Help Identifying M1903-A3 Variant?

[Orochium]

Howdy folks, I'm new to hunting and recreational shooting this year (after a long history of my rents being too afraid of guns to let me hunt), go fig, and picked up a used rifle from a private seller. Could be smart, could be dumb.

I'm having trouble identifying the rifle outright, I know at least the action/barrel is Stamped "U.S. Smith-Corona Model 03-A3" with the serial 3680085, placing the action and barrel firmly in the 1942-1943 I think, M1903-A3. It's got a Williams-side mount for a Weaver K4-F scope and a Lyman peep-hole site.

There's a P cartouche stamp on the underside of the barrel, but pulling the stock off and looking it over (thoroughly) I don't see an identification stamp anywhere on the bed or anywhere else. But for all intents and purposes it looks like the NRA sporter stock with a few modifications.

So how do I put this all together, I know I bought an M1903, but what is it (or is it just a highly customized hodgepodge?)

Can anyone help? Thanks in advance too, if you need pics, I can try to figure out how to get em up on here.

[rondog]

Photos will help big-time! Also, there's these sites too. Great resources for milsurp rifles.

http://www.thecmp.org/forums/index.php

http://www.milsurps.com/index.php

http://www.surplusrifle.com

[Orochium]

Hey rondog! Thanks for the reply and links, I'll comb over them thoroughly here shortly, in the mean time I grabbed a couple of pics of the rifle, post cleaning.

The inside bore is pretty much flawless, just dirty, outside of the gun has got a couple scuffs, and some of the blueing is coming up, but here you go:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...3/DSC06895.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...3/DSC06894.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...3/DSC06893.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...3/DSC06889.jpg

[rondog]

I'm not a fan of sporterized milsurp rifles, but that's a purty one! Nice stock. Should be a good rifle. And I'm not swearing to anything, but I "think" I've seen comments about rear sights like that as being desirable collectables and fairly valuable. I could be mistaken.

[StagLefty]

Nice looking rifle-I have a Smith Corona also but mine is all original military.

[MadRabbit]

Short answer is a hodgepodge. After WWII there were a ton of these available as surplus, brought home from the war, etc. Essentially they were a dime a dozen. A lot of people bought them and turned them into their deer rifles (along with Mausers, P14 and P17 Enfields, etc.). That's what I'd guess happened with yours. It was probably sporterized originally with the receiver sight, and then had the scope added later on by a subsequent owner. Being an 03-A3 you don't have to worry about the heat treat, and it's a nice looking conversion. I think you did alright on this one. Enjoy it!