Start of stamping barrels with the star gauge registry number

[Smokeeaterpilot]

Great day at the archives.

We know the star gauge registry number started before the muzzle stamp. But this is when the Armory began stamping barrels with the registry number.

Thought I'd share.

Happy Friday everyone

Information

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[cplstevennorton]

Thank you for everything you do Andrew. The amount of work and money you put into finding this info and you just give it out for free.

I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for this hobby.

[Ls6man]

Thank you for everything you do Andrew. The amount of work and money you put into finding this info and you just give it out for free.

I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for this hobby.

I second that!! It is a pleasure to call both of you friends . If it wasn’t for both of your efforts, along with Tim, Neil, Jamie, Matt and others.. I know my knowledge base on USMC snipers would be stuck in the 90’s.. It is really cool to see how the knowledge is being advanced with actual documentation.

Your research makes collecting fun and I truly appreciate the effort and passion you guys have for the hobby.

Thank you

[rcathey]

Have you guys found any documentation discussing the 1903 sporters?
Curious if you’ve learned anything interesting there.

[Smokeeaterpilot]

Thanks for the kind words guys. I do love it and enjoy sharing to help get more information out there. Even if it's already known, its great to see it on period documentation.

Have you guys found any documentation discussing the 1903 sporters?
Curious if you’ve learned anything interesting there.

To answer your question yes, there's a ton of information in there. I'm just starting to get into it. I spent the last couple of years digitizing everything in the Chief of Ordnance General Correspondence files starting at 1915 concerning small arms. Rifles, Automatic Rifles, Krags/Cadet Rifles and Automatic Pistols and Revolvers. I just reached the beginning of 1919, and looked ahead a few boxes to see what's in there. And NRA sporting rifles are mentioned.

This one jumped out and I love it.

I like it for several reasons.

1) It shows that the Ordnance Department considered making sporting rifles out of the M1917 rifle during the Great Depression
2) Rock Island Arsenal was proposing it.
3) Hatcher even acknowledges, "while it will provide a certain amount of work." (To me this reads as a positive. As creating busy work is good for the Arsenal)
4) It shows that the NRA Sporters were aggravating the private commercial manufacturers.

I'm copying everything in the boxes to build a substantial reference library. So more will come, but I'm still in the early stages of it. But I'm happy to share along the way.

[1903Collector]

great day at the archives.

We know the star gauge registry number started before the muzzle stamp. But this is when the armory began stamping barrels with the registry number.

Thought i'd share.

Happy friday everyone

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...vzsk7xrl-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...gm7usmll-1.jpg

outstanding! Well done, sir!

[rcathey]

This one jumped out and I love it.

Incredible! Thank you very much for sharing.

The 1917 sporter certainly isn’t as elegant at the 1903 sporter.

What an amazing slice of history in that letter!

[Smokeeaterpilot]

Incredible! Thank you very much for sharing.

The 1917 sporter certainly isn’t as elegant at the 1903 sporter.

What an amazing slice of history in that letter!

Glad you enjoyed it. Since I'm getting back into rhythm going to the archives weekly. I'm happy to post stuff that seems interesting. There's always new stuff to find in that place, I love it.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

[CINDERS]

I like Hatchers reply that whilst it will provide a certain amount of work he is quick to point out that flooding the market with cheap rifles would not endear the Govt to the private business holders and certain amounts of agitation from them with the Govt dabbling in commercial business.

Awesome article, find and thread, so good these things are coming to light puts a whole new impetus on learning how the Govt tried to well get some money back and cut down on their inventory of rifles in armouries.

[Mk VII]

The importation (or reimportation) of surplus arms from England in the 1950s caused similar complaints from the New England manufacturers.