Printable View
What ever happened with Rock Island Arsenal. I read an article in the American Rifleman magazine about the International Harvester Garands and it was noted that a main reason the contract was awarded to them was to spread out the production of rifles from the east coast. Rock Island is certainly in the mid-west.
I know they quit producing 03's in the early 1920's but it was an extensive facility: Was it dismantled by the 1950's?
The Rock Island Arsenal 1903 making machinery and tooling were acquired by Remington for their production of the 1903 rifle.
I have a WW2 dated 1903A3 with the stock marked R.I.A., WW2 style of stock. I assumed that the stock was made in the Rock Island Arsenal factory or did Remington still mark the stocks R.I.A. even when they were produced elsewhere in another Remington factory? I don't think that the receiver has this mark but has another marking; I will have to check on the rifle as I haven't looked recently.
Attachment 68062Attachment 68063
It is my understanding that the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island Illinois is still in operation by the US Army, please feel free to correct me
Photos show a few early four digit rifles manufactured by Rock Island
I was aware that the 1903 rifle manufacturing equipment was transferred to Remington in the 1940's.
I guess my question becomes: If Rock Island is/was a going concern (or had that potential) in the late 1950's, why was it not tasked with the manufacture of Garands rather than awarding a contract to a farm equipment manufacturer?
Rock Island makes artillery pieces and has an impressive museum on post. I think they wanted commercial production of the rifles. It would have been too easy to have RIA go into production, but that was not done. Springfield did stay in production and helped International Harvester with their numerous production problems.
More than likely it was a post-war rebuild inspection stamp. Did the mark also include the initials "FK" or "EB". I believe Reminton manufactured some A3 stocks themselves and obtained most of the other from subcontractors like Keystone, American Bowlng Pin and Milton Bradley.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
In 1913 rifle Production was shutdown at Rock Island. However great care was used in storing the machinery and tooling even to the point of wiring cutters and tools to the relevant machines and preserving samples of each piece as it looked before a operation was performed and also immediately thereafter. WW1 Production was resumed at RIA but a major problem was rehiring the skilled machinists and tool makers.
Springfield Armoury, Rock Island and Remington were all relatively old-fashioned plants that derived there motive power from overhead shafts powering tools with leather belting. By WW2 more modern machines had to be acquired for M! production and to produce A3's at LC Smith Corona Typewriter.
Post war RIA rebuild, stamp should be on the left side of the butt.
RIA/FK is a WWII rebuild or inspection stamp - Frank Krack (FK) was the chief of small arms inspection.
From 1946-58, Elmer Bjerke held a similar position and inspected rifles were marked RIA/EB.
I have been to the Rock Island arsenal and it is still running. It's on a island on the mississipi river. Great museum.
After reading the article in American Rifleman it was stated that IH got the contract to produce the Garand so as to spread small arms production to private industry. Also another objective was to decentralize small arms production away from the northeast and gun valley. This was tried because of the fear that a few Russian nuclear bombs would cripple small arms production in America.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have now had a look at my 03 and can confirm that the only markings on the stock are R.I.A. on the right side of the stock near the end of the bolt handle and 2 letter "P"s on the pistol grip. The rest of the rifle is fully Remington marked with the barrel dated 7-43 just behind the foresight. On the underside of the barrel below the foresight is an "F" stamp. The receiver, above the breech, is marked U.S., Remington, model 03-A3, 3798050. There is also a "8" within a circle near the end of the bolt. The rifle is in almost mint condition looking as if it has never been issued but is a U.K. deactivated weapon. The dealer who I purchased it from told me that when he imported them they had been "de-milled" in the states for use as drill rifles but then he had to do some further work to them in order to bring them up to U.K. spec de-activation.
Rock Island Arsenal is still in operation. Here is a link to the .mil website:
USAG-RIA Home Page
There is a lot of manufacturing and overhaul capability there.
Interesting features include: Confederate POW cemetery, excellent small arms museum, the second largest residence in the US govt inventory, that being Quarters One. Largest residence is the White House.
Regarding Quarters One, it was built by Gen. Rodman. Seems he built himself a commanders quarters at Letterkinney. Congress thought it was too expensive and banished him to the western frontier. There he proceeded to build himself a larger house, Quarters One.
There are imported Italian marble fireplaces in each room on the 1st and 2nd floors. The brass and bronze decorative pieces such as door knobs, hinges, fireplace andirons...etc were cast at the arsenal using melted down cannon barrels and other GI hardware.
Rodman developed a water cooled casting process which increased the strength of the casting and reduced the risk of barrels bursting. Rodmans were enormous coastal defense guns. The largest had a 20 inch bore, range was 8.000 yards and the barrel weighed 115,000 lb.
Rodman gun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
If you are in the area, the place is well worth a visit.
RIA was home to my brothers last command. I was fortunate to be a guest at Quarters One a few times.