Springfield Sporter

This is the first time I have seen this site and I hope that the following will be of some interest.
I own a 1922 Springfield cal.22 Sporter ser 570 -dated 6-22 with the NRA stock and "browned" with Lyman sights and Scope blocks.
This rifle is also checkered and based on my discussions with the current Curator , He informed me that the Armory did not checker the stock ,but routinely sent them to Gun Smiths such as Griffin & Howe.
I also own an almost exact copy in .30 cal. made in 1929.
The 30.cal Sporters NRA stock seem to be more available.
Apparently most Armory Sporters had more work done on them than just checkering such as check pieces, replacing the stock, butt plate.

I look forward to any information or comments concerning these Rifles.

We'd love to see this one and yours too if you could manage pics. That will give far more fuel to the collectors here although the description will be a good start.

I would say that the vast majority of the roughly 5,000 NRA Sporters came in the unmodified configuration, e.g. uncheckered NRA stock. It common to find the NRA sporters with varying quality checkering done as aftermarket work by gunsmiths. Some were fancied up for presentation to winners of the National Matches. In general, collectors prefer he NRA Sporters in the original, as sold, configuration but I have some in my collection with nicely checkered stocks that I am proud to own. The 1922, aka NRA stocks for he 1922 series rifles are much more common the original 1903 NRA Sporter stocks. Many 1903 rifles will be seen in NRA stocks that were made for the .22 Springfield rifles. They are easy to recognize as they lack the two reinforcing crossbolts in the stocks for the .30 cal rifles.. Your rifles are of much interest to me as I collect the 1922 series and NRA Sporters. I would appreciate seeing photos of them.

I just joined .
I simply dont know how to attached photo
Rudy
Note I also have a Springfield HofferThompson cal 22
Really cool.

OK
I think this old dog found the bone
I trust the attachments will be available for review
Rudy

Nice old rifles. I love to look at the older Springfields, they look like artwork.

I lost the message from Hersall concerning information I trust he can re send
Thanks

Here is some information on the M1903 NRA Sporting Type as excerpted from the American Rifleman for January 1930
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Many pundents of the day (Townsend Whelen and Ed Crossman) suggested that the rifle be sent to one of the custom builders ( such as Stoger, G& H or Sedgley) to have it reworked into a more suitable hunting rifle. Below is an ad from Stoger from the April 1929 issue of the American Rifleman. As an alternative, one could purchase through the DCM the required parts to assemble a NRA Sporter barreled action for ~ $28 and have it shipped for a complete remake. The Lyman 48 would cost an additional $10. (Probably not the best bargain for the entire assembled rifle cost ~$40) Scope sights had not gained general usage at that time. I do not know how they would be listed in the SRS data. It should be apparent that some Sporters were never assembled at the armory. I do not know how these would fit into the collector field. There were a number of smaller independent gunsmiths that would undertake the same task, Bob Owns ,etx.
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
FWIW

Here is my M2, plus Sedgley, plus probable G & H, plus G&H, plus 3 NRA sporters. Newest acquisition on the bottom. Notice "Speed Lock" and reversed safety on third from bottom.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...lQ3hjpg2-1.jpg

Nice rack full...

Wonderful collection
Are any of them cal.22
Rudy

As shown in my original post, the NRA Sporter was sold with the standard cocking piece and the standard safety. The headless cocking piece and reversed safety could be ordered through the DCM for ~$6.00,as long as the supply lasted. The 1930 NM M1903 eliminated the headless cocking piece but the rifle could be ordered with the headless cocking piece as long as the supply lasted. ( I do not know if this option was offered on the Sporter). In 1936 the headless cocking piece was banned from "service rifle" competitions. There must have been a lot left in supply because I saw them advertised through surplus dealer in the 1950"s .
I have RM from the 1930 showing the results of the California State Matches and it is apparent that Sporters and Lyman 48 equipped NM M1903's were in use. These were NRA matches, not service rifle competition.
Great collection!
FWIW

The M2 rifle in the photo would be a 22 LR cal.

It may be of some interest to note that the Armory stopped producing Sporters in 1930 due to complaints from the private sector. The complaint was that the government should not be in competition with the private sector.
I wonder if the private sector then turned around and purchased parts from the Armory after they filed the complaint.

Very nice rifles. I had to go check my 1922 it is serial number 573 close but not consecutive.

That a fun detail to know
I wonder who has 572
I saw one post that appeared to be 571

Springfield Sporter Rifles
In 1924, citing the lack of proper bolt action sporting rifles, the Ordnance Department started assembling and selling the NRA Sporting Style rifle. Sale continued in to the early 1930's ( Brophy indicates 1933, Campbell indicates 1932) when it was deemed unfair for the government to be in competition with industry. The Winchester 54, The Remington 30S and the Savage 1920 were now available. Brophy indicates that spare parts for the Sporter were available through 1940 ; while Campbell indicates that spare parts were only available to original buyers after 1934
Several commercial activities offered 'Springfield' Sporting Rifles for sale.
R.F. Sedgley offered rifles built on M1903 actins for many years It is well known that most Sedgley Sporters were built on SHT M1903 actions which had been re-heat treated. Roy Dunlap who knew Sedgley's work, indicated that this only annealed the action and made them soft. He further indicated that under continued use the Sedgley sporters developed increasing headspace. He also indicated that Sedgley removed the original stamping including the serial number (This was before the National Firearms Act of 1934) so that they would not be recognized as SHT actions. Removal of the identification was standard among some custom rifle builders - see the Bob Owens built rifles in Crossman's Book of the Springfield" I do not know where Sedgley procured his SHT actions. Several other arms dealers ( Bannerman and several other smaller dealers) advertised "Springfields" for sale at ~ $15.00 each. I would tend to believe that these were SHT rifles that had been declared obsolete and sold for scrap. See the following ad extracted from the October 1932 American Rifleman magazine below.
Imgur: The magic of the Internet

F.C. Ness and Townsend Whelen often referred people to Sedgley for the re-heat treatment process when answering questions in the Dope Bag section of the American Rifleman. The Armory would not install new barrels on the SHT receivers but would replace them with new receivers.


Griffin and Howe offered custom rifles built on NEW Springfield actions. Some were offer with new actions an star gauged barrels. In common with Stoger, they offered to rebuild Armory Sporters to their specifications. G&H also offered to build these rifles on Mauser actions. Later on they offered to rebuild Winchester Model 54's to the owners or G&H specs. Rifles with NEW "Springfield" actions and star gauged barrels were offered as late as 1935. Again I do not know where these actions were obtained. The NRA Sporter had long since been discontinued.
Imgur: The magic of the Internet


From October 1932 American Rifleman.
Note that the as says "Genuine new U.S. Governing Springfield Receiver... "

Imgur: The magic of the Internet


From July 1934 American Rifleman magazine.
Note that ad states "Action and barrel genuine improved NEW government Springfield issue.
G&H offered thee rifles upt through August 1935
Again I do not know where G&H obtained these. I was never aware that the Springfield Armory ever sold directly to custom gunsmiths. I now that t one time an NRA member could purchase a M1903 and have I sent to one of the custom gun makers. These were listed as "off the shelf" ready for sale rifles. G&H would also re-build owner's personnel rifles. STOGER never offered the sale of off the shelf rifles-only to rebuild owners Springfield rifles
FWIW

I am impressed by the detailed information that you have provided. I also am thankful for the amount of time and effort it must have taken to share these important facts.
Can you provide the meaning of SHT such as [ type of steel] ?
I am also lost in the world of heat treating.
Did gunsmiths that went to R.F.Sedgley only want to anneal the SHT actions so they could machine them for customers requesting custom work. And then decided not to re-harden.
I cant get a grip on the why NEW Springfield Actions needed heat treating
It is apparent that a consolidation of this information is needed, but that undertaking would be a monumental project.
Thank You
Rudy

SHT =Single Heat Treatment (Low Number)
G&H did not re-heat treat, they evidently used either DHT or Nickel Steel actions.
Re Heating was designed to correct the defects of the SHT process and make the actions mored like the later DHT actions.
Armory would not install new barrels on SHT actions, so the alternative was to buy the barrel through the DCM and have Sedgley install it after re heatreaing the action.
I do not intend to enter the SHT discussion. That dead horse has been beat long enough.
FWIW

Thank you for the clarification and the upgraded steel
And I agree,The heat treat is a dead horse