If the barrel didn't have that center-punch mark in the ordnance bomb I'd say it was a new spare parts barrel that had never been on a rifle before, but the center-punch mark says it came off another rifle, an 03A3. This highly suggests that this barrel-receiver combo is a result of civilian handling, which would be very common as these rifles and barrels have been in general circulation for many many decades.
The 03A3 barrels did not have this spline cut. The 1903 rear sight base requires a spline cut to index the rear sight base on the barrel. But I don't believe this barrel was installed by anyone USGI on this receiver due to the barrel being an 03A3 barrel. That's a USGI mark indicating a proof firing after the barrel was installed. The ordnance bomb up by the front sight shows the imprint of the center-punch in the little circle. See Brophy's book, "The 1903 Springfield Rifles" (a most excellent book). It is *different* than 1903 rear sight bases made by Springfield Armory or Rock Island Armory or the early Remington 1903. That positively identifies it as a Remington 1903(m) rear sight base. The rear sight base has no lightning scallop cuts on each side of the sight. However, the rear sight is a 1903(m) Remington. Can't be anything else with that late 1944 date and 2 grooves. Thus there are some early 1903 rifles that will have the Hatcher Hole.Įdited to add that Mustang seems to have beat me to it.The barrel is 03A3. The Marine Corps, who kept their Springfields through the early part of the war, modified them during arsenal overhauls by drilling the hole in the receiver. All 1903-A3 rifles have the Hatcher Hole. Not generally present on early 1903 rifles, it became standard on new production 1903 rifles in the '30s. Named after Major Julian Hatcher, it was designed to allow gasses from a ruptured cartridge to safely escape from the rifle. The hole on the left side of the receiver is called the "Hatcher Hole". I have heard that the very late bolts were parkerized on production rifles, but I have only seen that finish on S-C production bolts, those made by some subcontractors, replacement bolts and on rifles that were obviously refinished. The bolts as produced by Remington were mostly a very dark blued/black color. Is that an arsenal refinish or bubba'ed? Where do you look on the bolt to see if it is original to the rifle/receiver?Īnd why is there a hole on the front left side of the receiver? I believe this rifle to be in original condition:Ĭan you guys school me on the bolt finish? I have seen several 03-A3s with black bolts, not blued or Parkerized. There was a myriad of manufactures making replacement pats and these too, are marked.Įdited to add some pics of my 'A3. S-C's were either unmarked or may have a subcontractor mark on small parts. Remington built rifles have a small "R" on nearly all small parts. Bolts, trigger guards and nearly all the other small parts were blued. When they were originally manufactured, there was several different finishes used.
The easiest way to tell if your rifle is an unrefinished gun is to inspect the finish on the metal parts. If there is an "P" in a square or one without any circle or square it would have been applied after the rifle passed an additional arsenal proof test during a rebuild. The circled "P" is a proof mark stamped after the rifle passed it's firing proof at the factory. a unissued rifle) they just received an inspectors stamp and were repackaged and put in storage. These rifles went through a test and inspection program at various arsenals and if the rifle didn't need anything done to it (i.e. That stock, if original has some of the best inspectors stamps that I have ever seen.