Identification help for a newbie

[Vibroman]

Great forum, I am very new to this type of collecting and would like some help with identification of the following rifles. At this point I only wrote down the stampings on the receiver and the serial numbers. I believe they are all 03-A3 rifles but I would like to confirm exactly what they are.

1st. Stamped Winchester "Model of 1917" serial # 521###
2nd. Stamped U.S. Smith Corona Model 03-A3 serial # 4814###
3rd. Stamped U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1888 423### This also has a small stamp on the stock showing some initials and 1903

If the complete serial numbers are needed for identification please let me know.

Thank you for your help, I have many more questions but with the information above I can begin to do the research.

Happy New Year to all

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

Pics would be invaluable. The first appears to be a M1917 rifle which even looks different from the 1903. The second is a later model(WW2) of the 1903. The last may be a Trapdoor Springfield in cal 45.70. That's a whole different animal. We sort of need pics here.

[Vibroman]

Great forum, I am very new to this type of collecting and would like some help with identification of the following rifles. At this point I only wrote down the stampings on the receiver and the serial numbers. I believe they are all 03-A3 rifles but I would like to confirm exactly what they are.

1st. Stamped Winchester "Model of 1917" serial # 521###
2nd. Stamped U.S. Smith Corona Model 03-A3 serial # 4814###
3rd. Stamped U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1888 423### This also has a small stamp on the stock showing some initials and 1903

If the complete serial numbers are needed for identification please let me know.

Thank you for your help, I have many more questions but with the information above I can begin to do the research.

Happy New Year to all

[Vibroman]

Thank you for the reply, I will take some pictures and get them posted. I am sorry for my lack of knowledge, I looked at them fairly quick and wrote down the info. What picture angles would be the most helpful?

[Allen Humphrey]

Welcome,
There are some other folks here that can answer in much more detail, but I'll start.

1. Not a Model of 1903 at all. It is a Model of 1917....sometimes called the American Enfield, or P-17. Short story as follows: US companies were making rifles for the British for WW1 called their Pattern 14 or P-17 chambered in .303. Suddenly the US became involved and needed more rifles. Shortest solution to the problem was to use the British design and re-chamber it for 30-06. The resulting rifle was called the Model of 1917. They were made by Remington, Eddystone, and Winchester. Winchesters seem to be preferred by collectors.

2. WW11 production requirements for rifles caused other companies (besides the Springfield Armory) to take up production of the 1903 rifles. These included Remington and Smith-Corona. The A3 version of the Model of 1903 has a different rear sight arrangement and the design was optimized for quicker production.

3. Don't know. Mayby a Krag that was inspected in 1903.

[NRA]

Thank you for the reply, I will take some pictures and get them posted. I am sorry for my lack of knowledge, I looked at them fairly quick and wrote down the info. What picture angles would be the most helpful?

any and all

[Rick the Librarian]

One of the rifle(s) overall, another showing the areas on both sides from the cocking piece to the area just forward of the receiver. If you can take pictures close enough to show markings, that would help, as well.