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Posted: 1/9/2014 5:48:04 PM EDT
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I've been offered a Springfield 1903 in trade. I'm not terribly familiar with the '03, so I was hoping someone here could assist me in determining what a fair price for this rifle would be.
Here are some details: Serial # 916xxx Straight stock P marked stock Does not have the Pederson cut according to the seller SA barrel, dated 8-18 (which corresponds with the date range of the serial) And a few pics: 
Thanks for looking. |
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I am not an expert by any means, so please take everything offered below with a grain of salt. However, I do watch M1903 sales prices at gun shows and on internet auction sites out of curiousity, not shopping. I do have one M1903, two Remington 03A3s, and Smith-Corona 03A3, and a 'Creedmoor' complete 03A4.
So here we go... - The 'P' means the rifle was proof-fired at the factory before shipment. - Is there a cartouche (inspector's approval stamp) on the left side above and slightly forward of the wrist area? In a box? If present, are the letters serif-style ("script"). Is there more than one cartouche in a box? If yes, does one of the boxes have non-serif letters? If any letters in any boxes, what are they? - Can you examine the bolt to confirm there are no rebuild parts, like 'R' stamped at the base of the bolt handle? Are there any non-serif-style ("arial") letters stamped on the other side of the buttstock, like 'O G', or on the right side just forward of the bolt handle? ...Like S-A-A-C or R A A? - The trigger guard appears to be a WW2-era stamped sheet metal product (by Remington or Smith-Corona), rather than an original machined steel trigger guard. and although the pictures don't show it, I suspect the magazine floor plate would likely be stamped sheet metal, too. - Are the barrel bands machined steel or stamped sheet metal? (If original machined steel, the band will have a indented line centered around the circumference. If stamped sheet metal, the band will appear as plain 'flat' metal.) All these details factor into the valuation. If there are, in fact, stamped sheet metal parts, then the gun is not original parts, probably rebuilt during or just after WW2. Still, it looks like it was well looked after, and with those rebuild parts (if true), I would WAG an estimated value of $700 to $850-ish. On the other hand, with all original parts (meaning no stamped sheet metal bits), the value would be well over $1,000. Hope this helps. |
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Serial Number puts it in the safe to fire range over 800,000. Lots of info here http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/ I would back it up in the 700-800 with the basement rock bottom of $650 for a quick sale. They seem to bring the most on Gunbroker also, need to gauge it to make a real estimate on the barrel. If the throat or muzzle is shot it can have a $200 deduction from he gun, also the condition of the barrel can quickly influence the price. I rarely see mirror barreled 03s for less than 800-850 while frosted dark bores are in that 600-750 range. |
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