Paging Tabs. Tabs to the rescue please

[Jim Bremner]

Tabs, I've won an auction on a 1903/A4 it's a Z prefix serial #. The only thing questionable the Z font is larger and more stylish

Do you have any knowledge on this

[stevej37]

Delayed opening of the buffets...due to President's Day.
j/k

[Jim Bremner]

Z in question

[craigster59]

I'm not Tabs but I might make a WAG. A lot of sniper rifles had their original serial number. Then after testing for accuracy they were upgraded and maybe received the "Z" designation? That's what happened with the Swedes and others.

[Jim Bremner]

The Z is due to a block of serial numbers that had been duplicated

The question is that the Z is larger and a different font

[Danimal16]

Jim, what scope did it come with?

[Danimal16]

I used to frequent this site. Lots of good information.

Sniper Rifles

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by Danimal16

Jim, what scope did it come with?

330 Post

[Danimal16]

Here is one post dealing with the "Z" stamped Remingtons.
What does the Z mean?

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

330 Post

Does it have the commercial turrets or the Click type military. My A4 was from the CMP auction in 1996. Picked up a perfect M73B1, non-engraved. Great Rifle.

[Danimal16]

Jim, have you checked out the CMP website?

[svandamme]

Z is Rooskie for Special Operationz
sorry, but its junk , Just send the gun to me, I'll dispose of it for you..

[svandamme]

btw, Remington, Check the barrel, what year is it.2 lands or 4?
I had a 42 Remington 1903a3 with a 44 arsenal barrel 2 lands, fresh out of the cosmoline..
that thing was a lazer.
I would shoot irons at 600 yds in UK next to a guy with an AI in 6.5 with fancy scope.
and at 600 yds I was imprinting a circule around his group.. unsupported prone.

That earned me the "Bloody Belgian Bastard" nickname

[Jim Bremner]

It's a two lands barrel marked with a date code to match the receiver..

[svandamme]

more pics !

[tabs]

The explanation about the "Z" prefix sounds about right.

The key here is the offset Remington 1903 script on the left side of the receiver..it was done because the receiver was designated to be a 03 A4.. I have no doubt that it is a A4. I would like to see the rest of the rifle though?

The other thing to look for is the date on the barrel, and the Inspectors stamps on the stock.

What is a bit of a puzzlement is that the SN is so washed out while the Remington script is so sharp? This rifle has been reworked at least once? Most were done at least once.

I had an A4 which I put out to auction in 09...it made a world record for an A4 which has held until this past fall.... $5750.00. That is not what I netted out of it.. I did make 4X my money on it.

Brophy in his "1903 Springfield" book says that the A4 was not a great sniper rifle, it was an expedient set up to fill the need. The 03 was an inherently accurate rifle on it's own.. the 03 to look for are the NM's or NRA Sporter's of the 20's and 30's..the trick here is to find one with a good bore because most have well worn barrels. It took me a number of years to find the right ones.

The Swede 1896 sniper in 6.5 X 55 or a Swiss K31/43 probably holds that title..for the WW2 era.

[tabs]

My latest foray in 03 land...

A Remington 03 from 42 with a correct AO Niedner heavy B. The stock is either from a NRA Sporter or 1922 M2...it apparently is a clone of an 03 type T...

Niedner during the first half of the 20th century was the go to guy for hot rod tgt spoons. By the time this rifle was built (post 42, probably post WW2) Niedner had sold his business and retired...the script on the B is not correct for Niedners 30's shop work..but is correct for his earlier shop B's and his own personal B's till the end of his life in 54.

So this spoon could have been made by his shop after his retirement using a earlier NOS B, Could have been built by Niedner in retirement, or another builder had a Niedner NOS barrel on hand? Take your choice.

Anything marked Niedner is pricey.

This is one where I was browsing an auction list kinda late and it stood out and said look at me.. so I put a bid in at the last moment and I got it. I was pleasantly surprised.

[tabs]

I digress..

My latest foray...a S wi ss k3 1 from 51.. most Sw iss spoons are clean..except for the butt stock where the s wiss would tap their boots to knock the snow off of them..leaving chittering on the stocks. To find one without the chittering is difficult. About 4 years difficult. Usually they belonged to someone in the Hdqtrs staff or other non field unit.

The ones that are even more difficult are the civilian spoons marked with a P prefix.

On this one the Descriptive Header was mislabeled...which caused it to go for under book for condition. You don't find em this clean very often and as such they go for a premium.

[tabs]

I blame Seahawk for this one...he made a post about shooting a Moisin..so...

This one is an unusual Fin M39 from 42. The Tiger stripping is burned on...by burning a piece of rope wrapped around the stock to achieve the stripping which was a technique used on Pennsylvania rifles back in the day and, the fact that it isn't importer marked..which means pre 68 importation.

These things have steadily moved up in price..

The rare one to find are the M39 "Sneaks"...a few were assembled as tgt rifles in the late 60's to early 70's as a parts clean up. They are called "sneaks"because they were newer mfg and were mixed in with large lots of older M39's. If ya want a NOS M39 that is what to look for.

Finland gained independence in 1919 from the Russian empire...As such they had 250K moisins on hand, since they could not afford to develope their own military spoons they reworked the moisin with the M39 being the ultimate development...they shortened the spoon, made their own stocks, B's and sights. B's were mostly made by SAKO, Valmet with a few from FN...

[Tobra]

Best friend has an FN Moisin

It is so much nicer than the Russkie ones