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Title:	RIFLE, MILITARY -  U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903A3 .30 SN# X4000000
Maker/Manufacturer:	REMINGTON ARMS
Date of Manufacture:	1943
Eminent Figure:	ATWOOD, COLONEL FRANK J.
Catalog Number:	SPAR 6349
Measurements:	OL:110.4CM 43 1/2" BL: 60.9CM 24"

Object Description:

U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903A3 .30 SN# X4000000
Manufactured by Remington, Ilion, N.Y. - Presentation Model 1903A3 bolt-action rifle. 2-groove rifling. Weapon not parkerized, except for front sight base. Blued finish with fancy maple curly stock. Detachable front sight protector.

Markings:
Receiver: U.S./REMINGTON/MODEL 03-A3/X4000000. Underside: 14 (encircled, 51, 78, 44 each in a square.
Barrel: RA/Ordnance bomb/9-43.
Stock: Inlaid - ONE MILLIONTH/RIFLE M1903A3/PRESENTED ON 4 JANUARY 1944/TO/COLONEL FRANK J. ATWOOD/DISTRICT CHIEF/ROCHESTER ORDNANCE DISTRICT/MADE BY THE REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY INC./ILION WORKS/N.Y. Above triggerguard: 32 in circle. 26 in circle/V in square. X in triangle.
Sight protector: US/Ordnance bomb. R.
Rear sling swivel: RP.

Weapon transferred to the Museum from the Rochester Ordnance District.

Notes: "The Remington Arms Company manufactured the Model 1903, 03-A3 and 03-A4 rifles under U.S. Government contract during World War II. These rifles were serially numbered between 3000000 and 5000000. The Rochester Ordnance District was responsible for inspection and approval or rejection of the assembled firearms. Colonel Frank J. Atwood was the District Chief, Rochester Ordnance District, as the U.S. Remington Model 03-A3 and 03-A4 rifles were produced under this contract. Model 03-A3 rifles accepted by U.S. Ordnance at Remington will appropriately display the FJA stock cartouche.
U.S. Remington Model 03-A3, serial number X4000000, is a presentation rifle. However, it received the standard proof and Ordnance marks. The crossed cannon Ordnance wheel and FJA inspection mark (in a rectangle) are present on the left side of the buttstock above the trigger. The Remington proof P in a circle is stamped under the stock and to the rear of the trigger guard. A small proof P with serifs is also present at this location. Inspection marks 32 in a circle, 23 in a circle, V in a square and X in a triangle are stamped in the wood, forward of the trigger guard.
Inlaid to the right rear of the buttstock is a hand engraved, oval silver metal plaque which reads, 'One Millionth Rifle M1903A3 Presented on 4 January, 1944 to Colonel Frank J. Atwood District Chief Rochester Ordnance District Made By the Remington Arms Company, Inc. Ilion Works NY.;
The buttstock and handguard are lighter in color than the standard U.S. Military walnut. The wood is tiger striped. It appears bright, smooth, lightly sanded and hand rubbed....
A serial number duplication occurred at Remington Arms at serial number 4000000. Ordnance had assigned this number block to the U.S. Remington Model 03-A4 sniper rifle. However, Model 03-A3 rifles continued to be manufactured into this block of numbers. The Model 03-A4 rifles were stamped with a Z prefix to the serial number to differentiate them from the 03-A3 rifles. The following scenario could have occurred at serial number 4000000;
4000000 - U.S. Remington Model 03-A3
X4000000 - U.S. Remington Model 03-A3, Presentation Rifle
Z4000000 - U.S. Remington Model 03-A4, sniper rifle.
Was U.S. Remington Model 03-A3, serial number X4000000, the 'One Millionth Rifle M1903A3'? It certainly was not. 348,000 (+ or -) Model 1903 rifles and nearly 20,000 Model 03-A4 rifles, a total of 368,000, were assembled prior to Model 03-0A3 rifle number X4000000. In fact, there is serious doubt that the one-millionth 03-A3 rifle was ever manufactured. Available serial number data collected to date would indicate that the combined production figures of Remington Arms and the L.C. Smith-Corona Co. will fall well short of one million Model 03-A3 rifles.
The 'X' prefix or suffix is not uncommon to both experimental and presentation rifles manufactured by contractors during World War II. Nothing about this rifle would indicate that it was other than a planned special project. The question here is, should we expect this will rifle with its obviously hand picked lumber and proposed purpose to have the standard assembly and Ordnance markings? It would be stretching the imagination to believe that this rifle tr
"IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MODEL 1903 RIFLES DURING WORLD WAR II.
Aug. 15, 1940 - The British Purchasing Commission asks if Remington will manufacture 400,000 Model 1903 style military rifles for the United Kingdom.
October 25, 1940 - Sir Walter Layton emphasized the urgent need for rifles and believes that five million will be required at the earliest possible date.
November 6-7, 1940 - Remington representatives travel to Rock Island Arsenal to inspect old grease-covered tooling last used 19 years earlier to make M1903 rifles.
November 9-18, 1940 - Negotiations completed authorizing the use of Rock Island equipment. Tentatively agreed that Remington would produce Model 1903 rifles under a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract of $5.00 per rifle.
December 12, 1940 - Letter of intent from British providing for the manufacture of 500,000 Springfield rifles - caliber .303 British.
March 4, 1941 - Robert B. Patterson, Undersecretary of War, signed the leased assigning Rock Island equipment to Remington Arms Company.
March 4, 1941 - The first of the Model 1903 machinery is shipped from Rock Island Arsenal to Remington's Ilion factory.
March 11, 1941 - The Lend-Lease Act is passed.
April 18, 1941 - First manufacturing operations on Springfield rifles.
April 22, 1941 - The last of the Model 1903 machinery from Rock Island Arsenal arrives in Ilion. The machinery is all set up for full production by the end of the May 1941.
June 16, 1941 - Remington factory workers go to a 50-hour work week
September 17, 1941 - Remington received Letter Contract DA-W-740-36-ORD-56 for 134,000 Springfield rifles on a cost-plus-fixed fee basis at a few of $3.00 per rifle.
October 25, 1941 - First rifles passed Remington inspection.
December 10, 1941 - First rifle manufactured under Remington contract (made months earlier ) is presented to Lieutenant Colonel Roy L. Bowlin, Deputy Chief of the Rochester Ordnance District.
December 16, 1941 - British contract formally cancelled.
March 10, 1942 - Contract supplement No. 3 executed calling for an aggregate total of 508,000 Springfield rifles.
April 1942- Workers at Remington plant go on a 7-day week schedule.
June 4, 1942 - Contract supplement No. 5 ordering technical studies to simplify the design and manufacture of the Springfield rifle.
July 20, 1942 - Purchase Order for 720,000 additional rifles. Supplement No. 8
August, 1942 - Redesigned rifle (Model 1903-A3) approved by Ordnance.
September 14, 1942 - The Ordnance Department awarded the workers at Remington's Ilion Plant the E-Award for 'high achievement in the production of war material.'
January 18, 1943 - The Remington Company was give a contract (Production Order S-1066) to set aside 20,000 Model 1903 (Modified) and M1903A3 receivers to be converted to sniper rifles - U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model 1903A4 (Sniper's).
January 4, 1944 - At an Awards presentation, Remington gave Colonel Frank Atwood the one-millionth Model 1903A3 rifle. A presentation plaque on the stock designated the rifle to Colonel Frank Atwood, District Chief of the Rochester Ordnance District.
September 20, 1944 - Remington Arm Company's Ilion factory workers are presented with their 2nd E-Award by the U.S. Government.
January 5, 1945 - Remington first contacted regarding conversion from a cost-plus-fixed-fee to a fixed-price basis.
May 24, 1945 - Remington advised of monthly schedule reduction from 90,000 to 75,000 rifles.
October, 1945 - Remington executed contract supplement No. 55 establishing fixed prices retroactive to first delivery under contract. (Above negotiation was no consummated because of Comptroller General refusal's to approve government execution of supplement No. 55.
November 5, 1945 - Remington's fee reduced from $5.00 to November 8, 1945 - Discontinuance of rifle manufacture discussed with Ordnance officials.
December 7, 1945 - Remington accepted change order No. 59 calling for the cessation of production on February 29, 1944. Total number of Remington-manufactured rifles came to 1,084,079." - PRODUCTION OF MILITARY RIFLES BY REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY IN ILLION, N.Y. DURING WORLD WAR II by Roy Marcot, American Society of Arms Collectors, 2006.

References:
Brophy, William S. THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLES. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pa. 1985.
Campbell, Clark S. THE '03 ERA: WHEN SMOKELESS REVOLUTIONIZED U.S. RIFLERY. Collector Grade Publications Inc. Cobourg, Ontario Canada. 1994.
Poyer, Joe. THE MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE AND ITS VARIATIONS. North Cape Publications, Inc. Tustin, Ca. 2001.