USMC 1903's "Hatcher Hole"

[SUB VET II]

Do all USMC 03's have the "Hatcher Hole"? Start date and end date.

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.

[John Beard]

Do all USMC 03's have the "Hatcher Hole"? Start date and end date.

No.

The Hatcher Hole was added when a rifle came through an ordnance shop for overhaul. Adding Hatcher Holes started about 1939. If a rifle was not overhauled during that period, then it received no Hatcher Hole.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

[Phil McGrath]

JB as usual I'm confused like thats hard to do, when rifles came in for overhaul the Hatcher hole was added if not present this started in 1939, am I correct so far?? if so I have a rifle that was rebarreled somewhere, and its Hatcher holeless, my SA reciever was made about 1921/22 and has a barrel date of 8/44 also SA.

[John Beard]

JB as usual I'm confused like thats hard to do, when rifles came in for overhaul the Hatcher hole was added if not present this started in 1939, am I correct so far?? if so I have a rifle that was rebarreled somewhere, and its Hatcher holeless, my SA reciever was made about 1921/22 and has a barrel date of 8/44 also SA.

The Navy and Marine Corps began adding Hatcher Holes to their overhauled rifles circa 1939. The Army didn't adopt that practice until sometime after WWII. Your S.A./8-44 barrel indicates that your rifle was overhauled by the Army (not Navy or USMC) and, therefore, should have no Hatcher Hole. And it correctly does not.

Hope this helps. Still confused?

J.B.

[Phil McGrath]

Thanks, I got it.