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Hello all. I just placed a Rock Island 1903 on layaway at a local shop and was wondering if the barrel could possibly be original. The serial number is 287,xxx and the barrel is SA 6-26. Could this be a rifle completed by Springfield Armory?
Thanks in advance,
B
The barrel is almost certainly a replacement. Rock Island M1903s above @ 375,000 were often shipped to Springfield as "spare parts" and completed with Springfield parts. Your rifle was completed in early 1918 with an RIA 1918 barrel.
From Ferris -
May 11, 1918 - Receiver serialization at R.I.A. resumes at # 285507 ("high-numbers" begin)
June 30, 1918 - R.I.A. serial # 300251 is struck.
Your serial # is close to the middle, perhaps early June? Of course, this is a receiver production date, not a rifle assembly date.
Checking out some serial #/barrel dates on http://www.vishooter.net/m1903.html, there are earlier serial #'s than yours with later 1918 dated barrels. Your rifles assembly date could be very late 1918.
My Rock Island #294730 has a 7-18 RIA barrel
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=23616
I also have a Rock Island #288105 with a 1-18 RIA barrel
From what I understand, production halted at Rock Island for some three months and parts tended to "stack up". As a result, it is very difficult to get a precise receiver/barrel date of manufacture table. In any case, I am positive that Beavis' RIA has a replacement barrel.
Thank you all for your input. LeagleEagle, very nice 03. I will post pics once I pick up my 03. Rick, I look forward to picking your brain in the future.
Any time ... I'm also looking for a 1917 or later RIA to mount in a RIA/Philippine Ordnance Depot stock.
Care to elaborate on that? What is and makes it a RIA/Philippine Ordnance Depot stock?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick the Librarian
Jarrod
The stock has a POD stamp which identifies it as having been mounted on a rifle which went through inspection or overhaul at the Philippine Ordnance Depot, located at Fort Santiago, in Manila. The stock also has a "RI" stamp on the forward tip, which means it was mounted on a rifle made from 1917-1919 at Rock Island Arsenal.
I don't have any pictures of the stock, at the present time, or else I'd post them.