RIA USMC 1903 rifle

[Kirk]

I ran across this Rock Island 1903. The receiver, s/n 279669, dates from 1918 and carries a SA 12-27 bbl. The s/n is etched on the bolt - very faint - and is not visible in the photo. The bolt s/n matches the receiver. The bolt is a C8 (if I read John Beard's bolt chart correctly, it's a SA from 1918 and, despite the straight handle is DHT) & a hole has been drilled in the head between the lugs. The receiver has a Hatcher Hole. The butt plate has been stippled. The stock is stamped RI in .25" high characters on the tip & marked W on the butt under the BP. It is cut for the spare parts container & has two bolts. The stock has been sanded so no cartouche or proof mark is present. No Army rebuild or reproof stamps or any other markings are present. All in all, I beleive it to be a USMC rifle.

Information

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[BruceV]

What sort of stock does it have? Are other pictures available? Sincerely. BruceV.

[Emri]

All the indicators you listed do indeed describe a USMC rebuilt service rifle. Good find!

HTH,

Emri

[Kirk]

I took the rifle apart for cleaning - the stock, except for the RI marking, is quite unremarkable. It's an S stock with grasping grooves; two bolts & is cut for the spare parts container. It has a few gouges, is missing a small chip on one side & is worn around the toe. Is is not split or cracked. I rate it as good condition. The handguard has a 5" crack at the front. It has a convex profile, circular windage know cut out and has a fixturing slot.

A strong concentration of Simple Green removed about 80% of the grime on the stock. The metal was in pretty grim condition, too. I don't believe it has been cleaned for several decades. It still needs work.

[Lancebear]

Hey Kirk,

Figure your rifle has five USMC characteristics. Would you mind posting photos of the whole rifle right and left, and a top of the rear sight and trigger guard? I'd like to see the stock and the color of all of the metal. Ya' might have some other Marine things. Nice find, how's the bore?

Like Marine '03's,

LB

[Kirk]

Lancebear:

If you mean the unique yellow-green park used by the Marines, it's not there. The reciever finish is patina; the fixed sight base is blued; the barrel is a dark olive park and the TG is patina on the bottom & blue under the wood. The bolt retains about 20% finish which looks to be blue. The rear sight is a Remington, obviously from WWII. It has 90%+ finish, much more than any other metal (unless you count 100% patina!), so much so that I wonder if it might have been added by the CMP during inspection.

The bore should clean up to be in fair+ condition but I don't think it wll quite make good. The rifle is disassembled; right now the bore is corked & filled with Ed's Red. A couple sessions with a bore brush, patches & Shooter's Choice removed a lot of gunk & grime but you could tell a lot remained in the lands. The bore showed some shine & some pitting but not too bad. The TE measured 4 & the MW a 3. It definitely is not a dark sewer pipe. I believe it will clean up and would be a good but not great shooter if it was on a DHT receiver. The Ed'd Red will tell!

What characteristics are you looking for on the wood?

I count these USMC characteristics; the butt plate; bolt modification; serialized bolt; Hatcher Hole; rebarreled receiver + lack of reproof or reinspection stampings. Did you count anything different?

[Lancebear]

Hey Kirk,

Interesting rifle, and obviously USMC. I asked about the stock just because I wanted to see it. You described everything well. Asked for more photos because, though not a defining characteristic, many Marine rifles have old parts on them as yours does. The Marines didn't ditch their low numbered rifles and that is why I think that many or most USMC's have old parts. I mean hell, some of yours have remnants of bluing.

Your rifle has:

1) Serialized matching bolt.
2) An enlarged gas hole in the bolt.
3) Stippled buttplate.
4) No cartouche or inspection marks on the stock (That's a Marine thing).
5) Hatcher hole.
6) Maybe your serial number falls into a known block of USMC rifles?
7) The collection of old parts, not considered to be a USMC characteristic, but I like to see that on an obviously Marine '03.

Nuff' said. Your rifle has five solid USMC points. Looks like a duck, and quacks, must be a duck.

Bet your bore cleans up, I'd shoot it with surplus ammo somewhere by myself, shame it's a late low number. Bet you are having a blast cleanin' it up. I like to do that as much as shootin' once the work is done. Post some photos when you have it back together.

Thanks,

Lancebear

[Jim Tarleton]

These are serial numbers of some known USMC RIA rifles. Your rifle fits nicely, but no guarantees. I suspect it is what it seems to be.

Jim

Known USMC RIA Rifles
**********************************
274948 RI 4-Jan-38 USMCR
275982 RI 5-Oct-08 USMC
277458 RI 19-Aug-41 USMC
279042 RI 8-Apr-31 USMC
279669 <<<<------Your rifle
280682 RI 5-Oct-08 USMC
281127 RI 17-Oct-51 USMC
282499 RI 17-Oct-51 USMC
286901 RI 11-Aug-36 USMC

[Emri]

Kirk has a ROCK ISLAND rifle, not a Springfield. That SN range is double heat treated and perfectly safe to fire.

FWIW,

Emri

[Kirk]

Jim:

Thanks for posting the S/N info. It verifies everything else. Two of the rifles you list have an "08" date but the serial numbers come from about 1918. Is this a typo or do you mean 2008 (CMP transaction?)? Also, two others have a "51" date. Did the Marines hold onto their rifles that long?

I posted some pics of the stock. This was an arduous effort as no matter how hard I tried, my gaffer was not satisfied with the way I laid out the wood. Or, perhaps it was the drape or lighting. He redid everything I did.

I thought the RIA DHT receivers started at 285507; 279669 is a few thousand short so it should be a SHT receiver. It most likely is safe to fire given its history but I don't want to take the chance or destroy a 90 year old rifle. I have other 1903s to shoot.