Winchester 1903 Trainer - AG Parker Conversion

[skirsons]

I know there is very little documented about this rather scarce rifle, but I seem to have an even scarcer variation.

I'm sure lots of you saw the one for sale on the EE (Gunnutz). This is the one I ended up with. It is a 22LR conversion, but not an unofficial conversion strangely enough.

I noticed the end of the muzzle has writing on it. It was dirty, but reads "Parkerifled - AGP". It is lined with a .22 liner and reamed out to accept said liner!! It is a .22 Auto relined to .22LR!

It is re-stamped on the barrel, which is all-original Winchester on the outside.

Now my question is: is this likely to be a commercial conversion? I didn't know AG Parker converted these rifles to .22LR. Is this an abortive test to see if the 1903's could be converted to a more standard smokeless cartridge for military use (since the reason it was chambered in .22 auto was because of the BP .22LR's that would gum up the semi auto action).

In any case, it is strange. I thought it was a gunsmith conversion - some home-made project, but no.

It is sadly missing part of the magazine. It looks like the metal on the stock wrist is drilled for two screws which attach a tang sight - a lyman or parker probably. I will probably end up buying a .22 auto version of this rifle and stealing the part so I can fire this World War I semi-auto rifle.

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