5 digit RI03.
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5 digit RI03.
Greetings!
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../1903a11-1.jpg
I bought this at a gun shop in New Rochelle, New York in the Fall of 1972 for $125. I added the sight hood and the sling, but otherwise it is as it was when I bought it. I was just 18 years old, and had spent many happy Summer weekends at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome as "ground crew" for the WW1 aircraft collection they flew every Sunday. I collected a WW1 US soldier's uniform and kit, and as soon as I turned 18 my parents let me buy a rifle to go with it.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1903a1SN-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1903a1BD-1.jpg
I got advice from a gun dealer; he lent me his copy of Brophy, so I had an idea what to look for. Even so I ended up with a rifle that is not necessarily accurate for WW1 - the C stock being a major post WW1 improvement. It has the bent bolt, checkered butt plate, and serrated trigger of a 1903A1, and my 18 year old self assumed that with a 10-18 barrel date that it came off the line too late for WW1, and was assembled sometime in the 1920's as an 03A1.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...a1action-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1trigger-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...uttplate-1.jpg
I don't know enough about gun finishes to tell if it has been re-worked; as far as I can see the wear on all the metal parts is very light, the bore is shiny bright with crisp rifling. The only mark I can see on the stock is the S in the cutout for the safety.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...tionopen-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...03a1bolt-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../1903a1S-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../08/Bore-1.jpg
After seeing this thread I have been trying to determine what is a "true" M1903A1. This one has a lower SN than the 1.2 to 1.5 million range that usually qualifies. It has no provenance from before I bought it; no DCM paperwork or anything like that. I do not know how to tell if it is a re-stock, re-build, or whatever. If anyone has any advice, I 'd appreciate it!
Cheers!
Radford
Beautiful rifle, Radford. However, the Type C stock is a replacement. The rifle would have had a grasping groove stock as manufactured. It would be impossible to say if it was restocked during an overhaul or a previous civilian owner did it. Note the later buttplate, too.
Keep in mind the U.S. Army definition of a M1903A1 is any M1903 with a Type C (or Scant) stock. The typical collector definition is a rifle in the 1.3M to 1.5M range.
I just love those type C stocks. They seem to hold and shoot so much better than the early ones. I especially like the looks of a nice clean one like that one. Too bad about the swap over but that's how it is.
Rock Island #294xxx, 7-18 RIA barrel. A CMP rifle I found at a local gun store. Replaced the scrappy scant stock with a Mark I stock I found at a gunshow, added a straight handle bolt
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_0304-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_0303-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_0339-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_0338-1.jpg
Here is my SA with 11/18 barrel. It has a stock that had a cutout for a Lyman receiver sight, but I filled the cutout and you can barely see it. Great shooter.
daveboy
My 1903 doing a good job as a target rifle in the west of melbourne :dancingbanana:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9TcbERgyt4
:super:
And a club mates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpSX2...eature=related
:yikes:
I picked up this M1903A1 NM on Gunbroker...thanks for the help, Milsurps....last year. After checking with some folks on this forum, I contacted SRS and a document for the serial number was verified. All the markings, features, etc, jived with my reference books plus the SRS document indicated an original rifle.
Very Nice!