What is this M1903? Civilian hack job or military conversion?

[R700P308]

Stopped by the local shop in Ky today and saw this on the wall. First thought was "It's just another bubba'd M1903." But handling it...I'm not so sure.

Trigger is really nice. A lot of overtravel, but very light. Fit and finish of the wood is quite good. Barrel is free-floated all the way back to the receiver (I checked). Came from an estate sale.

I figure it's just an unusually good nice sporterized example, but a sporterized 1903 nonetheless. But, on the off chance it isn't, I want to run it by you all. The thing feels great...really pretty...but there's no way I'd pay the $1500 he's asking unless it's something interesting.

S/N 417424
Mount and safety is made by Buehler. Scope is a Weaver.
Barrel gauges between 0 and 1 I think?
Buttpad screams sporter to me

He claims to know a lot about USMC rifles in general and said he's trying to get the serial verified with some friends at Quantico, if possible. Suspects it's an armorer's special made off an M1903 before the M40 was a thing. That said, I don't trust anything a gun shop owner says (particularly when he claims to have shot Hathcock's rifle).

Thoughts?

 

[Bandit320]

Sure looks like a M1903 to me.

 

[DIBBS]

@pmclaine

 

[R700P308]

Sure looks like a M1903 to me.

Yes, it's definitely an M1903. What I'm wondering is whether it was converted by a civilian or if it has military roots. The shop owner straight-up claimed it came from the USMC, but not sure I believe that.

Updated the title to make that clearer...

 

[sgtsmmiii]

Neat rifle. It screams "civilian sporterized" to me. None of the modifications appear to be military or listed/ shown in any of the books on 03's and military snipe rifles. I'd offer a 1/3 of that price.

 

[BuLLet]

Maybe 6 or 7 hundred not to insult him too much.. but, he sure is peddling the bs.

 

[MK20]

It is a 500 dollar sporter. A nice sporter but still a sporter. He is BSing you.

 

[isofahunter]

You can tell he is lying. His lips are moving.

 

[jphil108]

Agree with above comments but you could try posting it in the vintage section, one of those guys might be able and interested in tracking it down, nice looking rifle but not for $1500.

 

[Diablo]

Sporter........

 

[Bakwa]

Looks good, but definitely sporterized. $500-$700 seems like a good deal.
I'm not aware of the USMC altering 1903's in that way.

Cheers,

 

[pmclaine]

Looks like an 03A3 judging by the rear sight dovetail. Bottom metal is milled 03 which was though of as a good way to build for a stronger rifle.

USMC used very few if any 03A3s. It does have the nice urine green park the Marines somehow acquired but so do Smith Corona 03A3s.

Nice post war sporter made when guys used guns for working and they had glass front gun cabinets.

Sporters like this were made by guys without the money to buy Winchester Model 70s.

Its worth more in its present config as an example of a sporterized M1903A3.

To put it back in mil trim would be costly and it looks like the front ring is drilled. Better to just buy a 03A3 in mil trim if that is what you want.

Hate to say it but $500 or less unless he has a picture of Chesty Puller holding it while standing on a pile of dead enemy.

I might be more interested in the cool ass scope set up than the rifle.

 

[kentuckyMarksman]

It's definitely a civilian sporterized rifle that started life as a military 1903A3 rifle.

I'm also in Kentucky, and a local shop keeps getting sporterized 1903 rifles in on consignment. I noticed one a couple of weeks back for $999, and another one the other day for $1700. Makes me wonder if these rifles are coming from the same source.

 

[R700P308]

It is a 500 dollar sporter. A nice sporter but still a sporter. He is BSing you.

Okay, so my BS detector is properly calibrated. Funny thing is I was kinda buying it until he said he'd shot Carlos Hathcock's rifle at which point I was like "okay you're lying to me." lol

Looks good, but definitely sporterized. $500-$700 seems like a good deal.
I'm not aware of the USMC altering 1903's in that way.

Cheers,

Good to know re: USMC and 1903s. It definitely seemed like an oddball one-off...he was selling it hard as "one of those guns the armorer just makes but it really never makes it onto the books."

It's definitely a civilian sporterized rifle that started life as a military 1903A3 rifle.

I'm also in Kentucky, and a local shop keeps getting sporterized 1903 rifles in on consignment. I noticed one a couple of weeks back for $999, and another one the other day for $1700. Makes me wonder if these rifles are coming from the same source.

Could be. Wouldn't surprise me. Message me if you want to know where it was.


Well...overall it was a super neat rifle and if I had money to burn and wasn't in school, I'd get it just for the scope setup and because it really "spoke to me" as a cool gun. But I'm not ready to drop $500 on something like that at this point.

I'll just build an early wood-stocked M40 when the time comes....

 

[R700P308]

I might be more interested in the cool ass scope set up than the rifle.

I noticed the scope setup right away...super cool. Is it notable in any way? Were they used on military rifles at all?

 

[Ravenworks]

I might be more interested in the cool ass scope set up than the rifle.

It looks like the lower part of an Art Leathwood system installed backwards ?

 

[6.5SH]

It looks like the lower part of an Art Leathwood system installed backwards ?

Is a Buehler Micro-dial:

Vintage Gun Scopes — Buehler/Weatherby

www.vintagegunscopes.com

 

[R700P308]

I wish it was an ART. Definitely a Buehler.