I have a A3-03 sitting here,That I am trying to figure out whats it's worth...the barrel groves/lands are crisp and clean ,pretty much original,but it has a ramline composite stock ...no sights,need to be drilled and tapped for a scope ,the barrel has been crowned ....s/n 1396118...any thoughts on it's value ??? TIA BB34
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A3-03
- Thread starter bigbird34
- Start date
wncchester
New member
An original 03-A3 would be worth some bucks but I doubt that you would get more than perhaps a couple of hundred for a bubbaed "sporter". It would make a good deer rifle with some modifications but, as you note, that would take drilling for a scope, bending the bolt, adding a milled 03 trigger guard/magazine and installing a good trigger. All that would add quite a bit to the basic rifle so it's present value would have to include the cost of bringing it up to speed for hunting use.
3StrikesNC
New member
I'm not qualified to comment on the value, but I'll tell you this. I recently acquired one that was included in a "lot" I purchased. It has a Weaver 4x mounted on it, was "sporterized" years ago with a Monte Carlo type stock :barf:, and included 20+ boxes of old Rem 150gr & Hornady 180gr reloads sold otc.
That's the bad.
The good: this gun has turned out to be one of my best shooters! I'm consistently putting 3 out of 5 in a dime @ 100 yds.
Maybe you should take it to the range...
That's the bad.
The good: this gun has turned out to be one of my best shooters! I'm consistently putting 3 out of 5 in a dime @ 100 yds.
Maybe you should take it to the range...
If the receiver hasn't been bubba'd by drilling and tapping, it can be restored. Springfield Sporters and Sarco has the parts. Spend a couple hundred to restore it from a $250 bubba'd back into a $650 military surplus. They ain't making 03A3s any more, so the price will continue to rise.
As an amateur collector of WWI and WWII battle rifles I cringe at the sight of what people have done to historical firearms. Yet, when you see a nice sporterized rifle, some of the work is very well done and they still can shoot the eye out of a gnat at 500 paces. But, the value just ain't there. Nate has a good estimate depending on how well it was done. Best to have a good "smith" check out the stock job and overall function. It could become your favorite whitetail gun. Just remember you're not buying it for any collectible value, just great shooting and great fun.
I'm glad that this topic came up as well...
was wondering the same thing mine is a little diffrent..
can anyone give a value on a Smith Corona 03-A3, ser # 4,790,xxx, rough sanded oiled stock, NRA excellent (or better) stock marks light partial FJ in box, light crossed cannons, circle P (1/2" diameter), W by trigger, in front of magwell 4 in triangle, 11 in square, 5 in diamond, 3 in circle, no other marks on stock. parkerizing excellent, slight rub on bolt, blade front sight, (no hood) bolt marked with X, and Smith Corona machining marks, butstock is smith corona style checkering, trigger guard is smith corona style, slight freckling on 1 sling swivel, & rear swivel, ..bore excellent, barrel stamped SC, flaming bomb 9-43, P under bottom of Barrel
Thanks Nate..
was wondering the same thing mine is a little diffrent..
can anyone give a value on a Smith Corona 03-A3, ser # 4,790,xxx, rough sanded oiled stock, NRA excellent (or better) stock marks light partial FJ in box, light crossed cannons, circle P (1/2" diameter), W by trigger, in front of magwell 4 in triangle, 11 in square, 5 in diamond, 3 in circle, no other marks on stock. parkerizing excellent, slight rub on bolt, blade front sight, (no hood) bolt marked with X, and Smith Corona machining marks, butstock is smith corona style checkering, trigger guard is smith corona style, slight freckling on 1 sling swivel, & rear swivel, ..bore excellent, barrel stamped SC, flaming bomb 9-43, P under bottom of Barrel
Thanks Nate..
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