I was at the Concord gun show today and a dealer had 2 NOS (new old stock) 1903 barrels still wrapped in cosmoline and that special paper in a round cardboard mailing tube postmarked 1961. One barrel was dated 5-44 and the other dated 8-44 they have a wood plug on the breach end. He wanted $125 each.
I decided to splurge and buy one (maybe I should have bought both (?))
Now my delima, I have a Gibbs 03A4 with the Criterian (I think) new barrel. I am trying to decide whether to take my new barrel, which I haven't unwrapped yet (just smelled, I love that smell (it smells like Victory)) and whether to take it to a gunsmith and swap the barrels.
If I do that, can they be changed back later? I would love to shoot this in the modified class, since with the Gibbs the rear sight is gone so it couldn't be put back into “as issued” and I do like the looks of the scope. :riflebr: Also it gives me an excuse to keep looking for an 03A3 to go with my 1917 and Sporter 1917.