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Springfield M1903 NRA Sporter?

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  TRAP55 
#1 ·
I have one, or at least hope it's a real one, here on my bench. It's a mess, but I can get it back where it's supposed to be with a lot of elbow grease. There were less than 6000 made from 1924 to 1933 or 1943? Winchester and Remington got a stop put on making anymore, on the grounds the US Government was competing in the commercial market. There's a lot of copycat rifles, as well as some outright fakes. One in 80% sells in the $5500 to $6000 range, and when collector guns get into that price range, there will be fakes. His grandfather bought it new in the late 1930's for $49, a lot of money for a farmer back then, but period correct timeline.
It's got all the earmarks, Star Gauged 24" barrel with polish blue, receiver dates to 1924, A3 bolt, M1922 .22 rifle stock with the U marked barrel band, NRA Sporter front sight, and Lyman 48 non threaded aperture, with the flip up aperture, receiver sight. They were all hand fitted, and the bolt was electro pencil serial number matched.
This bolt wasn't, and from what I can find, 1924 and 1925 may, or may not be match numbered. The barrels were a heavier profile, but I can't find any measurements to compare with. The barrels didn't have the rear sight indexing groove, this has one. All the "documented" guns have SA barrel dates in the 1930's, and 1940's. This one is dated SA 2-13, flaming bomb ordnance proof.
Now where I'm at, is it a fake, is it real with a re-barrel, or is it real with a 1913 barrel, being first year production?
"The Springfield 1903 Rifles" by William Brophy, is suppose to have a serial number list of the ones made. The Springfield Research Service website is just a front page with nothing to click on now.
Does anyone have access to the book, that can check this serial number for me?
 
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#2 ·
I have one, or at least hope it's a real one, here on my bench. It's a mess, but I can get it back where it's supposed to be with a lot of elbow grease. There were less than 6000 made from 1924 to 1933 or 1943? Winchester and Remington got a stop put on making anymore, on the grounds the US Government was competing in the commercial market. There's a lot of copycat rifles, as well as some outright fakes. One in 80% sells in the $5500 to $6000 range, and when collector guns get into that price range, there will be fakes. His grandfather bought it new in the late 1930's for $49, a lot of money for a farmer back then, but period correct timeline.
It's got all the earmarks, Star Gauged 24" barrel with polish blue, receiver dates to 1924, A3 bolt, M1922 .22 rifle stock with the U marked barrel band, NRA Sporter front sight, and Lyman 48 non threaded aperture, with the flip up aperture, receiver sight. They were all hand fitted, and the bolt was electro pencil serial number matched.
This bolt wasn't, and from what I can find, 1924 and 1925 may, or may not be match numbered. The barrels were a heavier profile, but I can't find any measurements to compare with. The barrels didn't have the rear sight indexing groove, this has one. All the "documented" guns have SA barrel dates in the 1930's, and 1940's. This one is dated SA 2-13, flaming bomb ordnance proof.
Now where I'm at, is it a fake, is it real with a re-barrel, or is it real with a 1913 barrel, being first year production?
"The Springfield 1903 Rifles" by William Brophy, is suppose to have a serial number list of the ones made. The Springfield Research Service website is just a front page with nothing to click on now.
Does anyone have access to the book, that can check this serial number for me?
I can't help on serial numbers but my copy of The Book Of Rifles by Smith and Smith from 1948 says the barrel and receiver were browned instead of blued. I don't know if that's correct or not.
 
#4 ·
Hawg, every pic I could find of one, had a high polish blue too. This one is a polished blue, and a slight greenish tint to it when I put a LED light on it? maybe just the light. Dumped out a film container full of front sights remembering an '03 sight in it. I have two, and both for the NRA guns, and absolutely no idea where or when I got them. Good case of CRS, and every day is like Xmas!:) Soon as I get 5 or 6 decades of crud off this thing, I'll post some pics.
Really hoping someone has Brophy's book, from what I found, he really researched all the details on these.
 
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