Rifleman Q&A: Did Remington Rebuild M1903s During WWII?

by
posted on March 21, 2020
remingtonwartime_4.jpg

Q: I was at a gun show and saw a Remington-made Model 1903 Springfield rifle. It looked just like a World War I ’03, but I have been told Remington only made 1903A3 rifles during Word War II. Was this some kind of rebuild?

A: By 1941, the U.S. government had taken steps to increase production of the semi-automatic M1 Garand rifle, but it was apparent that other sources of rifles were needed. It was decided to resume production of the bolt-action M1903 since the tooling to produce the rifle was still available.

Springfield Armory, however, was heavily burdened with Garand production, and the Rock Island Arsenal had long since ceased manufacture of the ‘03, and was involved with other war-production projects.

Fortunately, the production tooling for the M1903 rifles was still stored at Rock Island. After some negotiations with the Ordnance Dept., the Remington Arms Co. accepted a contract to produce the M1903 rifle for the government.

Remington transported the Rock Island tooling to its plant, and by November 1941, production of the M1903 Springfield was underway. Remington marked its rifles with the company name on the receiver and the initials “RA” and the date of production on the barrel. The early Remington ‘03s were essentially identical to Rock Island Springfield rifles made during World War I, and they were made with the same quality materials and craftsmanship.

Remington engineers, working with Ordnance officials, proposed several time-cutting changes, including substituting simple, stamped-metal components for some formerly milled or forged components, modifying the stock to save production time and eliminating some non-essential parts completely, resulting in the “U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1903 (Modified).”

Additional changes to decrease manufacturing time, as well as the addition of an adjustable aperture rear sight mounted on the receiver, resulted in the adoption of the “U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903A3” on May 21, 1942. Remington made M1903A3s from December 1942 until production ceased in February 1944, as well as 1903A4 sniper rifles.

 

 

Latest

Battle Of Bunker Hill 1
Battle Of Bunker Hill 1

The Battle of Bunker Hill: 250 Years Later

The June 17, 1775, Battle of Bunker Hill marked one of the most pivotal moments in the early years in the American Revolution, as thousands of militiamen stood against determined assaults by British infantry outside Boston.

Bunker Hill: The U.S. Army’s Baptism By Fire

On June 17, 1775, British infantrymen assembled at the base of Breed’s Hill, one of two promontories that comprised the Charlestown Heights outside of Boston.

New M1 Garands Being Offered By CMP

Made in Alabama by Heritage Arms USA, the Civilian Marksmanship Program is now accepting orders for newly manufactured M1 Garands.

Handloading The .270 WSM

More than 20 years after its introduction, this member of the Winchester Short Magnum family still provides useful power to short-action platforms—and staying power to the WSM line.

The Armed Citizen® June 16, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

The Guns Of Dr. Maynard

Dr. Edward Maynard, a Washington, D.C.-based dentist, developed a number of mechanical innovations for firearms, including a new ignition system and a cavalry carbine that saw use in the American Civil War.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.