Springfield Research Service

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I e-mailed SRS on 11 January with a request for a serial number search for this 1939 M1903A1 NM rifle. I have yet to receive a response. The rifle showed up as a NM on the computerized SRS list and I would like to purchase a sales letter from SRS. I have e-mailed the SRS editor on three subsequent occasions and still not received a response. Last year I purchased a subscription to THE MARTIAL ARMS COLLECTOR so that I could buy sales letters on several of my '03s I know will letter. I can't figure out what is going on with SRS. After Frank Mallory died and SRS was sold the new buyer(s) eliminated the computerized list because the SRS sales information was printed and used without compensation. The price for a sales letters went way up. Fair enough. But now the computerized SRS site is gone AND SRS is non-responsive to serial number inquiries. I know some folks had success getting sales letters. I am willing to pay the going rate and wait a reasonable period for a response but I am really frustrated by a two-month plus wait for ANY response. What makes it worse is the fact that I know the rifle is in the SRS data base. Has anyone received a response to an SRS serial number request since January 1, 2009? If you have, could you give me the magic formula I need to follow to get SRS to return my e-mail? It is sad that the service Frank Mallory worked so hard to put together has degenerated.

I renewed my subscription last year and never heard from them again.I also would like to know if they still exist.

Tom that is one fine Match rifle. I'm looking for just the same type late NM. The metal tag is that an old museum tag?. The last time I sent for a SRS letter was about a year ago. Sent an e-mail about 5 weeks back on a 03 NRA Sporter and got a e-mail back the next day. Don't know what the hold up is put your right it is not like the old days.

I'd like to get a letter for my 1931 NM but I've held off, because of the problems you mentioned, Tom.

That is a real late rifle; the tag is a collection tag. I never figured out why someone would want to hammer a brass tag into the stock of a virtually new rifle. I removed the tag; all it left were two small holes. The rifle is in nearly new condition. As I recall te sales date was early 1940.

I think the whole thing is sad - what was the point in removing the on-line site which got a tremendous amount of use if the SRS owner will not respond to requests to purchase letters? I don't think an out-of-office response to indicate the e-mail was received would be too much.

Tom not sure if you saw this but if not go to the Srs thread by wayne10 he posted after your post, he states they never received an email from you. Ray

Here's their quote,
The web site has answered all inquiries from our subscribers and also non subscribers. No emails have been received from Tom Jackson.

Tom,

I have no idea what is going on in this situation, but I offer this for consideration. SRS has always responded to my emails, and there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that you sent emails to SRS. I suggest that maybe their firewall is rejecting your emails for some unknown reason. I mention this as I have a similar problem with some servers. Some servers reject my emails due to my own local (rural) server's reputation for spam. Emri and I have experienced this problem for months and it is ongoing. I do not always receive a notice of rejection - my email just goes into the ether and Emri doesn't know if I am ignoring him or if his email got through. As it developed, Emri's emails get through and mine do not.

It may behoove you both (you and Mr. Wayne Gagner) to correspond by phone or letter. Email is not infallible, and in this case may be creating problems where none should exist. SRS has provided me with everything I have requested, with a disclaimer for the delay involved for research. Someone has to go to the archives to retrieve the data, and I understand that the archives have altered their filing system (probably updated), which coupled with their backlog, does involve some time to complete the task at hand.

It is just a suggestion, as I hate to see two individuals, both above reproach, get crossways with each other over something that is not of the fault of either individual.

Jim Tarleton

I have ordered several sales letters from SRS and have gotten responses in a reasonable time on each one. These did not require research at the national archilves. I am pleased with the experience with SRS.

When I logged in tonight I saw the response from Wayne10 that stated SRS had not received any e-mail requests for serial numbers from me. I sent a new request to SRS tonight using the SRS web-page and I also e-mailed Wayne10 directly. I am not certain what the problem is but, as of tonight, I have sent five e-mail requests for serial numbers to SRS between mid-January and tonight and not received ANY response. Apparently some forum members do have better results with SRS. I can only state that, for reasons unknown to me, SRS has not responded my requests for sales records. I hope that this is merely a technical qlitch that can be straightened out.