Interesting Springfield 1903

[CrazyHands13]

Hello! I've been following this forum for a long time so I decided to sign up a while ago.

For my first post, I'm calling on the Springfield 1903 gurus out there. Hope this is the right section for this question. I've happened across this rifle:

https://joesalter.ca/products/exceptional-springfield-1902-rifle

It seems to be a bit of an anomaly to me. I can't find another 1903 like it to compare to in its condition other than NM rifles and pre-war ones. Its serial range matches the date of its barrel, 1922, and the stock is entirely unmarked other than a small "s" in the mag cut out area on the left side of the stock. Without a proof P cartouche, the stock is likely a replacement, but appears, to me, to be an original stock from that era. The condition of the barreled action and other parts looks new. With the receiver matching the barrel and the barrel being the condition it is, does that make it not a rebuild? Would anyone have any idea of the story behind this immaculate rifle? (Rebuild? Possibly even a well done civilian refurb?)

Also, the pricing is in Canadian, so it'll be much more than what a 1903 could be had for in the states. Not just factoring in currency conversion but they're also scarcer in Canada.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jim Watson]

Looks like a 1903A1 to me but the C stock did not come along until 1929.

 

[Slamfire]

Probably a WW2 keystone stock, but the seller has cleverly hidden the locations of proof marks under the sling and the stamp in the cut off. If in the stock cut off was a K, that would be Keystone, a WW2 stock. . If the rifle had been rebuilt, there would be proof mark stamps and inspector/acceptance stamps. I see none.



John Beard wrote this on another forum


Springfield Armory suspended manufacture of new M1903 service rifles in 1927. All new rifles manufactured after 1927 were National Match rifles, sporters, and DCM sales rifles. Springfield Armory, however, continued manufacturing all parts for the M1903 rifle, including barrels, and receivers, mostly for the purpose of replacing the barreled receivers of low number rifles turned in for overhaul.

After extensive trials at the National Matches, Army Ordnance adopted the Type C stock in May, 1928. But, the adoption was too late for the 1928 NM rifles. So, the first rifles fitted with Type C stocks were the 1929 NM rifles.

In 1935, Springfield Armory manufactured a batch of Type C National Match stocks that were used to retrofit Type S stocks on older pre-1929 National Match and Service rifles still in DCM inventory. These are the rifles that Chuckindenver referred to.

Springfield Armory finally ran out of finished Type S stocks in 1935 and began manufacturing new Type C stocks for service rifle overhaul. Production continued through 1942. Those manufactured after 1941 had a thicker profile and a flatter forearm.

All Springfield Armory Type C stocks are marked with an "S", "F", or "W" in the cutoff recess.

During WWII, Army Ordnance contracted with several companies to manufacture spare Type C stocks for use in overhaul. These included Keystone (marked "K" in cutoff recess) and Mattel Toy Co. All these stocks had the thicker profile and were also inletted for the M'03-A3 barrel guard ring.

Hope this helps. Happy Holidays!

Dec 2021 John Beard

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=93779

That buttplate is a NM type buttplate, not an issue buttplate. I was able to find some and replaced the smooth face buttplates so the rifle would stay in my shoulder.

I am of the opinion that someone assembled a rifle with "all correct" parts to the best of their ability.

Something I have done, except I hated the straight grip stock, so I found a pistol grip.

 

[CrazyHands13]

Very interesting, thank you. It looks to me like there is an s marked in the cut out of this rifle, so not a Keystone stock. But it sounds like you're right that somebody assembled the rifle from parts considering the stock and the butt plate.

 

[AlexanderA]

Way overpriced. It's just a 1922-manufactured M1903 with a replacement "C" stock. Nice gun, but I wouldn't pay more than half what they're asking. Even that would be stretching it.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Yup, very nice, but not rare - in the USA anyway. Right around $2K US if found here locally.