Information On/Value of Springfield .22 Trainer M2 with Full M1903 Stock

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This is a trainer, marked "US Springfield Armory Cal. .22 M2" with a SN of 91XX. It is in 80 to 90 percent condition overall. It has a full M1903 stock with leaf rear sight - it looks exactly like a regular .30 M1903. There is a P in a circle cartouche directly behind the trigger guard on the bottom of the stock. There are no other metal or stock markings visible on the exterior.

It has two screws on the right of the stock, midway down, with partial heads, i.e., only the outer quarter of the slot is cut on each side, while the center of the screw is not cut. There are corresponding blank screw heads/ends on the left side of the stock. On the left of the receiver are two sets of screws each in a slightly shallowed out cut. They look as if they were for a scope mount; no scope mount is present.

I have searched the internet, including images, and can't find any information on this variant beyond an article in GunTests where they had the exact rifle which they valued at '$3000'. This variant isn't listed in the Blue Book of Gun Values.

Does anyone have any information on how many of these trainers were produced in this configuration? Any idea of the value? Can anyone refer me to a website or reference book that discusses them?

Thanks for your help.
 
The CMP forums would be best for information on it. The value is way more than you would expect for what it is.

M1922 barrels sell for $250+. Where/how much did you get it for?
 
I never heard of a full '03 profile trainer version of 1922 M2.
If it can be documented, $3000 might be about right.
If it is somebody's project gun, lots less.

The screws through the stock are regular 1903 recoil reinforcing bolts.
Screws on the left receiver are likely for a side mount scope as used to be popular. The Army did not use them, though.

Do you have pictures or are you just reminiscing over something seen "at least a decade ago in Connecticut?"
 
More Info; No Photos

The bolt has the same serial number as the receiver (91XX); it is 'electropenciled', like the Swedish Mausers.

There is a trapdoor on the butt.

I am having trouble loading pictures; will try again later.

I have registered on CMP Forums and will post back here if I get more info.
 
Photos

Finally got these to upload.
 

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The M1922 was made using the same tooling and fixtures as the M1903. Many parts will interchange. It is possible to put an M2/M1922 into an M1903 stock, and that is apparently what was done here.

The stock was made for an M1903, and the two screws in the stock are recoil screws. to prevent the stock from splitting when fired with full charge .30-06 ammunition.
 
Side scope mount. Very popular in those days because it did not obstruct the top of the gun and the iron sight line when your primitive scope fogged up and you took it off to use open or peep sight.

Note that the 1903 stock overlaps the front filler screw.
Ergo, the scope was taken off before or when the trainer conversion was done.
 
I am not an expert on M1922 Springfields. They are rare, I have seen two for sure, maybe three. Never seen a full stock version.

I wonder if that was built up for a high power competitor to practice with at 100/200 yards. The M1922's I have seen had a Lyman 48 rear and no upper handguard. If the barrel contour was the same as the 30-06 version, and from pictures, it looks similar, someone could have put on the rear sight base easily. All you have to do is drive on the base and drill a slot for the cross pin, assuming it fits. Then you could put on a service rifle stock.

It could be a Springfield made rifle, though we would need to see the stock cartouches and proof marks.

Whatever, neat rifle! Wish I had it.
 
Cartouche

There is a P in a circle on the underside of the stock, just behind the trigger guard. It is shown in one of the pictures attached. There are no other cartouches (even faint ones) that I can see anywhere on the stock.

The stampings on the receiver are as I noted in the original post. I don't see any other marks, including, proof marks in the metal that is not covered by wood. I am not going to take the stock off to search further.

I am guesstimating a weight in the range of eight pounds, this 'hefts' like a full-size '03 - it doesn't 'heft' like a 22. I don't have an '03 in '06 to compare it to, but the thought that someone expressed in an earlier post makes sense - that this is an M2 trainer that someone put into a full-size '03 stock.

That is part of my questions. Was this one of a small number of rifles made outside of regular government channels or was this a variant that was made by the government in limited numbers. So far I have been able to find only one other .22 that is similarly stocked, the one I referred to in my original post that was reviewed in Gun Tests.
 
I am guesstimating a weight in the range of eight pounds, this 'hefts' like a full-size '03 - it doesn't 'heft' like a 22.
The M1922/M2 is a heavy gun -- it is essentially an '03 with a .22 caliber hole in the barrel instead of a .30 caliber hole, and hence a materially heavier barrel.
 
That does not appear to be the original stock. The fact the holes in the rail are covered by a portion of the stock is a good indication it is not correct.

Here are a couple of threads about the 1922 and it's variations.

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=62739

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?230374-Springfield-1922

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?221028-Scored-big-Springfield-M2

A search of the web will find more information but in the threads are some other sources.

Kevin
 
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Here's your answer, coming from my father, a Marine from 1939 to 1945. The Springfield 1922 was a money saving effort by the government to teach marksmanship using .22 caliber ammunition to save money during the depression. It was built exactly like the service rifle of the time, the 1903 Springfield and it's controls were the same.

My father shot one during a good bit of his boot camp training, just prior to WWII. They were effective training rifles. After boot camp, he never mentioned shooting another one, as the service rifle changed to the M1 during the war and the 1922 was retired from service as a trainer.

That is the information he gave me. Except for the holes tapping for a scope, that rifle is exactly as Dad described the ".22 caliber 1903's" as he called them.

Today, they are hard to find (rare) and likely expensive. I've seen one once in all my years. I was born in 1959.
 
Thanks

Thank you all for the wealth of information.

I registered at CMP Forums but haven't yet been 'activated' by an Admin, I figure they are taking Christmas week off. As soon as my account is activated I will post there and see if anyone has any more info.
 
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