[izzytok46]

Well, I've just purchased my first 1903. It's a Remington 3.3 million serial with a barrel date of 12-42 but she's out of uniform in some kind of custom stock.
Please tell me firstly where to get some good literature to educate myself, and secondly what kind of stock I should be looking for to potentially put her right.
The one she's in isn't bad looking and for the price I got I'll shoot her that way and be happy until I can find the right one.
From an article I looked up I think this would be considered a 1903 modified, and without grasping grooves right? But the C stock/scant stock aspect is confusing for me.

 

[bayoned]

I don't believe that your Remington originally had a scant or a C stock. It originally had a non-fingergoove straight grip stock.
BTW, I have a 3,3million 12-42 M1903 Remington VERY close to yours. (It has a late C stock, but it is a CMP Greek return and was restocked at some point)
Can you show a couple of photos of the receiver of you rifle? In particular, the rear receiver bridge and the front receiver ring.
My receiver shows traits of both the M1903 and the '03-A3 receiver, as this was a transitional point in the switchover from Remington's manufacture of the M1903 to the '03-A3. I'd like to see others that may have these features.

 

[Mt203]

Bayoned is correct. Yours would have been in a no finger groove straight stock.

 

[izzytok46]

 

[Richard in NY*]

That was a very nice example before it lost its original stock. Such a shame.

 

[snowbound]

Very nice rifle. With patience I'm sure you will find a great stock. Make sure you monitor CMP forum sales. Here is a scant stock, picked up last week on a 1918 Springfield. Put on by Raritan Arsenal in WWII.

 

[bayoned]

Izzytok46,
My rear receiver bridge is just like your !
(my serial is 3335112)
Thank you for posting the additional photos.
You have a very nice M1903, and it appears to be a pretty candidate for putting it back into original military configuration.

 

[twh]

The receiver bridge shows it was originally intended to be a 1903A3 but due to the shortage of rear sight bases the bridge was milled down and it was finished as a 1903.

 

[izzytok46]

So I know hand guards are different for the rear sights, but is there a difference between the late 1903 stock and an 03a3 stock?

 

[bayoned]

Yes, there is a difference between the buttstocks, the M1903 stock will not fit the '03-A3 rifle because the it is not cut for the 03-A3's rear handguard ring that holds the rear of the handguard in place where it meets the receiver ring.
The stocks made for the 03-A3 were cut to accommodate both the 1903 rear sight as well as the 03-A3 rear handguard ring.
This same fit duality applies to the stocks made as replacement stocks after late 1942.

 

[izzytok46]

So an a3 stock would work, and be considered correct if it were a replacement but I'm better off to keep looking for a more correct straight Remington 03 stock

 

[bayoned]

You've got it right.

 

[izzytok46]

Twh said the receiver bridge shows the rifle was meant to be an A3 but it was finished as a regular 1903 due to a lack of sights. I'd like to know more about that. I got a reference book, and it tells me my serial number does fall under A3 production.
So my query.. was the rifle built with an A3 stock?