I have a question to the M1903 NRA Sporters: should they bear any inspectors cartouches on the stock, or were they delivered without any markings?
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I have a question to the M1903 NRA Sporters: should they bear any inspectors cartouches on the stock, or were they delivered without any markings?
Only a circle P proof on the grip. The cartouche normally found on the left hand side of military rifles is an Ordnance acceptance mark. The Sporters were sold commercially.
i have seen a couple with SA GAW, they were state owned hunting club rifles..but they would be rare.
Curious to know where they came from. As you probably know SA/GAW was 1943-44.
didnt get the whole story on them, they were in a large collection i was looking at buying a few years ago.
the widow told me he got them back east, {Wis.} when they lived there, rifles were pretty rough, and the, one had a recoil pad added, as well as a redfield scope as well.
i made an offer on the lot of 200 or so guns, and never heard back from the widow, so she likely sold them or still has them, lots of nice militaria, but lots of clunkers,..he was a fleamarket scrounger most of his life, so it was a mix of good and ugly. both were marked SA only one was marked GAW..
im guessing, but likely the rifles had been rebuilt or checked by SA during that time...wasnt uncommon for hunting clubs to have U.S. issue weapons for rental, loaner and member hunting use back in that time frame..i wish i could tell you more..but the history was a little cloudy..
on a side note, she did have in the collection a Japanese copy of the Garand rifle that looked pretty rough, and a nice Capture paper SKS with a pullet hole in the stock.. i havnt seen any of the weapons available local, so if she sold them, they went out of state..a buddy of mine did get all the vintage paddle locks she had..some 2000 or so. and he got them for a deal...less then 300.00..if i had more cash right now, id follow up, and see if she is still kicking.
Rick, do you have a picture of the P on the NRA Sporter? I was just wondering what style of P they have used.
The only NRA Sporter I have has been modified by Griffen & Howe - perhaps Johnny can post a picture. They were the conventional circled block P, that I know.
Circle/P in NRA Sporter grip.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../332oz80-1.jpg