03A3 question

[RP1911]

I was at my local LGS and saw that he had an 03A3 that looked pretty good. Arsenal refurb.

The top handguard has three slots on an angle like this / / / but not parallel cuts. All three have been wood filled.

The owner of the LGS has said he has seen this before on other 03A3s.

What purpose do they have or did have?

[highpower790]

Sounds like a repair of some sort.Handguard was probably cracked.

[Jeff L]

I remember seeing some of those on the Greek returns.

[Norcal_tom]

i have a 1903 that this was done to. it's a repair for a cracked handguard, you can see the crack underneath. it's also a greek return with the s/n stamped in the butt.

[smle-man]

It is a Greek repair. U.S. arsenals replaced cracked handguards and didn't repair them. There are still unopened cartons of 03a3 handguards sitting in various surplus parts houses around the country.