WWII Smith Corona 1903A3 03-A3 .30-06 Bolt Action Rifle 1943Our Assessment: When the US Army was looking for a rifle design to replace the 1898 Krag rifle, they looked directly at the Spanish Model 1893 Mauser. This was due to the fact that the performance of the Model 1893 Mauser was far superior than that of the 1898 Krag during the Spanish-American War. The Model 1903 is basically a redesigned Mauser clone. A U.S. Patent Court eventually found that the U.S. Army had violated Mauser's patents and required the U.S. Army to pay the German Mauser manufacturers patent royalties. Payments were stopped once WWI started. The 1903 has a strong reliable action that served the Army for over thirty years in two world wars. The 1903A3 is an improved version of the 1903 rifle that was introduced in 1942. The most significant change was the switch to a receiver bridge-mounted rear aperture sight.This Smith Corona Model 1903A3 was made in 1943, it has been rebuilt and refinished. This 03-A3 is in Nice shape and still looks impressive for a 80+ year old military bolt action rifle. This 1903 has nice Smith Corona markings on both the receiver and the 1943 dated barrel. There are a few interesting markings on the stock, most are still clear and are on the left side of the wood above the trigger. This 1903 has strong mechanics, a nice parkerized finish and a well preserved wood stock. This Smith Corona 1903A3 will make a fine addition to your military or historical collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Make: Smith Corona
Model: 1903A3
Serial Number: 4724949
Year of Manufacture: 1943
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle, Fixed Internal Magazine
Barrel Length: 24"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade set atop a raised base. The rear sight is a fully adjustable aperture sight that is dovetailed to the top of the receiver.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The hardwood stock has a straight grip, nose cap with bayonet lug, stacking loop, barrel band, 2 sling loops and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The wood shows scattered scuffs, scratches & compression marks. The LOP measures 12 3/4" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks rate in about Very Good overall condition, as refurbished.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The 4-groove bore has deep rifling. Some of the rifling is fouled with erosion. The bore is light gray with dark patches near the center. The bore shows erosion and an M.E. of 1. In this writer's opinion and for the age, the bore rates a 4 out of 10.Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950's.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The metal shows some scuffs and scrapes. The screw heads are sharp, some show light tool marks. Most markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good Plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a more thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
CA LEGALITY: C&R: YES, CA DEALER Transferable: YES
RIFLE