Faulkner
04-07-2017, 10:33 PM
I was on a weekend motorcycle ride in the Ozarks and stumbled across a heck of a deal on a USGI M1903 made by Remington in 1942. I'd stopped to visit a friend at his home and noticed the neighbors were having a garage sale across the street. My friend said he'd been over their earlier and they had a couple of rifles for sale. I walked on over to see if there was anything interesting and noticed the M1903 and asked if I could take a look. Looked to be all original with "R" marked parts including the bolt and bore was shiny and clean.
I asked the fellow sitting in the lawn chair guarding the cash box what he wanted for it and he said, "make me an offer."
I made him a low ball offer thinking this was the start of negotiations.
"Sold!" he replied and held out his hand for the money.
I paid the man and took the rifle back to my buddy's house and asked him to hold it until I could come back when I wasn't on my Harley. I finally got it home and confirmed it's a 100% original Remington M1903 (modified). I stripped it down and let the metal parts soak overnight in mineral spirits and commenced to strip down the stock, steam out the dings, and do a refinish with boiled linseed oil. Turned out to be a very nice '03.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17545443_1319485834784183_8836745556341482088_o.jp g?oh=d3524b5f1882fae2cd35bae09f96995c&oe=599105AA
Stock completely stripped down to show the black walnut.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17620147_1321405487925551_6923909613196906759_o.jp g?oh=77c8fca1b29ed6de99d64d35ac223fe8&oe=595A9FB7
Stock with one light coat of Chestnut Ridge Military Stock Stain
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17758222_1321405794592187_5440591599677630243_o.jp g?oh=3a22c59b078b0968991515aa01b71de5&oe=599A9A0B
Stock with several hand rubbed applications of BLO mix
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17504494_1321406651258768_1959075582246672912_o.jp g?oh=5274e8956ee38141391142f1e28773cf&oe=5998DE49
Finished project.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17814640_1322326317833468_1339027986731116728_o.jp g?oh=031e65e05dab5b4a32685c1799b04286&oe=595B8171
I asked the fellow sitting in the lawn chair guarding the cash box what he wanted for it and he said, "make me an offer."
I made him a low ball offer thinking this was the start of negotiations.
"Sold!" he replied and held out his hand for the money.
I paid the man and took the rifle back to my buddy's house and asked him to hold it until I could come back when I wasn't on my Harley. I finally got it home and confirmed it's a 100% original Remington M1903 (modified). I stripped it down and let the metal parts soak overnight in mineral spirits and commenced to strip down the stock, steam out the dings, and do a refinish with boiled linseed oil. Turned out to be a very nice '03.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17545443_1319485834784183_8836745556341482088_o.jp g?oh=d3524b5f1882fae2cd35bae09f96995c&oe=599105AA
Stock completely stripped down to show the black walnut.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17620147_1321405487925551_6923909613196906759_o.jp g?oh=77c8fca1b29ed6de99d64d35ac223fe8&oe=595A9FB7
Stock with one light coat of Chestnut Ridge Military Stock Stain
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17758222_1321405794592187_5440591599677630243_o.jp g?oh=3a22c59b078b0968991515aa01b71de5&oe=599A9A0B
Stock with several hand rubbed applications of BLO mix
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17504494_1321406651258768_1959075582246672912_o.jp g?oh=5274e8956ee38141391142f1e28773cf&oe=5998DE49
Finished project.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17814640_1322326317833468_1339027986731116728_o.jp g?oh=031e65e05dab5b4a32685c1799b04286&oe=595B8171