My 1903 Mk1

Hello all, below are pics of a Mk1 I stumbled upon when I went to buy fishing supplies from an outdoor shop. From what I can tell, it has all of the correct features of a Mk1 all of which I have pictured below. The rifle S/N is 1036875 which puts it in 1918 as the year of manufacture. The barrel date looks to be 1919, however the markings are so light that it is nearly impossible to make out. Click on the pictures to make them bigger


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4_223856-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4_223924-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4_223957-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4_224034-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4_224223-1.jpg

Most Mark I M1903 rifles found today have been re-built to the point that only the receiver is Mk I. Your rifle seems to have the cut-off, trigger / sear, and bolt of an issue Mk I. Congratulations!!!!... I traded for mine, from a dealer, in 1963, it had all of the small special parts replaced with standard parts, but the Mark I parts were furnished by the dealer.

Thank you for confirming that for me. Not too bad considering how I thought I was just buying a run of the mill 1903. I didnt know anything about the Mk 1s until I took it home and started researching it, and found it to be almost all correct.

The initial round of pics look extremely promising: cut-off, spindle, sear, bolt lug markings, stock inletted at the port. A very early 1919 barrel might be good enough.

I like that one!

I think it is a 1919 barrel. As I said, the markings are extremely light. I actually cannot make out a 1 in front of the 9. But I figured if it was 1909, then there would be a 0...not just blank. The month was June though. That much I know.

Since you said you went shopping for fishing supply, the term "good catch" would definately apply! ;) Didn't they also had the Pedersen Device to go with it? :)

That is pretty clever, never though of that. While they didn't have a Peterson Device (wouldn't that be something to see), they had close to 50 or so other surplus rifles that were mostly U.S. According to what the shop was telling me, they were all from the same collection. A lady whose grandfather had recently passed away brought all of them into the store to be sold. I ended up with this one, and a Krag that is in beautiful shape from that lot. When I went over to the counter, the one pictured here was not even being displayed. They had 3 or so other 1903's sitting out that I was not too interested in. I asked the sales person if they had any in the back and to my surprise, they had two others, which this one happened to be one of. I saw that it was more correct than the others, and in better shape as well. It was not until I got it home and started doing research that I discovered what it actually was.

Which other rifles were in this collection? Anything special, like scoped? Always take a closer look at the guns, sometimes there are hidden treasures among them, like a National Match or NRA sales rifle.

I think there was an 03A4 with a scope, as well as an M1D, but there was no way I was going to afford either one. There were other guns from other countries as well...I think I saw a Remington Mosin Nagant. Whoever it was had quite the collection.

Would have liked to get the Remington M/N - been looking for one of those for a while.

What were the asking prices? Were they commonly priced, or on the lower end?

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Originally Posted by Promo

What were the asking prices? Were they commonly priced, or on the lower end?

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They seemed to be commonly priced...at least from what I can remember. It was a few months ago. I think after tax and all the nice little fees that go with buying a firearm, I payed around $1100 for the 1903 pictured above. Which, from what I have seen, is about right for a correct Mark 1.