What do you all know about the 03A3 rifle. I was told it was used in the war as a sniper rifle, and since I have one sitting in my closet , I'd like to find out if this accurate. The rifle was made by Smith/Corona and has a code on it that authorizes it as cleared for military use. Just wanting to pick your brains!!

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"It won't be long now until I come home, darling."
(Donald B. Greenwood - 'grampa' - in a letter home to his wife in Oct. 1943 - he came home in Sep. 1945)

dose it have a scope or mount for one? If so who made it? Also what's the serial #

Wanna find out if it's accurate? Get some ammo at the sporting goods store, take it to the range and find out. Bolt action rifles usualy are accurate. It would be fun to do anyway.

William P. [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

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"Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less chary of the latter than of the former. Space we can recouver, lost time never."
-Napoleon

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-General Werner Von Fritsch

"Those 16 year old assholes commanded their Regiments in Big shining Mercedes cars as though they were Corps Commanders."
-Erwin Rommel on the Hitler Youth

gg, I figure you're talking about a Springfield M1903A3.

As the serial implies, the first "Springfield" was designed in 1903 (the M1903). This was later modified slightly in the mid 1920's, to the M1903A1.

When the US went to war, in 1941, they didn't have enough M1 Garands, so they put the "Springfield" back into production as the M1903A3. The M1903A3 is a very accurate rifle, commonly used in WW2 by infantry sharpshooters.

There was a special snipers version developed, called the M1903A4. It had the iron sights removed and a Weaver scope fitted. It was used in both WW2 and Korea.

M1903A3 are not that rare (my brother had two), although a good one from WW2 is quite a find and is worth looking after.

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"If a man does his best, what else is there?"
- General George S. Patton (1885-1945)

Yes - it's definitely the M1903A3. That's what I needed to know. My husband did go out and shoot to the other day - it's still pretty "on target". Good bang for the buck - pun intended, you may roll your eyes now.

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"It won't be long now until I come home, darling."
(Donald B. Greenwood - 'grampa' - in a letter home to his wife in Oct. 1943 - he came home in Sep. 1945)

Thats an excellent rifle--. I see them priced at gunshows (when you can find one--Springfield that is) and they are usually priced here at $600.00 to $1,000.00.

Corona is a rare maker--I would never sell it if that was ever considered. [img]smile.gif[/img] Thats kind like finding a Singer or Sears made Carbine--or a "navy" Colt .45 sometimes markes with an anchor or a finding a Johnson Rifle w/ original Johnson bayonet.

[ 04. November 2002, 03:34 PM: Message edited by: C.Evans ]

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My dad left me his US Navy 45 (1911). Can anybody tell me what it is worth?

Priceless.

I would go to the library and find the latest copy of the Blue Book of Gun Values.

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