Probable WWII 1903 Marine Sniper w/A5 scope

[cplnorton]

I tried not to post pics of anything that isn't already known on these, just in case. But if I did, let me know and I will take it off. I do not want to help the humpers but wanted to give enough to make a judgement on.

[pmclaine]

Beautiful rifle!

Id heard that the moustrap spring was a feature on civilian A5's not so much mil. Does your rifle show that is not always the case?

[cplnorton]

I did not recognize this marking on the sear. Is it just a drawing number? The other side is marked CV.

[TDP0311]

I was with Cpl Norton when we came across this rifle on Saturday. Very glad to see it go to an owner that will give this old, salty piece of Corps history the proper home it deserves!

[chuckindenver]

post 1935 drawing numbers were found on some parts,.sear, trigger, rear sight base, follower, rear sight windage knob, stock, hangguard, rear sight, cocking rod, buttplat, buttplate trap door..
CV is a hardened sear..may have a CV marked cocking rod as well.

[Promo]

Are there any file markings below the scope bases? Otherwise I'd agree with Jim, it looks like it once had an Unertl on it. But let's wait for Johns opinion!

[cplnorton]

I did pull the rear off because I was sure I could put it back on exactly as it was. The front has shims that I'm not sure I could back straight, so I'm sort of scarred to try.

Here are the pics with the base off. The base on the bottom is filed one side and shimmed on the other. It is O marked.

[cplnorton]

I have had people express concern over the shims on the front block. They say that wasn't done. I think I know why. And it was probably done by whoever put the scope on it. Whether it was a civilian or Marine.

The knob on the scope is very close to the handguard. So if the block wasn't shimmed up, there is no way that knob would have cleared the handguard. I also bet the screws in the front block are longer than normal ones, because of the shims.

I don't think the Winchester modified mounts have that same knob on the A5. And the Unertl one seems like it sticks out past the handguard and isn't so close, so shims were not needed either. But I'm going by pics online. I've seen neither in person, nor tried to put them on the rifle.

Here are some pics, that knob is very close to the wood. So whoever put the scope on there, I think shimmed that front block. What do you guys think?

[cplnorton]

Another thing I had someone tell me, they say the Marine Match rifles had a punch mark on the area of the receiver that was polished. He said it was punched, then polished and sometimes they are hard to see.

If this is true, and it looks like it has a punch mark on the receiver in this area that I circled. Then that means this was one that was a USMC Match rifle at one time and then converted? I know the Marines used many of the shooting team rifles to build the snipers. But I also read they used other receivers as well as long as they could build them to match quality.

[Kragrifle]

Anyway you'all could explain the difference in the #2 and modified Winchester mounts?