Won this auction, wasnt planning on winning since my bid was low, at 550 plus 21% auction premium, which I though would be a good deal for any 1903 with a bayonet...but I've never seen a 1903 in a case like this witch such acclaimed provenance. Is this legit or just a fantasy display?
Regardless, I'm happy to add another 1903 to my collection
Even if it's not, its awesome
I would submit your serial number to Springfield Research Service, see what they can find out. Years ago some company imported M1903 rifles
and stated they were from the WW2 Philippines. Having documentation would be nice to have with your rifle.
It may well be correct. My SRS shows serials up in 821XXX and 822XXX being issued to Nicaragua but without it showing the exact serial you can't be sure. Either way, as stated it's a great deal.
How's the bore and muzzle crown? Will you shoot it after headspace gauging ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldfoneguy
The seller says the bore is fair, rest of the rifle seems to have a light brown patina on it from humid environment, so should shoot ok. Can't be much worse than some of the RTI guns I got haha. I have gages so I'll check before I shoot.
I'll wait for it to come in then I'll be contacting SRS to see if I can get proof of its service.
Most of those old rifles are pretty well eroded. I'd be surprised if there was much more than pits forming a spiral. Jackets still might shoot OK though. Good luck with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by konigstigerii
Can't help but wonder, how many years has it been sitting in that case cocked?
All of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry Hawker
Its worth alot more than what you paid thats for sure. If the bore is rough you can always shoot cast bullets. They seam to shot great in bad bores with my experience. Very nice buy.
If your rifle was brought back into the U.S. in modern times, then it would have passed through an importer such as Century Arms or Blue Sky. And the importers were required to place their marking somewhere on the rifle so that it could be traced by the BATFE. If you encounter such a marking, then that should enable you to learn more about your rifle's history.
Good Luck!
J.B.
If the Springfield came from the Philippines, it would have been been from US forces. The Filipino forces were primarily armed with the M1917 rifles. A little short of 250,000 were captured by the Japanese who used them to arm their own forces. When the US recaptured the Philippines, US forces burned the M1917s which technically was propriety of the Philippine government. US Forces quickly rearmed the Philippines with the latest US arms, the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, BAR, etc. While an interesting M1903, you know the old adage, don't buy the story buy the gun.
IMO it's hard to establish any sort of real provenance on rifles shipped to the Philippines prior to WWII. I have a '03 that I can say that the stock was there, but as for the rest of the rifle, there is just no way to tell. My '03 is early 1906 vintage and has been rebarreled with a 1919 Avis barrel. It has a early high wood stock that has had both stock bolts added. The original cartouche is barely a ghost and it has a "BA-W" stamp from Benicia Arsenal. Over that is a POD-D cartouche from the Philippine Ordnance Depot, which was closed in 1942 as the Japanese closed in on Manila and was never reopened. As I see it that dates the stock to being there after 1-19 and prior to the invasion in 1941. I would like to believe that the entire rifle went there sometime after having been reworked at Benicia and them somehow came back.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...G_2682XL-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...G_5183XL-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...G_0989XL-1.jpg
Nevertheless, you got a good deal on that rifle for what you paid.
"US forces burned the M1917's"Quote:
Originally Posted by fjruple
Please cite your references on this! Interesting statement that I would like to learn more about.
Mike
Mike-- I will have to check which source that came from. I further understand the destruction really pi**ed off the Philippine Government as it was their property.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike D