1903 - What's it worth?

chrisco

chrisco

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Downstream of the Falls -- Ontario
Hey CGN. A while back I was fortunate enough to inherit some nice guns among which were some nice milsurps.
I have had this one out to the range a couple of times with many shooters admiring it. Several have made me offers to buy it.
I am by no means an expert on old military guns. This is where you come in to help me determine it's value.

It's a Remington manufacture 1903. 30-06 caliber. I would rate it's overall condition as better than good. Wood is perfect. All metal is excellent.

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Action is smooth with a solid lock up
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This front sight hood appears almost new
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42 Stamped under the flaming bomb
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No noticeable wear at the muxxle or bayonet lug so I'm assuming it hasn't seen a bayonet very often
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Unknown marking just rear of trigger guard
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This one is a shooter. I have done well with the iron sights out to 100 yards.
Thanks in advance for the help -- chrisco
 
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Sir, I know a bit about 1903's.
What I can tell you is that that looks like a near mint WW2 era 1903.
Its not "just a shooter" It looks it was never even issued
Is it all matching numbers?
Its worth will depend greatly on whether it is in original condition or if someone assembled it from mixed like new parts.
That receiver is from aprox 1941. Remington started making the 1903 early world war 2 starting at serial number 3 million in 1941.
 
Nice example of a 1940's 1903a1 allot of these where unissued due to the garand and 1903a3 being more available by this time .It should have a 2 groove barrel that looks like it dates from 2-1942 .From all the pics looks like it has all the matching parts and dosn't look like a referb say its worth 1000$ any day
 
lowridersvt said:
Nice example of a 1940's 1903a1 allot of these where unissued due to the garand and 1903a3 being more available by this time .It should have a 2 groove barrel that looks like it dates from 2-1942 .From all the pics looks like it has all the matching parts and dosn't look like a referb say its worth 1000$ any day
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It appears to be all original and is stamped 2-42 below the flaming bomb in pic 5. (that one didn't turn out so well on my I-phone)
 
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Travis Bickle said:
Sir, I know a bit about 1903's.
What I can tell you is that that looks like a near mint WW2 era 1903.
Its not "just a shooter" It looks it was never even issued
Is it all matching numbers?
Its worth will depend greatly on whether it is in original condition or if someone assembled it from mixed like new parts.
That receiver is from aprox 1941. Remington started making the 1903 early world war 2 starting at serial number 3 million in 1941.
Click to expand...

"Is it all matching numbers?" Really, the US does not stamp the serial numbers on the bolt, on the bolt or any other part of the rifle.
 
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Stock has been sanded. The recoil lugs should be parkerized on a 1942-1943 Remington M1903. The metal looks good. The sanded stock really hurts value. Turned what could be a $1200+ gun into an $800 shooter IMHO.

Still, a nice find. If most all the parts have a small "R" on them, that is a good thing. Are there any visible stamping in the wood on the wrist of the stock (I don't see any), or on the underside of the stock just in front of the front trigger guard screw? If not, that's bad - it means the stock was sanded more than just lightly and further drops value.

Is the bore nice? If the bore is excellent, that is a good thing and pushed it back up closer to the $800-900 range.
 
not a 1903A3...its a 1903 ..would be nice to see the top of the back end of reciever to see if it was a 1903M ...i cant remember when in 42 the rifle was going through changes to the 1903A3.. my 1903M has a barrel date of 12 42...M means Modified kind of a rare beast apparently ..sort of a transition rifle between 1903 -1903A3... ...apparently they were having some sort of delay in A3 barrel production so they used 1903 barrels with the newer A3 receiver and just milled off the most of the dovetail where the newer peep sight would mount
 
Claven2 said:
Stock has been sanded. The recoil lugs should be parkerized on a 1942-1943 Remington M1903. The metal looks good. The sanded stock really hurts value. Turned what could be a $1200+ gun into an $800 shooter IMHO.

Still, a nice find. If most all the parts have a small "R" on them, that is a good thing. Are there any visible stamping in the wood on the wrist of the stock (I don't see any), or on the underside of the stock just in front of the front trigger guard screw? If not, that's bad - it means the stock was sanded more than just lightly and further drops value.

Is the bore nice? If the bore is excellent, that is a good thing and pushed it back up closer to the $800-900 range.
Click to expand...



Claven, that stock actually looks like one of the replica stocks from IMA or Sarco. There are no stamps on it anywhere and it doesn't look to be thinned down enough to remove stamps that would normally be there or at least some evidence of such. Look at the way the ferrules/nose cap fit on the front and top wood or around the mag floor plate, nothing is proud. I would say it's a replica stock.

All in all, a lovely rifle and your $800+ evaluation is right on.
 
I was about to mention this as the cut-off side of the stock looks sanded, not a huge amount just enough to bare the stock bolts. They should be slightly recessed below the wood surface. Additionally, there is no cartouche, though as mentioned there could be remnants of a proofing mark. Likewise the early serial number would indicate this should have a finger groove stock as well. If it was all original with proper stock marks it could easily approach 1500. The parkerizing on the gun is pristine, you do not see many like that!! As it sits you are well within the 700 to 900 mark.
No harm in shooting it prudently.



Claven2 said:
Stock has been sanded. The recoil lugs should be parkerized on a 1942-1943 Remington M1903. The metal looks good. The sanded stock really hurts value. Turned what could be a $1200+ gun into an $800 shooter IMHO.

Still, a nice find. If most all the parts have a small "R" on them, that is a good thing. Are there any visible stamping in the wood on the wrist of the stock (I don't see any), or on the underside of the stock just in front of the front trigger guard screw? If not, that's bad - it means the stock was sanded more than just lightly and further drops value.

Is the bore nice? If the bore is excellent, that is a good thing and pushed it back up closer to the $800-900 range.
Click to expand...
 
"...it's overall condition as better than good..." Better than that. More like excellent.
"...not a 1903A3...its a 1903..." Yeah. A 1903A1. No official A3 until the fall of 42. Same barrels except for the rifling. The A2 was a sub-calibre device for tank guns.
"...going through changes to..." As soon as Remington got the contract, they started working on the upgrade.
 
The designation 1903a1 was used by the US military to describe a 1903 fitted to a C pistol grip stock. Any 1903 in an S stock is a 1903 only.
 
It is very hard to locate a M1903 which was not re-worked to some extent while in military service. Stocks, handguards, rear sight components and barrels were among the parts most frequently replaced.

As with any MILSURP, value depends on condition and originality. What is the bore condition on this one? Some other parts to check;

-virtually all metal parts on the Remington M1903s were stamped with the letter "R". When looking at the externals the "R" should appear on all rear sight components, the front sight, rear sling swivel base, lower band, safety, bolt(under the handle), cocking piece, bolt sleeve, cutoff and trigger guard (on right side rear of the trigger guard loop). The internals (sear and trigger, firing pin and sleeve) as well as the inside face of the milled buttplate are also stamped with an "R".

-the bolt handle is straight, whereas the handle should be swept to the rear in addition to having the 'R" stamping on the lower surface of the handle.

-the safety features a drainage/lubrication hole as applied to the early Springfield/Rock Island parts. It should be stamped with an "R" on the rear face

-there is no picture of the complete stock and handguard. Is the stock a straight grip, pistol grip, or semi-pistol grip/scant grip style? It should be a straight grip w/o grasping grooves and there should be a couple of cartouches stamped on the left side around the cuttoff area. There should also be an encircled "P" proof mark stamped on the bottom of the grip. I do not recognize the stamping seen on the stock as a military marking.
 
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