Segley rebuilt M1903's

[Rick the Librarian]

I didn't THINK I was mistaken about that. Thanks, Michael!

[Calfed]

Rick, not so sure Sedgley built high-end anything. They bought low number receivers and annealed them in the back of their shop on a small burner. Then re-blued the rifles and sold them for cheap money in the Depression. G&H made only high-end sporters and I believe G&H primarily used high-numbers. I would be very hesitant to use a Sedgley sporter. By the way they are occasionallly found with 2 (!) extractor cuts on their barrels. Long story, but it was salvage effort on the part of Sedgley. They were very competitive in a tough economy and actually made very nice '03 barrels for the USMC and the Army. They did not bother to cater to the carriage trade, instead they made cheap hunting rifles and lasted in business for many years. But do understand, they used low numbers. Take your chances, if you will.

Steve, are you sure you aren't mixing Sedgley up with Bannerman? Brophy includes Sedgley with his list of "finer examples of custom gunsmithed '03's".

I know that Sedgley used high number 03's (and low number) because I watched one at auction this weekend.

S# 1021010

[Calif-Steve]

Sedgley knew what they were doing. They would remove the low number serial numbers. High number serial numbers were untouched. They both worked on customers guns and shop guns. A Sedgley without a serial number is suspect. Many of their barrels had 2 extractor cut-outs in the breech. A reason for that, as well.

[campbellbook]

As to Sedgleys in Service context, the 3 pages of Appendix V of the final revision of Campbell's "The '03 Springfield Rifles' Era" detail the following issues:
1,000 to State Guard of Minnesota, approved by Gen Young of the War Department.
2,000 presumably to Dutch Indies.
2,000 to norwegian contingent in Canada.
700 to Virginia Military Academy and perhaps 300 to Pensilvania Military College.
The balance of presumably 1,500 to "Wild Bill" Donovin's Office of Stratergic Services with perhaps most sent to theAmerican Legation in Egypt.

The 700 to VMI and all those sent to the OSS were equipped with the unique Sedgley-made bayonets.

[Jim Tarleton]

Rick, not so sure Sedgley built high-end anything. They bought low number receivers and annealed them in the back of their shop on a small burner. Then re-blued the rifles and sold them for cheap money in the Depression. G&H made only high-end sporters and I believe G&H primarily used high-numbers. I would be very hesitant to use a Sedgley sporter. By the way they are occasionallly found with 2 (!) extractor cuts on their barrels. Long story, but it was salvage effort on the part of Sedgley. They were very competitive in a tough economy and actually made very nice '03 barrels for the USMC and the Army. They did not bother to cater to the carriage trade, instead they made cheap hunting rifles and lasted in business for many years. But do understand, they used low numbers. Take your chances, if you will.

G&H also used LN Springfield receivers to build their sporters. They list the Springfield receivers on which they built rifles on their web site. There are a good number of LN receivers listed.

jt