My Day at the CMP

[T38Carbine]

I purchased a 03A3 the other day at the North Store with your initials on the tag. After reading this I have a NEW appreciation for my piece of history!! Thank you for all you do!!

[Kansasbobcat]

Thank you for the interesting post and for your hard work at CMP. Hope you feel appreciated!

[t.c.a.f]

Originally Posted by John Beard

My comment about receiving no remuneration was not a complaint. Access to seemingly endless numbers of rifles and the privilege of harvesting data from them is sufficient remuneration. I can see and handle more rifles in one day than at a dozen gun shows. And I can take one apart and harvest data from the internal parts at any time I wish. Try doing that with a rifle lying on a seller's table at a gun show! And they're still in government inventory with less susceptibility to fakery and alteration.

How many of us as children have wished that we could work in Santa's Toy Shop alongside the elves? I have that privilege every month! And finally, being among the good guys and gals at the CMP is like being among family.

J.B.

Isn't that the truth! Thanks John!

[msharon]

Yet another great post, Mr. Beard. I'm new to the hobby and have learned much from your visits to the Forum. Thanks for all you do!

[New Jersey Devil]

This was a very interesting post, thanks!

As someone who collects primarily for history, I especially like the fact that you take the time to swap correct parts if you are able to do so. That's so important. Sadly I'll never be able to own a CMP M1903 as it's about a 40 hour RT drive to Alabama for me, but I'm heartened to know that some of the folks who can buy them are more likely to get a more historically correct rifle thanks to kind-hearted folks like you. And I have a suspicion you too probably care a lot about history if you're taking the time to do this!

[abtex1]

Best thread I've read on here in quite a while.

[Chap17]

Excellent! Thanks for what you do to keep us all shooting, learning about and enjoying these pieces of history. Thanks also, for the great post.

Jess

[39chevy]

thanks for the report..that was an interesting walk thru of the procedure that many of us have always wondered about..

[warrantw5]

Sir,

Thank you for writing this. I always look at your posts when assessing the correctness of a 03A3. I have had two that were inspected by you, one of each manufacturer. I still have the SC.

When are you going to write a book?

[krdomingue]

Awesome write up. I will be at the AMC class on 1/27 and hope to find something at the South Store while I am there. It will be my first time ever at the store, and possibly my only time.

I am curious as to the timing of this new release of 03A3s. Is there a big push to get back the 03A3s going on or did enough of them trickle in that it was decide it was a good time to start processing and selling them again?

I am assuming that you are replacing the straight bolts for safety issues? I remember reading somewhere that the older bolts were more brittle.