20 January 2008

A Man's Gun

For the paltry sum of $500 I have finally acquired a surplus AMERICAN rifle!

This is my first US military rifle and my first .30-06.

She's a gorgeous Remington M1903A3 made in February 1942. About 80% condition, has the original metal oiler in the stock too. There was some minor surface rust on the butt plate and in several places under the wood. It cleaned up very well.


The pic doesn't do her justice.

Update: I have been talking to the family of the previous owner. This was the gun he was issued in the Marines. He was what we call a designated marksman today, his brother says, "sharpshooter." What that means is when the rest of his unit got M1 Garands, he kept this gun. He carried it on across the whole of the island hopping campaign. What makes this gun interesting is a sharpshooter would have been aiming for specific targets and not just firing with the rounds addressed "to whom it may concern". In all likelihood this gun killed. His brother thinks so. This is the first gun I have bought where I have a strong confidence that it was used.

My SMLE #1 Mk3 was made in 1917 with an Indian pattern stock, it might have seen trench time. The Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 was made in 1942, I don't think the Soviets held guns back. In the case of those two guns, I have not spoken to the people who knew the man who held them in combat.

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