For the last couple of years I have been re-militarizing old mil-surps that have been sporterized in an attempt to save history. But this time, I finally was able to add another gun to my collection that I had always wanted to get. A gorgeous 1903A3 Smith Corona with mostly original SC parts. Finding an SC barrel is near impossible, so I had to settle with a Remington, which is fine, it's new old stock and brand new. But that stripped receiver is how it started and after about 4 months -and way to much money, seriously, for what this cost me, I could have gotten a Remington already built- I finally got this gun finished.

So in July of this year, there was my hometowns local gun show and there is always this guy that comes every year and sets up a table with every strange part you need for that gun you never knew existed and I always love stopping by his booth. He's also the same dude I found the front barrel band for, for my Rock Island 1903. Well, this year he showed up with a box of stripped 03A3 receivers with bolt bodies. There were about 8 in total of these things and he only had 1 Smith Corona. I was way to keen on grabbing the SC, so I also grabbed the nicest Remington he had for a combined total of $280. Boy, I wish I had had more money at the time, I would have taken them all. But for the last several months I've been doing my best to build and keep it with as many Smith Corona parts as I can find. It was a very fun project that I think looks great. Time to start on the second gun.

Fun fact: Smith Corona was a type writer company before they were contracted into making 1903A3 pattern rifles. So was Remington Rand, who were contracted to make 1911 handguns.

The other 1903 is a pre WWI Rock Island made in 1905 that I too re-militarized from the sad sporter it used to be.

You do gorgeous work in preserving old history.

These are gorgeous.