Remington 1903 A3

[froggy]

Salut BNZ,
Congrats on your new purchase - A real beauty

[PaulR]

Thanks PaulR & Dave101.

Sling refitted followed the saddler & ray-vin info seems ok..

paulR yes please for the pictures, went to chatham military fair yesterday, did not see any, not many of the dealers knew about them.

Here you go, Bayonet, M1.

I believe that this one was a cut down M1905 as the Blood Groove runs off the tip end of the Blade. Later WW2 produced blades have a blood groove that finishes in a rounded end like the hilt end of the groove before the tip. The hilt has a serial number stamped on it 4536469, that may have tied it to a 1942 produced M1903A3. That serial number also applies to a 1953 produced Garand but the Bayonet for that would have had the later grips which were cross hatched plastic.

So, if there's anyone out there with the M1903A3 that this Bayonet belongs to...........



US Bomb:



On M1903A3:



On Garand:



I just tried it on an Eddystone M1917 and it doesn't fit.....I thought it did!

Anyway, Cheers

Paul

[bnz41]

Thanks Paul,

One like that for sale on Sunday (cut down) seller said that won't fit a springfield/1903A3 he was talking c---

[PaulR]

Thanks Paul,

One like that for sale on Sunday (cut down) seller said that won't fit a springfield/1903A3 he was talking c---

A bit more info' on the M-1905, the M-1905E1 and the M-1 Bayonets here:

http://olive-drab.com/od_edged_weapons_ ... _m1905.php

Being 1943 and manufactured by OL (Oneida Ltd of NY) mine is definately a second model M-1905 cut down to 10" to become the M-1905E1.

The web site explains the grooving differences between the cut down 1905s and newly manufactured M1 Bayonets. Also the point on the 1905s were ground to two different types of tip.

I'm not into Bayonets normally but this little bit of research has been quite enlightening.

Cheers

Paul :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

[bnz41]

Thanks PaulR

Very interesting.. sign92

[rufrdr]

Thanks PaulR & Dave101.

Sling refitted followed the saddler & ray-vin info seems ok..

paulR yes please for the pictures, went to chatham military fair yesterday, did not see any, not many of the dealers knew about them.

Here you go, Bayonet, M1.

I believe that this one was a cut down M1905 as the Blood Groove runs off the tip end of the Blade. Later WW2 produced blades have a blood groove that finishes in a rounded end like the hilt end of the groove before the tip. The hilt has a serial number stamped on it 4536469, that may have tied it to a 1942 produced M1903A3. That serial number also applies to a 1953 produced Garand but the Bayonet for that would have had the later grips which were cross hatched plastic.

So, if there's anyone out there with the M1903A3 that this Bayonet belongs to...........



US Bomb:



On M1903A3:



On Garand:



I just tried it on an Eddystone M1917 and it doesn't fit.....I thought it did!

Anyway, Cheers

Paul

It wasn't usual U.S. practice to serialize bayonets so that happened somewhere other than the U.S. military. The M1917 bayonets only fit the military shotguns fitted with a combination metal handguard/bayonet lug/front sling swivel other than the 1917 rifle (and the P14 rifle too).

[huntervixen]

Hi,

What a beauty, I have always hankered after an A4, since puting a few rounds down the range with one last year, big smile on my face all afternoon (Saving Private Ryan style fun)!

I was surprised to see the FJA standing for the Ithaca inspector Frank J. Atwood. stamp on the stock?

Very nice indeed, cracking rifle, Cheers John.

[bnz41]

Hello John.

Thanks for the nice comment.

When i bought the rifle not knowing much about them I posted pictures on an US forum, and I was informed that the rifle had possibly never been back to be refurbed, or the wood had not because it does not have the diamond refurb stamp that would be present, thus making the rifle possibly more collectable. Most war time 1943 stocks have the stamp FJA sometimes the letters are inside a box, factory inspector..Mine does not have cross bolts through the wood only pins, meaning was never used to fire grenades.

[rufrdr]

A pinned stock is an early production version. The bolts came later. Usually the pinned stocks were replaced during arsenal overhauls with the later cross bolt version. Interesting thing is that the WW2 stocks are inletted for both the 03 and 03A3 action which makes sense.

Nice rifle!

[etprescottuk]

The 03 and 03A3 Springfields are my all time favorite military rifle, I know the 03A3 pictured is a Remington manufacture though it is still correctly referred to as a Springfield rifle. Yours is a real beautiful rifle, also good shooting