Brand New 1903-A3 barrel

jamesharrison

jamesharrison

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I bought, in a multiple barrel purchase, what I believe to be a brand-spanking new parkerized US Springfield 1903-A3 barrel. It has the front sight base, but no blade. It is stamped just behind the front sight base R.A., then underneath that a flaming bomb, then 2 - 44.

I've never played with Springfields so have no earthly idea what kind of value I should put on it and the US sites have values all over the place, plus, of course, Canada is not the US.

Thanks in Advance.

Jim
 
up here, you might get $350-400 from the right buyer. You need to find someone with a 1903A3 with a ratty bore on an otherwise nice gun, or a 1903 owner with the abilities or a friendly smith that can machine it to take a read 1903 sight sleeve (I've done that job - drilling for the set pins is no fun).
 
Brand new vintage barrels aren't that uncommon. Outfits like Bannermans & Numerich Arms bought surplus box cars full of gun parts including new barrels from manuf. and military supply's, they've been selling them piece-meal ever since.
 
You can buy repro M1903 and 03A3 barrels made by Criterion. Criterion M1903 barrels are good quality as are their Garand barrels. Military 03A3 barrels are more available than M1903 barrels which are becoming unobtainium.

An 03A3 barrel can be installed on a M1903, but most are 2 groove and are readily identififiable as an 03A3 barrel. The OD of an 03A3 barrel has to be turned down a bit to accept a M1903 rear sight sleeve.

A lot of Springfields are found with toasted barrels from wear and corrosive priming. I've done a lot of barrel replacements on Springfields, but now avoid any with a bad barrel because it's so hard to find replacements other than the Criterion product. I do have one NOS 03A3 barrel in reserve just in case an 03A3 rifle with a toasted barrel or a receiver comes my way.;)
 
tiriaq said:
Numrich (Gun Parts Corp) does not list any original 03A3 barrels - only reproductions.
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Yes that is true now but 50 yrs ago they sold the unused originals and some of them are being fished out from under somebodies old work bench when they pass.

A couple years ago I bought a "new and uninstalled" Marlin 1895 barrel 38-56 caliber. This barrel had the same roll mark as the "take-off" barrel that the gun was born with in 1896. I bout the thing out of an estate being liquidated on this sight.
 
fingers284 said:
Yes that is true now but 50 yrs ago they sold the unused originals and some of them are being fished out from under somebodies old work bench when they pass.

A couple years ago I bought a "new and uninstalled" Marlin 1895 barrel 38-56 caliber. This barrel had the same roll mark as the "take-off" barrel that the gun was born with in 1896. I bout the thing out of an estate being liquidated on this sight.
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I can remember 2-groove 03A3 barrels listed at $2.95. Four groove barrels sold for more. They were even taking 2 groovers and cutting two more grooves to sell them as 4 groove barrels.
 
tiriaq said:
I can remember 2-groove 03A3 barrels listed at $2.95. Four groove barrels sold for more. They were even taking 2 groovers and cutting two more grooves to sell them as 4 groove barrels.
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The 4 groove conversions work very well. Sarco was selling them many moons ago. They even came with the rear sight sleeve and front sight band installed.
 
A couple months ago ,I bought a new 2 groove SA/44 for $12 at an auction. It is currently on a 1903 nickel steel receiver sporter.
 
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