New low numbered RIA!

[Rick the Librarian]

(Finally!!)

I've been emailing with a nice gent on another forum who sent me some pictures of a low numbered Rock Island M1903. We stopped emailing for a couple of months and then, about a month ago, he wondered if I was interested in purchasing it. We worked out a trade (one of my NRA Sales rifles went down the road) and the RIA arrived at my door yesterday.

It is a very early Rock Island and probably started out as a M1903 in 30-03. It is one of those that was modified to 30-06. The barrel is a rare (or maybe uncommon) 6-05 RIA. One thing I noticed is that the usual prominent RIA steel lot code is missing from the area around the muzzle, where you see it on later RIA barrels. The bore, by the way, is in excellent shape and measures a 1.5 on my muzzle gauge and a 1 TE.

The stock is the early type with no stock bolts and the "straight/edge" left side. It has (as you can see) a 1908 Conrad Nelson inspection stamp - possibly the year it was modified to 30-06? The stock has the large S on the foretip and a "script" P just aft of the trigger guard.

All the parts appear to be original. I have not broken it down to see if it has the early rear sight base, but assume that it does. The bolt has no markings, which was often seen on very early Rock Island and Springfield M1903s.

The stock has hardly a mark on it. The trigger guard appears to have some "speckling" which may be rust. Haven't made up my mind how to handle that.

Some pictures below:















---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------

A few more pictures:

Information

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[Fred G.]

Sweet! I wonder where it's been all of this time to avoid updates and rough use?

[Rick the Librarian]

Good question, Fred!! Another minor mystery ... it is sporting a USMC front sight protector. Figure THAT one out!!

[USMC 00-08]

That is gorgeous!!

[Fred G.]

Good question, Fred!! Another minor mystery ... it is sporting a USMC front sight protector. Figure THAT one out!!

Rick, when did those sight covers come out? Maybe somebody who was shooting it (so it had been fired and held up) was required to have and keep a sight cover on their rifle and chose this one because they found it offered a much better sight picture through it. I wouldn't be afraid of shooting it Rick. It'd be interesting to see how it grouped. I've owned three such early rifles with 05 dated barrels, no stock bolts etc. and fired them all. Like most rifles, a ruptured case would mess the rifle up. However using modern, sound ammo in it should be just fine. How's the head spacing?

[Rick the Librarian]

Nope, not this one. You can bet it will be petted and fondled at frequent intervals but it won't see a gun range as long as I have it. I would be interested as to how the USMC FSP got put on it, though.

[WarPig1976]

I can't fault you for only fondleing this one Rick..
Nice find.!!

[sakorick]

That is one beautiful rifle! WOW. Regards, Rick.

[Joe in the hills]

For heavens sake don't shoot it or you might destroy it.
Light cleaning and oil it down, you've got a real collector there!
Beautiful furniture, just give it some lemon oil or other furnisher oil to keep it from cracking.
I'm jealous...

[Promo]

Who polished the bolt? And if you don't mind asking, what is the "usual" price nowadays for such a rifle?