re: NO.4 & 03/A3 2 groove barrels

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re: NO.4 & 03/A3 2 groove barrels

Which rifle was the first to be manufactured with the 2 groove barrel, as both Canadian and U.S. Savage No.4 rifles had 2 groove barrels and did 03/A3 rifles manufactured by Remington and Smith Corona
 
Tough call. Longbranch & Savage started using 2 groove bbls in 1942 and the 1903A3 made by Remington was the first Springfield to use 2 groove barrels, also in 1942.

It would be challenging to prove which came about first. My hunch would be the Springfield, however, since the US was driving towards mass-production techniques much harder than the Commonwealth was at that time.
 
I can't remember if my 1903 is a 1941 or 1942 manufacture year but it has more than 2 grooves. Made by remington. Not an A3 though.
 
Poor example. M1903's (not A3's) virtually ALL had multi-groove barrels when new, though some may have gotten 2-grooves at refurb.
 
The two groove barrel for the '03 was approved 21 May 1941. The Remington modifications made it the '03A3. Smith Corona didn't start making the rifle until Oct 1942. SC only made '03A3's, so they only made two groove barreled rifles.
None of this means you'll never see a 4 groove on either though.
The Savage contract started in July of 1941. Most of their rifles have a 2 groove barrel. There are some 4 and 6 groove barreled rifles around though.
"...Made by Remington. Not an A3..." Remington made some 1903's before they came up with the manufacturing simplifications seen on the '03A3.
 
sunray said:
The two groove barrel for the '03 was approved 21 May 1941. The Remington modifications made it the '03A3. Smith Corona didn't start making the rifle until Oct 1942. SC only made '03A3's, so they only made two groove barreled rifles.
None of this means you'll never see a 4 groove on either though.
The Savage contract started in July of 1941. Most of their rifles have a 2 groove barrel. There are some 4 and 6 groove barreled rifles around though.
"...Made by Remington. Not an A3..." Remington made some 1903's before they came up with the manufacturing simplifications seen on the '03A3.
Click to expand...


Thanks Sunray,...for your great bit of info,...i have a Remington 03/A3 with a 2 groove barrel which is stamped 9-43 just behind the front sight,..i really like this rifle,..very smooth bolt and think the aperature sight is a great improvement over the 1903 open sight,...pretty stout recoil ,..with that .30 cal round , as compared to a Lee Enfield,...
 
And the rifle that ultimately became the 03A3 was originally prototyped in .303 for possible sale to the British. See p. 286 in 1993 edition of Skennerton.
 
sunray said:
The two groove barrel for the '03 was approved 21 May 1941. The Remington modifications made it the '03A3. Smith Corona didn't start making the rifle until Oct 1942. SC only made '03A3's, so they only made two groove barreled rifles.
None of this means you'll never see a 4 groove on either though.
The Savage contract started in July of 1941. Most of their rifles have a 2 groove barrel. There are some 4 and 6 groove barreled rifles around though.
"...Made by Remington. Not an A3..." Remington made some 1903's before they came up with the manufacturing simplifications seen on the '03A3.
Click to expand...

This is FALSE.

Smith Corona did NOT use 2 groove barrels until their second production run (ie, second serial number block). Remington, likewise, did NOT initially use 2 groove barrels. They only started sometimes in 1942. All according to Brophy.
 
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