Springfield 1903 WW1 Service Rifle…….SOLD
Created on April 15th 2013
October 1918 dated World War One U.S. Service Rifle
Serial Number 1018406. Caliber .30-06. Overall 43.1/2″ in length. Round barrel 24″ in length. Bolt action U.S. Service rifle with 5 shot internal magazine.
This 1903 has the standard early issue type, finger-grooved, American Black Walnut Stock with and guard. The “hump” in the hand guard appears to be the early high hump, concave type. Within the cut-off recess is the letter “B” clearly stamped – an inspectors stamp.
The rifle appears not to be refinished in any sense and retains a small percentage of original finish which has become polished. The receiver is marked in the normal manner as follows; ” U.S. / SPRINGFIELD / ARMORY / MODEL 1903 / 1018406″. The rifle has the swept bolt type handle with flag safety. In front of the breech is the sight collar which carries the rear sights, this has the early “lightening” type cuts which were dropped in later production by Remington. The ladder rear sight is graduated to 2700 yards with multiple aiming holes which bracket the aiming distances for the user. Windage adjustment and locking of the ladder are done by turning of the early, dished locking wheels of the side of the sight. The high-hump hand guard has the recess to provide clearance for the adjustment wheel.
On the under-side of the stock is the magazine plate and trigger guard. The actual trigger is serrated. Standard two bolt stock. The mid barrel band is the early steel cast type with sling swivel attached. It bears the usual Springfield sideways “U” mark. The nose cap and bayonet nose cap retain the wood at the front of the rifle. The nose cap has the open stacking swivel attached and the bayonet stud has the letter “H” for Hardened steel stamped into the underneath. The barrel is marked on the top behind the sight ramp as follows: “S. A. / un-punched flaming bomb mark / 10 – 18″. Blade type fore-sight.
The significance of the date on the barrel and the serial number can be summarized as follows; The serial number 1018406 can be checked against records and puts production between 1918 and 1919. The barrel date confers with October 1918. Therefore we can be reasonably sure the original barrel remains on the rifle. This is doubly pleasing because of the state of the bore, as it is in particularly good condition. It is a four grove bore with a bright strong rifling and no pitting. The underside of the bolt stem is punched with the simple “dot” Springfield inspection mark and there are no mixed parts in the rest of the bolt.
The wrist is marked with the cartouche of the American Eagles head over “Y97”. The stock has the early smooth butt-plate with trap for cleaning equipment. Behind the trigger guard is the usual final “P” proof mark, circled and also the same within a box. There are also various rack numbers and “P over 11” at the toe of the stock. There are no splits or cracks in the stock. It has a very pleasing polished patina to the whole stock and hand-guard. There is an indistinct boxed cartouche on the RHS of the stock next to the action – unknown. There are two sling swivels and a stacking hook.
A 1903 rifle which has stood the test of time extremely well, is British proofed and ready to be used again.
Stock No’ f 324
£1800.00
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