Rock Island Flea Market gun

[sakorick]

I picked up a hacked Rock Island 03 SN 6157 at the local flea market. The kid said it had been his granddad's and needed to get $100 dollars for it. I had 5 twenties a the deal was done. The good news: Not much, the front sight, rear sight, bolt body and parts, cutoff and cubby door are all marked R. The bad news: It needs a new stock, handguard, front band and swivel, triggerguard marked S, and the buttplate has 2 holes drilled through the metal for the pad and the barrel is a SA Oct, '32.

The question is where do I find a GG stock, handguard and hardware? Since it's a mixmaster anyway, I suppose the manufacturers really don't matter much. Is it worth restoration? The bore is VG and muzzle measures zero. Suggestions welcome. Regards, Rick.

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[bulldog_mack13]

Holy Crap look at that serial number! Thats just amazing what you can find, that means there is still hope out there!

[Patrick Chadwick]

Holy Crap look at that serial number!

Yep, they don't stamp 5s like that any more! Should be well worth restoring - but test shoot it first! Good luck with finding the missing bits!

Patrick

P.S: You should visit that flea market more often!

[RCS]

low serial numbered 1903's are nice to restore as WW1 rebuilds if you can find the parts/wood. These low numbered rifles do not have the Hatcher hole nor any barrel dated past 1918. Interesting projects (I have four digit M1's too)Attachment 22569Attachment 22570Attachment 22571

[sakorick]

I think it should be restored to 1930's configuration. We know that it was rebarreled in the early thirties so a stock and handguard from this vintage makes sense to me. There is now way I'm ever going to find a first year production barrel, it should probably never be fired so the 64 thousand dollar question is, what would it's approximate value be in this restored condition? I imagine the stacking swivel is a hard item to find as so many were removed. Your thoughts appreciated. Regards, Rick.

[DeputyBill]

Low serial numbered 1903's are nice to restore as WW1 rebuilds if you can find the parts/wood...

RCS,
I, for one, would really enjoy viewing more pics of your four-digit rifles (whatever the level of restoration they've received)!
-Bill

[RCS]

The four digit rifles are complete to the WW1 or pre WW1 time period but do not have photos of all the rifles

[Mike D]

No way I would try to restore that, good luck!

You easily have $350 in parts if the barrel is as good as you say it is. I would look for a complete candidate that needs a barrel. Maybe a CMP '03, sometime in the future, a "high-number" one.

I would go with a cheap restore. Maybe keep your eye out for just the remaining parts you need. I bought a couple of "high #" receivers from a gun show for $90 each, should have bought more. You could probably get $50 for that low #.

Got a kinda beat up Keystone C-stock off of fleabay for $45 shipped. Couple gouges, but no cracks, and plenty of room to sand.

You could have a nice shooter for a few hundred. Depends on how much you want to spend on a stock.

[Tom in N.J.]

How do we know it was rebarreled in the 1930s???? With all of those "R" marked parts it was at least rebuilt much later than that. By who and where seems to be unknown. The date on a barrel only indicates the date the barrel was manufactured, not when it was installed. I would restore that as a WWI rebuild, as stated by RCS. I have a AV 12-18 barrel that would be a good statring point. (The barrel is not for sale at this time)

[sakorick]

Well, I thank you all for your input. I gave the rifle to my son tonight and he can struggle with it. I am about worn out on restorations! There are at least 4 ways to go on this, none of which are bad.......if you have the time and $$$$ Regards, Rick.