3 bolt requires a skilled gunsmith, & won't be cheap. You may be able to find a previously altered bolt on the auctions.

    Sorry, the days of finding boxes of NOS WW2 gun parts at gun shows are long gone.

    D&t'ing the receiver won't be easy for a gunsmith, either. The front of the base must be raised & shimmed; Ordnance used a fixture for the job.

    Rufe-snow is correct, the scope base will cover the serial number. But, I don't see that as problem; it's common to all A4 clones.

    Neal
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  • cbyerly
    You certainly can make a replica of an A4 with an A3 receiver. It will never pass close inspection by knowledgable collectors, but for a shooter, it would be fine. The A4 bolts were machine bent and are very hard to find or duplicate. Expect to pay big $ for an original. The bolt handle relief cut in the stock is unique and easy to identify if it is faked. Dont waste your $ on a gunmith bent bolt and then cut the stock for that bolt. It can't be corrected later. Original Redfied scope bases are hard to find and they are different from current production one-piece bases. Do a lot of research before you start the project.
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  • foxbat3
    Go to auction side and do a smart search on Old Western Scrounger.
    He may have the bolt you want.
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  • v35
    All receiver markings on the A4 are visible, on the left side, with the Redfield Junior mount in place.
    The bolt bodies which sold for $8.50 not that long ago are not just bent, they have a large radius ground into the handle to clear the scope eyepiece. I suggest you borrow one to copy if you expect it to look right.
    Shimming the mount (if necessary) will be the least of your problems.
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  • Hawk Carse
    The unaltered A3 is worth SUBSTANTIALLY more than you paid for it.
    Drill and tap holes and grind the bolt handle to make a fako A4, all that gain in value is gone and you have an expensive plinker.
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  • FEENIX
    The pix below is a Remington 1903A that I gave my son. The gunsmith changed the bolt weld angle and did some clearance grinding to accommodate the scope that my son wanted on it.

    P8170185.jpg

    Good luck!
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  • mbsams
    sell the stuff you bought and don't do it!
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  • elcabio
    Ok. I am not going to turn my original 1903A3 into a clone. Instead I found an already D&T receiver and barrel cheap and I am going to use it to make my A4 clone shooter. But in regards to the 03A3, mine is in very good condition, no rust or pitting, barrel is dated 3-44, stock is arsenal repair and all parts are Remington like the gun. What is an average price for this gun. Thanks.
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  • nmyers
    $400-500.

    Neal
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