Springfield "Sporter" Stocks
Sporter Stocks
The following information is excerpted from an article entitled “United States Rifles, Caliber .30” by Lt. Col Townsend Whelen which appeared in the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN magazine in August 1934. According to the information provided, LtCol Whelen was the Ordnance Officer of the Seventh Corps Area.
SPECIAL STOCKS
* The D.C.M. price list includes certain stocks available for sale to members of the N.R.A. The old style service straight-grip stock, the pistol-grip stock type C and the “Stock Assembly, cal .30, SA 6597 “ for the Style T rifle, have already been described, and are for replacement purposes on standard rifles.
* The “Stock assembly, cal .30. SA6595.” Is the N.R.A. sporting-type pistol-grip stock which was standard on the above U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903 N.R.A., now obsolete. The similar stock SA6596 is intended for the same rifle where the owner desires to replace the Lyman No. 48 with some other sight and objects to the cut in the stock.
*The “Stock, assembly, cal. .30 SA6598,” is the pistol-grip sporting-type for the service and National Match rifles. When the standard stock and the rear-sight fixed base are removed from these rifles, this stock can be substituted. The similar stock SA 6599 is intended for such use when the standard rear sight and fixed base are to be retained. In this case the owner will usually desire to fit some form of walnut hand guard between the rear sight fixed base and the lower band, and the standard military lower band (Band, lower) should be used to retain the hand guard in place. With all other sporting stocks the appropriate one of the special bands should be used, the band not being included in the price of the stock.
*When the member desires to convert the service or National Match rifle to sporting type, and he removes the standard stock and hand guard, he finds that the exposed surface of the barrel is rather rough. If he further removes the rear-sight fixed base, he finds that the barrel under it is not blued, and is rough in shape. It is usually customary to have a gunsmith polish and blue this unsightly barrel. When this is done, the barrel grooves of stocks SA6598 and SA 6599 will not fit. Therefore “Stocks,, assembly cal. .30, SA 6600 and SA66012 have been provided, having narrow barrel groves which a gunsmith can channel cut to fit the refinished barrels.
*Note that the price of a stock includes the walnut stock only, and does not include the lower band, lower band swivel, lower band screw, butt swivel, butt swivel screws (2), , butt plate, or butt, plate screws(2) and these must be ordered separately. The old- style service straight-grip stock, and the Type C pistol-grip stock, use the “Plate, butt, assembly,” and the sporting type stocks, including the Style T, use the “Plate, butt, M1922(Sporting.”)
* I am sure that the above information is well known to the M1903 experts but hope that it will provide some insight into how the Ordnance Department supported NRA member back in the 1930’s.
* Incidentally it ws about this time that the “Sporter” was discontinued but the ordnance department indicated that they would maintain a supply of spare parts for five years. Later it was announced that these spare parts would only be sold to individuals who had previously purchased a “Sporter.”
