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Local estate gun auction next weekend is listing an '03 with a receiver sights in a case with SN 1,407,279 which falls in Brophy's range of NRA sales rifles.
Looking to obtain an SRS check to see if it actually was an NRA sale rifle.
Auction house is limiting viewing to morning of sale and no pictures or other details.
Any comments or information on this '03 would be appreciated to see if it worth the time to go play the bidding war.
Thanks & regards,
Leggett '71
I have nothing there as it's the end of my numbers...except for 1,408,xxx is a model SPT(sport?) and issued to a name not a unit so I wonder if this is exactly as you suggest. Others will be here shortly...wait...
Way to high to be an NRA sales rifle as that program ended before WWI. Are you trying to figure out if it's a NM?
NRA sporter on my list
Thanks for your replies and verification it is a NRA sporter Chuck.
Will post pics if I am the lucky bidder. Without pics have no idea of condition but individual had a nice collection so I am hoping this rifle will be in top condition.
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to look up the SN and reply.
Leggett
Chuck & all,
Success at the auction this afternoon gleaned the 03 sporter and will post some photos in the next couple of days.
Without disassembling noted the following
Barrel is star gauged marked
Bolt is NS & sn etched to receiver
Bolt is polished
ME gauges @ a 0
Head space is good
2 sets of P proof stamps on grip
2 sets of numbers stamped in front of rear sling swivel - hard to read but first number starts off with same digits as sn
Looking forward to your comments when I get the pics up.
Regards
Leggett
1903 NRA Sporter by Leggett71 | Photobucket
Attached link to photos of the 03 Sporter for your comments.
From what I can glean the stock is possibly not correct, but remainder of rifle looks OK.
Regards,
Leggett
Stock appears to be a cut down A1NM stock, at least to me.
I agree with Promo ...a cut down M1903 NM stock.
Rick & Promo.
Thanks for the observation / comments.
It was interesting to me that the numbers on the stock & the "P" inspection stamps almost look printed on or filled in not like stamp marks seen on other stocks.
Any comments as to why the light numbers?
The stock has some age on it, so it has been on the rifle for a few years, it is definitely not original as the barrel shows front band marks below the current one.
Thanks again,
Leggett
If the numbers had been on the stock for a very long time, they'd possibly fill with dirt and grease. When the stock is sanded carefully, either the stock is already "painted" by the grease, or it still remains inside the now very flat depressed wood, being now completely flat in this area. And your stock clearly shows how this looks afterwards.
When you replace your stock with a correct stock, you might repair the currently mounted stock by cutting it below the rear band and professionally adding a new foreend. Someone with a stockless NM rifle would definately appreciate this.
As others have said, the stock is a cut down 1903 stock. I can't say whether it was a 1903NM C stock as that is not my area of expertise. The bolt number on the top of the bolt is not correct. The correct placement of the serial number on the bolt of #1407279, a listed NRA Sporter, would be on the bottom of the bolt. With the bolt out of the rifle the extractor would have to be rotated 90 degrees to see it. The sight is a Lyman 48C. It is not correct for an NRA Sporter. The NRA Sporter sight would have the windage scale scale on rear of the windage/elevation slide. The threaded aperture hole on the Sporter would have a small hinged aperture on the front that could be turned down for aiming through the large threaded hole. The barrel band appears to be for an NRA Sporter as it is contoured to fit the barrel, whereas the NM barrel band would be contoured to go around he stock and handguard. NRA Sporters could be ordered with holes drilled and tapped for scope blocks. Most with scope block holes are aftermarket gunsmith work. I have no opinion as to whether the scope block holes were done at SA. I suspect the original stock was damaged and the more readily available 1903 C stock was used as a replacement.
Thanks for your comments Herschel, This is when you wish the rifle could talk and tell you its history.
I do appreciate everyone's responses. Wherever it has been through this is my first & only star gauged barreled '03 so it will hold a special place in my collection.
Thanks again,
Leggett
The stock is a NM stock, since it both features the Drawing Number, aswell as a rifle serial number. This is a feature of NM stocks, plus the SA over SPG stock cartouche.
I would look at the barrel in detail - it could possibly also be that someone "killed" a NM rifle, removed the rear sight collar and installed it in this NRA sporter. Isn't the NRA barrel much thicker towards the receiver than the normal M1903 barrel without the rear sight base?
From Chuck & another member it was confirmed to be on the sporter list sold in the early 30's. Have a sales letter requested from SRS.
Did the NRA convert any NM rifles to sporters as you suggested?
If so that might account for Herschel's observations on the non-sporter sight & bolt.
Will put a caliper to the barrel when I get home to see if it might be a stripped NM barrel.
Leggett
If it was a stripped NM barrel, you could see where the longitudinal rear sight base pin was.
Received SRS yesterday
Rifle was sold as a Sporting NRA type on 6/4/1934 to N. Schmitt in Buffalo NY.
From the forum replies appears in its 80+ years of life a NM stock was altered for it & a better grade lyman 48C sight. Possibly a new bolt fit at some point as sn now resides on top vs bottom of the bolt and from the scope mount holes + wear marks a target scope used to reside on the rifle.
Thanks to all for your comments & PM responses to help me gather a bit of the rifles history.
Plan to keep the info with it and leave it as found, hopefully get a few rounds down range to see how it groups when the heat index drops below 100+.
Again Thanks for each and every reply.
Leggett71
The most important part is to research the original buyer, the rifle itself is the ancillary portion of the story.