Deciding if its worth it....

Mooseman684 · 03-13-2008, 11:34 PM

Today , I found a 1903A3 Smith-Corona that has been Fully sporterized unfortunately...Drilled and Tapped , with a Weaver 3-9X Marksman scope attached. It is in a Beautiful Fajen Stock , Free floated original Barrel marked SC, 9-43... Front sight still attached...
He said he would take 250 for it...I'm trying to decide !!!
Rich

mitch009 · 03-13-2008, 11:41 PM

I say go for it. I spent 250 for my sporterized 1903 as well and don't regret it. I actually put a post up in the general rifle section about mine and asked for a rough estimate of its value, but i assume its worth about as much as I payed for it maybe less. Anyways if you do get it post up some pictures i would definitely like to see it

LakerDad · 03-13-2008, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooseman684

Today , I found a 1903A3 Smith-Corona that has been Fully sporterized unfortunately...Drilled and Tapped , with a Weaver 3-9X Marksman scope attached. It is in a Beautiful Fajen Stock , Free floated original Barrel marked SC, 9-43... Front sight still attached...
He said he would take 250 for it...I'm trying to decide !!!
Rich

If you're going the shoot this regularly, you may want to check the S/N to see if it after the date that these rifles were upgraded to the new stronger steels. (Low numbered receiver are those with serial numbers below 800,000 made at Springfield Armory, and below 286,506 made at Rock Island Arsenal.) Some have stated emphatically no rifle with a low numbered receiver should ever be fired under any circumstance because of the risk of serious injury or death, but that high numbered receivers are perfectly safe.
I hope this helps some

a good 06 in the $250 range is cheap

ArkansasHunter · 03-13-2008, 11:54 PM

If you've got $250.00 dollars laying around collecting dust then buy it, other wise don't.
But i bet you do LOL

Mooseman684 · 03-14-2008, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakerDad

If you're going the shoot this regularly, you may want to check the S/N to see if it after the date that these rifles were upgraded to the new stronger steels. (Low numbered receiver are those with serial numbers below 800,000 made at Springfield Armory, and below 286,506 made at Rock Island Arsenal.) Some have stated emphatically no rifle with a low numbered receiver should ever be fired under any circumstance because of the risk of serious injury or death, but that high numbered receivers are perfectly safe.
I hope this helps some

a good 06 in the $250 range is cheap

LD...This is a 1903A3....There were no early serial numbers to worry about, just the early 1903's, and only 11 of them have come apart out of a million...
Rich

GlockMeister · 03-14-2008, 12:20 AM

Pass on it moose. You don't need it. (SHHHHH) trying that reverse psychology stuff on him) . lol

Mooseman684 · 03-14-2008, 12:38 AM

That is what I needed to hear....I went and bought it !
MVC-010S.JPG

MVC-011S.JPG

AKHunter · 03-14-2008, 12:49 AM

Nice looking stock there !

LakerDad · 03-14-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooseman684

LD...This is a 1903A3....There were no early serial numbers to worry about, just the early 1903's, and only 11 of them have come apart out of a million...
Rich

Thanks Rich, I missed the A3 as if I can read? lol
Wow, nice pictures, as stated, it has a "beautiful stock"! Bishop or Fagen stock maybe? [Missouri black walnut]
That was a very good find indeed!

texnmidwest · 03-14-2008, 04:59 PM

Rich I have one like that. My Dad sportered it in the 60s. It will drive tacks at 100 yards. Perfect clover leaf patterns that one could cover with a quarter. Anything I put through it would shoot. Likes Federal the best.

Congrats on the rifle! I love those old 03A3s. sporter or original.

Windwalker · 03-14-2008, 07:19 PM

Very nice Mooseman. Glad you got it.

rfc357 · 03-14-2008, 09:30 PM

Good deal. Let us know how it shoots.

jimkim · 03-15-2008, 04:03 AM

Rich I feel real stupid asking you of all people this, but are you sure it isnt an A4. I thought all the A4's were Remingtons but Im not sure.

ggordon · 03-18-2008, 04:15 PM

Jim: Actually, he said it's a Smith- Corona so it couldn't be an A4.

All A4's are Remingtons. All Remingtons are not A4's -- Remington did make plain 03-A3's.

Bravo · 03-19-2008, 11:42 AM

Nope, it's a Smith Corona A3, just like the sporterized one that I bought...it actually looks identical (I wonder if a company made a bunch of these sporterized and used the same stocks).

Is it a Bishop stock by chance?( EDIT: Nevermind, you already said yours was a Fajen stock.) I made a project out of mine and restored it to it's original 1903-A3 form as best I could. I still have the drilled receiver, which I need to get some new scope rings for.

Moose, I haven't taken mine to the range yet to see what she can do. Let me know how yours fairs as far as accuracy goes.

SwedeSteve · 03-21-2008, 07:10 PM

Nice one Moose! And great pics too!

03-13-2008, 11:34 PM	#1
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,668 Images: 2	Deciding if its worth it.... Today , I found a 1903A3 Smith-Corona that has been Fully sporterized unfortunately...Drilled and Tapped , with a Weaver 3-9X Marksman scope attached. It is in a Beautiful Fajen Stock , Free floated original Barrel marked SC, 9-43... Front sight still attached... He said he would take 250 for it...I'm trying to decide !!! Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

03-13-2008, 11:41 PM	#2
mitch009 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: WA Posts: 129	I say go for it. I spent 250 for my sporterized 1903 as well and don't regret it. I actually put a post up in the general rifle section about mine and asked for a rough estimate of its value, but i assume its worth about as much as I payed for it maybe less. Anyways if you do get it post up some pictures i would definitely like to see it Last edited by mitch009; 03-13-2008 at 11:46 PM.

03-14-2008, 12:20 AM	#6
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,478	Pass on it moose. You don't need it. (SHHHHH) trying that reverse psychology stuff on him) . lol __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

03-14-2008, 12:38 AM	#7
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,668 Images: 2	That is what I needed to hear....I went and bought it ! MVC-010S.JPG MVC-011S.JPG __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

03-14-2008, 04:59 PM	#10
texnmidwest Listen to yur Inner Hippo Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 3,439	Rich I have one like that. My Dad sportered it in the 60s. It will drive tacks at 100 yards. Perfect clover leaf patterns that one could cover with a quarter. Anything I put through it would shoot. Likes Federal the best. Congrats on the rifle! I love those old 03A3s. sporter or original. __________________ "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (If all else fails play dead)

03-13-2008, 11:54 PM	#4
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,690	If you've got $250.00 dollars laying around collecting dust then buy it, other wise don't. But i bet you do LOL

03-14-2008, 12:49 AM	#8
AKHunter Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 899	Nice looking stock there !

03-14-2008, 07:19 PM	#11
Windwalker Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 3,573	Very nice Mooseman. Glad you got it. __________________ America: Love it and protect it or leave it

03-14-2008, 09:30 PM	#12
rfc357 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 741	Good deal. Let us know how it shoots.

03-15-2008, 04:03 AM	#13
jimkim Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Near the Little Ocmulgee river in GA Posts: 2,045 Blog Entries: 11	Rich I feel real stupid asking you of all people this, but are you sure it isnt an A4. I thought all the A4's were Remingtons but Im not sure. __________________ Jan. 4, 2007...Gasoline $2.10/gallon HMMM? Jim

03-18-2008, 04:15 PM	#14
ggordon Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 85	Jim: Actually, he said it's a Smith- Corona so it couldn't be an A4. All A4's are Remingtons. All Remingtons are not A4's -- Remington did make plain 03-A3's.

03-19-2008, 11:42 AM	#15
Bravo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 1,897	Nope, it's a Smith Corona A3, just like the sporterized one that I bought...it actually looks identical (I wonder if a company made a bunch of these sporterized and used the same stocks). Is it a Bishop stock by chance?( EDIT: Nevermind, you already said yours was a Fajen stock.) I made a project out of mine and restored it to it's original 1903-A3 form as best I could. I still have the drilled receiver, which I need to get some new scope rings for. Moose, I haven't taken mine to the range yet to see what she can do. Let me know how yours fairs as far as accuracy goes.

03-21-2008, 07:10 PM	#16
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,347 Images: 1	Nice one Moose! And great pics too! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers