please help id my 1903, not sure what i have?

looking for info on a nice 1903 i picked up at a local show today, any info would be great.

im going to call this a 1903 match target rifle but any info would be great i will try and post some pics once my camera battery recharges.

receiver is marked us springfield armory model 1903

serial number is 1250xxx

barrel is marked mashburn arms co. 30-06

barrel is very heavy bull barrel with a straight taper

receiver has a target block on the front where the markings are and the barrel has a target block mid barrel and at the muzzle

bolt has no markings that i can find but is very smooth and the action is like butter

the receiver has a lymann rear sight with a picture of a deer running into a circle?

the front sight is hooded with a circle insert and is marked lymann

the stock is walnut but is what i wold call target style with a decent grip and a very wide forend and has an adjustable sling swivel rail under the forend but there is no markings anywhere on the stock or under the barreled action.

the trigger is adjustable and marked mashburn arms co and is very light.

the only other marking i can find on the receiver is on the bottom behind the recoil lug is the letter E

if anyone can help id what this rifle is please help my curiosity is driving me nuts.
thanks guys

Welcome to the site, springfield03?

If you will post some detailed photos the guys here can give you a quick assessment of what you really have. There many top experts here.

Regards,
~ Harlan

here are some pics

anyone

They'll be along. But, it looks like it's a 1903...that's been fully sporterized for match. Completely done in and apparently the first drill and tap in the barrel ring didn't go so well. Probably shoots great though.

Hard to tell without pic's but you've described a sporterized 1903 and a nice one at that. After war2 this was a very common procedure and you could cut down the original equipment or spend some money on after market components. Yours sounds like the later.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by madcratebuilder

Hard to tell without pic's

---

Can you not see his pics?

i believe the serial numbers might be that of a factory match rifle and maybe the capped base holes were original? not sure why they would have been filled , does anyone know of a way i can trace the serial number to find out what type of 1903 this originally was. also was this an original military rifle later converted to use in military matches or was this a civilian model 1903?

If you look at it, you'll see that at least one set of those holes is off line(aka crooked). The filler may just be screws cut and filed off.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by springfield03?

does anyone know of a way i can trace the serial number to find out what type of 1903 this originally was. also was this an original military rifle later converted to use in military matches or was this a civilian model 1903?

---

I checked the serial number, the receiver was made in 1922 for a standard military M1903.

is there a database online? or where were you able to find this info? good find thanks

not on my list.
1903A1 that was modified for target use,
bolt looks to be a SHT, that was bent back, more info would help on the bolt

what does sht bolt mean?

---------- Post added at 08:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 PM ----------

was this a military rifle? there are no other makings anywhere on the rifle?

SHT=Single Heat Treat

Once apon a time it was a Military issued rifle, some prior owner has turned it into a Match rifle. Common back in the day, enjoy it for what it is.

anyone have any info on the mashburn arms co. marked on the barrel and trigger.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by springfield03?

where were you able to find this info?

---

Page 371, Table A1 - Model 1903 Receiver Serial Numbers in a book called: THE MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE and its variations by Joe Poyer, edited by Ed Furler Jr., 2nd Edition Revised, North Cape Publications.

If you are looking for an online source of information, try this website: U.S. Rifle Modle of 1903

No mention on SRS.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by springfield03?

anyone have any info on the mashburn arms co. marked on the barrel and trigger.

---

Google & Patience

Mashburn Arms Co, 1220 N Blackwelder St, Oklahoma City, OK (1951) 112 W, Sherman, Oklahoma City, OK (1963) 1020 N.W. 6th St Oklahoma City OK 73102 (1976)

unable to find any other records. The late Warren Page (Field & Stream) used Mashburn Arms rifles and wildcats

well its going to the range this weekend and im hoping it shoots fairly well. the bore is bright and clean and the rifling looks as new , i purchased some match 30-06 from creedmoor sports. from the looks of this rifle it should shoot pretty damn well i hope. i will post some results this weekend in case anyone is interested. thanks for all the help and info gents.

Of course we're interested. We'll be watching.

did not get a chance to shoot it last weekend but i will this sat. this rifle is def a strange one. i noticed while doing its first good cleaning that there is a number stamped under the lug on the rear of the bolt marked with a j and a 5. from what i can find this is a national match bolt but one person here said my serial number was not that of a match rifle. can someone check my serial number again , not saying the guy was wrong but it just seems odd for the number to be in that range and have a nation match bolt and not be.

The J5 bolt is not a "National Match" bolt. The bolt was used on production M1903s in 1918 and early 1919. It may have been used on some NM 1903s, but was not manufactured "as such" as a NM bolt.

J5 just tells you that the bolt is double heat treated and was made by Springfield.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by springfield03?

Anyone have any info on the Mashburn arms co. marked on the barrel and trigger.

---

Here's a bit of an answer to a very stale question. It comes from an old post in the M14 forum. HTH...

Mashburn Arms, was located in Oklahoma city. They are long since gone. They created custom rifles and custom chambering for many years. They developed proprietary wildcats such as the 7mm Mashburn Super Magnum, the 300 Mashburn Super Magnum, the 350 Mashburn Magnum and several others. Art Mashburn turned out well-made and well-finished custom rifles. After Art sold the business to others, the shop operated under the same name but was only a shell of its former self.

kinda like a 50's and 60's GA precision i guess you could say.