1903 Springfield pricing?

[savasyn]

I was just at a place that had two 1903s. One was an older one with the leaf site and the other seemed to be a newer model with a peep site in the rear. Both were about $800. They seemed to be in good shape, though I didn't take much time to inspect them. Is this a decent price for a 1903 in decent to good shape or is it way high?

Thanks!

[NeoWeird]

Depends.

I'd say their price is about $500 and up depending on condition. CMP rifles could be had in the $400 range for a while, and even after they came back they were still in the $500-600 range depending on rarity, etc. The $750+ prices you see are simply people trying to make a buck, and the fact that they are true US weapons causes people to think they are worth that much. Their price is dictated by the market, so private party you will see ~$800-1000 but you can get them cheaper.

The 1903 seems to command a lower price than the 1903A3 (the 1903 has the leaf sight in the back as well as a finger grove on the side of the stock, the 1903A3 uses stamped parts and has the peep sight and no grove). The C type, or pistol grip stock significantly increases the price of the rifle.

Chances are they are CMP rifles and $600 is a bit high, but seeing as the CMP is out of them for now I'd say if you're dying to get one go for it. There is also the option of buying one of the many drill rifles on the market and either refurbishing it yourself or paying a gunsmith to do it for you. These can be had for as cheap as $250 and most (I think ALL if you are skilled) parts can be salvaged and even with a new barrel and boly body with the gunsmithing work you could have it for $600 easy.

[savasyn]

Ok, thanks.
I believe the older version had a "C" stock on it. Could it be original or is it more likely restocked?

I guess the newer one was an A3 then. It was made by Remington.

Why are the new ones with stamped parts going for more money? Seems like they'd be less.

[crunchy2k]

I believe $800 is too much. As NeoWeird says, $500 is a good price for the c-stocked one. A real 1903-A1 is for a collector to price. I own a Rock Island that was re-arsenaled in 1942 after spending time in the Philippines. It was fitted with a real c-stock during the re-arsenal, not the quickly made stocks of the A3's. My rifle is often mistaken for a 1903-A1.
I bought my rifle in the sixties. The A3s in the sixties were considered inferior springfields. Many had two grove barrels and anything that could be stamped from sheet metal was. The action was not as strong as the Rock Island(nickel steel). I base that on P.O. Ackley's paper on his development of the .270 cartridge. http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/03/03...mes;read=36900 is a good starter spot. His tests are not scientific, but real. P.O. Ackley's gunsmithing book was my bible. Funny how time changes ppls willing to give up their money. The 1903-A3 was delivered to ppls than couldn't afford a M-1 grand.

Ok, thanks.
I believe the older version had a "C" stock on it. Could it be original or is it more likely restocked?

I guess the newer one was an A3 then. It was made by Remington.

Why are the new ones with stamped parts going for more money? Seems like they'd be less.

[NeoWeird]

The 1903A3s, I believe, tend to command more premium because of the 'sniper' attribute that comes along with them. The 1903 rifle was originally intended to be our service rifle, and it did serve a great number of our troops during WWI and WII, however it was the 1903A3 that was most often adapted to a sniper variant. The 1903 has no provision for mounting of an optical device at all on it's receiver and the leaf sight, as you mentioned, is forward more and on the barrel. The 1903A3's sight was above the receiver and could be removed and replaced by the rear portion of a scope mount. Reproduction mounts and similar mounts can still be purchased today so for people trying to recreate a 'sniper' rifle they are the prefered choice. The 1903 will however be a superior firearm overall. The 1903 variants are also older and SHOULD command a higher premium but again the value of a firearm is only what people will pay for it and the 'sniper' aspect of the 1903A3 seems to add a good $200 to that price.

Also, the best way to tell if a C type stock is original is to check and see if there are any inspector marks on it. There is usually a letter in a circle (I believe it's always a P) on the underside by the trigger and there should be a rectangle with three letters in it on either side of the action (I think it's usually the left hand side when holding the rifle for firing). This will indicate that the stock is a military issued rifle. There may be other marks, such as the crossed Ordnance cannons, but the letters are usually the easiest to find. If they are NOT there then chances are it's either a reproduction rifle or a refinished (essentially bubba'd to collectors) stock. Finding a rifle that has NOT been rearsenaled at some point in time is a true find. Most of our service rifles have been given, loaned, sold, traded, etc. to a handful of countries or have seen so much action they have HAD to be rearsenaled at some point.

Find a true GI bring back 1903 or 1903A3 that is all original for under $1k and snatch that baby up and don't look back. I can all but gurantee these two rifles are NOT bring backs but are more than likely CMP rifles that someone is trying to make $400 on.

[RudyN]

I ordered an Remington 1903A3 from CMP and was lucky. I has the inspectors stamps and Ordnance cartouche on it and looks like it has hardly been shot. I think it may have been made, stored and then eventually sent to a veteran's organization. Other than a few bumps and scratches on the stock it is almost pristine.