New Remington 03A4 by Springfield.

[deerhunter]

Has anyone got their hands on the new 03A4's that are supposed to be hitting the market?  The ad I saw for one looked pretty nice.  I think the list price is about a grand($1000). 

[teddy12b]

I haven't heard anything about this.  Are you talking about new production or are you talking about surplus guns coming back to the US?

[Skunk]

I'll bet he's talking about these from AIM:

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/New_Rifles_.html (scroll down the page a bit)



Item#1903A4
US model M1903A4 Springfield bolt action 30.06 Rifles. These Rifles are built using original Remington-made World War II M1903A3 actions and turned-down bolts. These fine Rifles feature newly manufactured 4-groove barrels identical to the originals. Each receiver is carefully drilled and tapped using replicas of the original "Redfield" rings and mounts and an exact copy of the M73B1 scope, used on the 1st model M1903A4's. Each barreled action has the original military parkerized finish with beautiful walnut stock furniture, again, identical to the originals.

Each includes a replica of the M1907 U.S. issued leather sling and OD Green canvas carrying case. Not just exceptional in looks and finish, each gun is made to hold to the accuracy standards of the U.S. Military during World War II. These Rifles are currently in very high demand and we have a limited supply, so order while you can!

[Cheesehead]

These are remanufactured?

Cheese

[deerhunter]

Yup, thats it!  I would love to see one.  And if its as good as it looks, order one. 

A long time ago, there was a Gibbs Rifle company that had redone Brittish military bolt actions in 4570 and 308.  I wish I picked on up while I could.

[mannyrock]

   I apologize that I just don't see the point of these rifles.   

   Great pains have been made to create a detailed reproduction of the original A4s.   But, since they are not originals, they have no value to a true collector.  So, what is the point of spending $1,000 on it?   Do you just hang it on the wall, and let your friends admire it, and then say, "Well, its not an original, . . . its just a reproduction?"

   And, although I am sure that they probably shoot very well, there are alot of cheaper ways to acquire or assemble a good shooting O3 that is drilled/tapped, with mounts, scope and turned down bolt.  (There are thousands of sporterized O3s out there in very good condition.)

  Regards,

  Mannyrock

   

[Avyctes]

I think the point is that you would have, to all  intents and purposes, an 03A4, not a Santa Fe Mauser or some such.  I would certainly have trouble grasping an 03A3 with a tasco and a monte carlo stock, trying to convince myself this is how it felt to hold the real deal in WW2.  The copy would look like, and perform like, an original.  I have no idea if it's a good price or not, and I certainly wouldn't dream of drilling and tapping my 03A3 to make an 03AFeux, but, I can understand the allure of these.  I'd love to have one of the feux m91/30 snipers.   Fake as they are, they're still very cool looking rifles, and one could play sniper at a fraction of the cost of an original.  The price tag on these 03s is considerably below cost of the real deal.

[Mikey]

Well actually, any rifle made after the first rifles submitted to the Ordinance Department for testing is a reproduction of the original.  These new rifles use original actions and ordinance standard reproduced barrels, just like any 03 or 03a3 that was reworked after either WW.  This is just like the current productions of 1911A1 Colts or 1873 Colts, or M16s, M14s, etc., they are all reproductions of the originals.  jmtcw.