Log In
Members
Home
Add Reply
Add Topic
Offline
Hello, I was wondering if I could get one of the many great folks here to weigh in on a neat 1903 I’ve had for awhile. I have searched online but not a ton of luck. Rifle is in quite good condition with a serial of 85xxx, so about 1914 I believe. It has a B5 scope in original grasshopper mounts I believe. Unfortunately the finish in the scope and rifle looks like a chemical was spilled all over it, odd really. Scope is clear for a 100 years old. The front sight says Marbles #5 and has a flip up globe of sorts that I have found no reference of anywhere, but I suspect someone here has seen it.
Now if I can figure out how to post a pic…
May or June 1913 (depending on what the complete serial number is).
It is very unlikely that the Marbles front sight is factory original.
To post pictures you will first need to upload them to a host website, and then post the URL to them here.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I have a M1906 with a #5 Lyman Globe front sight and Lyman #2 tang sight. A filler plug where a rear sight was. Jury is still out on these sights. No way to tell if they are factory. They are period correct and the condition of them matches the rifle. It is the nicest M1906 I have. Cannot say about your M1903 . Mine is completely original. Big Larry
November 7, 2015
Online
I’ll dig out my 1903 this afternoon and post a pic, it appears to be an original rifle.
Mike
November 7, 2015
Online
I’ll dig out my 1903 this afternoon and post a pic, it appears to be an original rifle.
Mike
November 7, 2015
Online
Here’s the front sight on my 1913 production 1903, sn 87986. It appears to be similar to the front sight on my early (sn 1452) 63 except for the much narrower dovetail on the 1903.
Mike
I believe the front site on my 1904 vintage M1903 is a M75-B, with patent date. Big Larry
November 7, 2015
Online
Big Larry said
I believe the front site on my 1904 vintage M1903 is a M75-B, with patent date. Big Larry
Mine appears to be the 75A with a bit narrower base than the 75B, if I’m reading the drawings correctly. Best I can make out patent date is Nov 4 02.
Mike
My M1903 is one of the nicest ones I have encountered. Minty bore and still has the blued bolt. I bought it to shoot, but JWA told me it has a bronze firing pin and not to shoot it much. I had already bought 500 rds of ammo for it which I still have. Don’t want to break the bronze firing pin, so I never fired it. I also bought a box of 1915 dated Winchester ammo for my collection. Closest I could get to the 1904 shipped rifle. Besides, I have a nice late M63 with the grooved receiver to shoot, but I would rather shoot my M74. Better balance. Big Larry
November 7, 2015
Online
Larry-
My 1903 isn’t so nice, I found the correct inner magazine tube for it and some ammo but don’t plan to shoot it. I bought the 63 to shoot, it has two extra holes in the receiver but has a nice tang sight. Rob Kassab took pics of both for my T.C. Johnson/1903 article awhile back, you may have seen them. Neat little rifles.
Mike
TXGunNut said
Here’s the front sight on my 1913 production 1903, sn 87986. It appears to be similar to the front sight on my early (sn 1452) 63 except for the much narrower dovetail on the 1903.Mike
Mike aren’t all dovetails 3/8 on Winchesters? Is your 63 recut? That looks like. Lyman gold bead? But what do I know.
Heres my 63 (75676) on the left, and my 03 ( 107981) on the right. Picture not that great.
November 7, 2015
Online
Good eye, Steven. It does indeed have a brass bead but I know next to nothing about sights. I wasn’t able to find any markings on the sight and have not taken it out. The front edge of the dovetail is .5″ from the muzzle, it certainly could have been widened but I never suspected it until now. It does have a very different profile from the #75’s.
I think I’ll adjourn to my loading room (and gun vise).
Mike
November 7, 2015
Online
Opinions? I even cleaned out the barrel dovetail slot (lost my pencil mark!) for your viewing enjoyment. It is indeed a Lyman sight, just as Steven pointed out. I did see mill marks the entire length of the slot but they are not visible in the picture.
Mike
I measured ~ .785 from the front of the dovetail to the muzzle. Measure the sight base, if it’s greater then 3/8, then the dovetail was widened, I reckon.
November 7, 2015
Online
Let me see if I can get a higher res pic loaded. I’m inclined to agree with you but I don’t know.
Mike
If those measurements you made are correct I would say it’s been widened, the finish also looks redone, that could account of the redone dovetail. I would expect to finish to be similar to the 03 next to it, but it could be the light. The finish on the 63 looks new!
There was a boatload of optional front sights, I just assume they were all 3/8 dovetail, but IDK. You need Bert or JWA to chime in.
November 7, 2015
Online
The 63 is in very good condition other than some holes in the left side of the receiver. Other than that it’s a 90% gun at best with wear in all the right places and stampings all sharp. I bought it as a shooter within a few days of my dad’s 90th birthday after noticing it was made a few months after he was born. Must admit, it was the tang sight that caught my eye. It’s a shooter, not a collector grade. OTOH I did not expect to see milling marks the entire width of the slot if it was modified. A filed notch is more consistent with our aftermarket theory. Hopefully one of our sight gurus can help us identify the sight and when it was produced. I’ve only owned a few 63’s but they were all a bit unusual.
Mike
November 7, 2015
Online
This is getting more interesting with every trip to my work room! Correct rear screw is missing.
Mike
1 Guest(s)
