The M1903A3/A4 sniper rifle.

[sakorick]

The first order of 20,000 rifles used SN's 3407088 to 3427087.
The second order for 8,365 rifles was placed before the first order was complete, so there was period when the orders overlapped.
Serial numbers in the second order include Z4000001 to Z4002920 and 4992001 to 499859X
The 499NNNN range had to be added when A3 production inadvertently ran into the s/n range allocated for A4's. The 2900 A4 receivers with duplicate numbers had a "Z" prefix added and Ordnance created a new higher range for the balance of A4 and A3 production.
Total production 1,056,276. Of those only 26,653 were marked M1903A4 and all the others were marked 1903A3.

Scopes. The telescopic sight was a modified Weaver 330-C commercial product that first appeared on the market in 1930. When selected for military use, it was designated the M73B1 and so marked. It was a 2.75 power scope and could be adjusted for parallax, windage and elevation. The magnification was considered reasonable for its 400- to 500-yard range, but the field of view was only thirty-five yards wide at 100 yard's distance. In low light, the scope was nearly useless.
The Weaver scope was not the first choice; that had been the Lyman Alaskan Telescopic Sight. But Lyman was engaged in higher priority work and could not meet the Ordnance Department's delivery requirements. After the war, many of the Weaver scopes were changed out to the Lyman Alaskan M-82.

Generally, the receiver, barrel, scope base, rings and safety were parkerized, the rest should be blued. The stock was a scant or later a C stock. The bolts were altered for the scope and there was no front sight.

Beware, the 1903A3/A4 sniper is the most scammed rile in history and tens of thousands of people think they own an original rifle that is a total forgery.

[gitano]

Great info, Rick, but I'm pretty sure that even though you are indeed an 'old codger' that you do not know these facts first-hand. Could you please provide the citation for the document(s) that you gleaned this information from? I'm sure there are folks that would like to "read more".

Paul

[sakorick]

I used Joe  Poyer "The Model 1903 Springfield Rifle And It's Variations", 3d edition Revised and expanded. Additionally, The numbers cited above was calculated by Mr. William Hansen from his 2004 article on A4 production in the journal of the Remington Society of America. He spent considerable effort to account for scrapped receivers and his numbers are the closest to the actual observed rifles.

As for the scopes, Although the Lyman Alaskan was approved for use on the A4 in Dec 42 and later militarized as the M73 none were delivered prior to the end of A4 production. It was never the standard scope for the A4 in WW2. About 1956 an Ordnance directive was published which specified that the primary and alternate scopes for the A4 were the M73B1 and the M84 respectively. At the same time units were authorized to use any remaining M73, M81 or M82 scopes on hand in the event the primary and alternate scopes were unavailable. I would say most A4 rifles like yours had all been changed out before rebuild at RRAD. If any of the rifles still had the Weaver sight I am sure they would have been scrapped at that time and the Lyman installed. Then in Nam, guys were putting Redfields on them. The A4 lasted a long time!

[gitano]

Thanks!

Paul

[Paul Hoskins]

Rick, I have an old Weaver 330 scope around here somewhere or used to anyway. Might have sent it to you. .....Paul H

[sakorick]

Rick, I have an old Weaver 330 scope around here somewhere or used to anyway. Might have sent it to you. .....Paul H

I would be obliged!