Early 1903 NRA Sporter or Sporterized 1903 Forgery ??

[Herschel]

I collect the NRA sporters and can offer this opinion about the subject rifle. The bolt handle has been altered to clear a scope. If you look on the bridge I believe you will
find aftermarket drilled and tapped holes, or hole for the rear base of a more modern scope base. If the rifle came from SA with special order scope blocks there would be two
holes drilled and tapped in the receiver ring and two more holes drilled and tapped in the barrel centered 7.2 inches forward of the rear holes. I believe the high polished finish on the bolt was done after the
bolt handle had been modified. I believe the bolt to be original to the rifle. The rear sight is a Lyman 48C (has the windage scale in front of the aperture). The correct
rear sight for an NRA sporter is the 48S. I has a hinged peep that can be turned down in the front of the threaded aperture hole. It also had the windage scale behind the
aperture. The front sight is a Lyman 17A XNB which was introduced in 1963 for use on the 1903A3 but would also fit the 1903.

I believe the rifle was modified for a target shooter. I can't see the index marks on the elevation knob well enough to count them. I believe they may be 1/3 minute clicks. That would be
to permit more precise windage adjustments. The Lyman 48S had 1/2 minute clicks.

For what it's worth,