Remington 03A3
Aquired a Remington 03A3 in absolute mint condition,all matching serial numbers and nickle cleaning tube in the buttstock.The downside of this rifle is that it has been completely refinished, by that I mean all metal parts are high luster blue and the stock has had the same treatment,the trigger guard has been replaced with a steel guard from a 03.I realize that the collector value of this rifle is no longer an issue but as a shooter this rifle can keep up with the best(Consistent X ring @200yds)My question is-Can this rifle be entered in the Camp Perry shooting matches?
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I have aquired an Remington 03A3 30 06.This rifle is 100% complete with
all matching serial numbers.However heres the kicker--This rifle has been reblued to a very high luster blue and the stock has been refinished.Now like I said this rifle is all orginional 100%,The ace in the hole here is--The rifle has been fitted with a 20 round Air Service
magazine(Collectors know what this magazine is).Again this rifle has not
been butchered,To give you an idea of what it looks like just picture
a Remington 700 BDL finish.The Air Service magazine has NOT been blued.
What is this weapon worth in this condition?I know the magazine alone
sell for about $500.00.0 -
The only place that Remington stamped the serial # was on the receiver, so, if it has "all matching serial numbers", it's NOT all original. In any case, it now has 0% original finish, so the rest is not really important.
It is a $150-200 deer rifle if it has a good bore.
Neal0 -
The last 3 numbers on the receiver match the 3 numbers on the bolt.
Now I'm no 03 expert but I'll buy every 03A3 in this condition for $200.00 that I can get my hands on.0 -
campam, You do indeed have a rare magazine in the 03A3. I have never heard of the 20 round air service magazine. All my Springfield 1903 reference books mention only a 25 round air service magazine. Are you certain about the magazine capacity? Did your magazine come with the dust cover or just the magazine body, spring and follower? 0 -
I can't load more than 20 rounds in the magazine,no dust cover,a gentleman sent me some pics of an Air Service magazine,my magazine is exactly what the pics show.he says that the magazine is worth more than the rifle. 0 -
If it holds only 20 rounds it sounds like one of the Mauser "Trench Magazines" from the WWI era. As Herschel has already pointed out an authentic "Air Service" magazine for a 1903 service rifle held 25 rounds. They were also stamped with a government inspection mark looking like an eagle head. You don't mention this marking at all and you are right when you say that "collectors know what this magazine is", we know that real example are not limited to 20 round capacity. Sarco is currently selling reproduction Mauser 20 round "Trench Magazines" for $90 so the fellow who sold you a totaly refinished "all matching" 1903A3 may well be correct about the magazines value exceding the firearm itself!
Mark T. Christian0 -
Email me and I'll send you some pictures,there are some markings on it,
take a look,Maybe you can figure out just what this magazine really is.0 -
Lets disregard the magazine for a minute here and consider the rifle.
Like I said before I'm not an 03 expert but I do know a damn fine rifle when I see one and have shot rifle at the range grouping just over .75@100yds using 180 SPT Winchester ammo.Not to shabby considering I haven't got the hang of adjusting the rear sight.
From what all you so called EXPERTS say,since the rifle is blued and the stock has been refinished(very professionaly done by the way)the rifle is now a tomato stake.the stock has not been cut,the barrel has not been cut,receiver not drilled for a scope.all the hardware and wood are there including the orginal bayonet lug.Now you want to tell
me why this rifle is not just as good or even better than a factory
made rifle?Take a good look at a R.F.Sedgley or even a Griffin $ Howe
and tell me their 03 Springfields are absolutly junk.Paul Yeager converted Mausers,you try buying one of his rifles for $150-$200,Ya Right.0 -
campam- What you have is a refinished military rifle that someone has added a box magazine.As bright and shiney and accurate as it may be, its still a refinished/altered military rifle.Most modifications like this were done as a personal project.To give a value is impossible. Gunsmithing ventures such as this are money pits as far as recovering value.No one said it was junk....is it marked Sedgley or Griffin and Howe?-whole different ballgame than some rifle that "Fred down the street" fixed up.
And BTW, these "so-called Experts" are just that!!!Myself not included, you got replies from some of the best. Hope your acquisition didn't cost alot.
Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob
PS- I double checked my three Remington 03-A3's and my Remington 03-A4...no numbers on the bolt, only receiver.0 -
Your rifle is definitely not a "tomato stake" - nor is it a collector's item.
03-A3's were parkerized, not blued. When the finish was removed and the blueing applied and the stock refinished from original, collector's value became nil.
It is STILL a great rifle and one to be valued for it's shooting ability. You could enter in military bolt action rifle contests without being disqualified. If you could find someone who wanted a good shooter for just such an event, then the value would be more than what it will bring on the open market today.
You should be able to get $200 - $250 for it, but never the $450 and up that untouched A3's bring. Sorry for your disappointment.
Have no idea what the modified or unmodified magazine may bring.
Keep off the Ridgeline0 -
I'll tell you what,If Fred down the street can do quality work like the
rifle I have,He can work on my rifles all he wants.I'm thinking I should have kept my big mouth shut about this rifle.Back to the magazine for a second-Be a bummer if the magazine turns out to be the real deal,then all the expert books will be proved wrong.I can't believe I started all this in the first place,must be something in the brownies I ate while
posting to this forum.0 -
Looks like someone paid a WHOOOOOLE lotta money for this puppy[8D][8D][8D]
Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob0 -
Campam...you got excited and bought something on looks as a first reaction. And if the guy who "customized" it did a good job well...you still have a rifle that shoots well. If you had asked a few questions before you jumped in and bought it you might have still got the rifle...you might have just spent less money on it. Hey we all get had sometimes...if you like your rifle that's all there is to it.
nmyers...about your comment on the serial numbers. I have come across more than a couple of 1903s that had the National Match treatment and the last four digits were electro-penciled in....now I know any idiot could electro-peencil the numbers in, but I've always been led to believe that this was a real indicator of a matching bolt and a military match weapon. About three months ago at CMP North I saw two rifles with the electro-pencil numbers on the bolt...and I really think one of them was an 03a3. In any case I'll defer to you and Mark but you know that the guys at the CMP are not doing that stuff to the rifles. Would appreciate your feedback. Beach0 -
Hello Kdub,Disappointed!! HELL NO,I'm happy as a pig in chit,The rifle
has a real smooth action,great trigger pull and I know it shoots great.
If I had the rifle completely refinished back to the orginal condition,
would it shoot any better than it does now?As far as value,Oh well.
I have 20 odd weapons in my collection including a in the box Sturm,Ruger Hawkeye in 256 magnum,traded for it in 63,I got the pistol,
He got a 59 Ford Sunliner,He no longer has the Ford,BUT,I still have the
Hawkeye unfired in the box.Maybe I'll trade it for a real 03 Springfield,Ya!right!0 -
I think that the best and most useful portion of this man's diatribe on this issue came from his post where he says "I'm thinking that I should have kept my big mouth shut about this rifle". I doubt that any of us "so called experts" can improve on that short but sweet statement of fact! Campam, all of us are very happy that your 03A3 is a fine shooter and we wish you the best and hopefully you will spend a LOT of time on the range shooting. Good bye and good luck.
Mark T. Christian0 -
campan, I'm no expert, but the way you have talked to the experts, me thinks you are an idiot. Don[}:)][:D][}:)]
"I would not mind being the last man on earth just to see if all those girls were telling me the truth"0 -
So be it Mr.christian,But one last comment before I fade away.I paid
$265.00 for the rifle and the guy threw in 2 boxes of ammo and a bayonet.Bayonet is about 10 inches long,plastic grips,green plastic
scabbard,blued and marked as such--U C-ordnance bomb-U S.I suppose the bayonet is a reproduction to,But we won't go There will we? And to you
Sir,Bless you.0 -
Hey Mark...so what about them Lakers?!!![8D][8D]
Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob0 -
Hrmmm....came here and posted and asked for opinions....got opinions and then cried over them?
Did I get that right?
As to the gun, it's definately not a collectors item anymore. Any collectors value has gone out the window when it was refinished and possibly modified from it's origional condition. The magazine you say it has is an air service magazine but only holds 20 rounds? Then something is either wrong with it or it's not an air service magazine.
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kdubs value at $200-$250 seems pretty spot on. You paid $265 and got a couple of boxes of ammo and a bayonet. You pretty much got what you paid for...be happy. Beach 0 -
Let Fred down the st.buy it![:o)]
aka rotten0 -
Not to beat a dead horse but the EXPERTS? sure did a number on campam.
hes a little long winded maybe,but he sure as hell is proud of his 03 and I give him credit for trying to stand up for himself.Anyway,I have an 03A3 also and the bolt is stamped(etched?)with the last 3 numbers
of the serial number on the receiver.the paperwork that came with this
rifle states that it was used at Camp Perry in 1955.So as far as campam
saying his bolt is numbered hes right.Maybe the rifle is just a shooter
and the magazine is not right but take a second look at the bayonet he
says he got with his rifle(Tomato Stake?)0
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