RIA 1903 Springfield Build

[EddieB]

Hey Eddie, I pulled out the stock and it is an RIA but it was not as good as I thought it was, at some point in its life an owner sanded so the cartouches are light the stock itself is nice if not for that. I don't know what year it is the receiver that was in it was not an RIA it was a Springfield Ser# 611998. If you don't find anything else and this will work for you PM me. Maybe one if the Springfield expert her can date this stock.

bill

Thanks Bill those are some great pictures. I will PM

[usabaker]

those are some great pictures.

I use my wife's lighting system she uses to take pictures of the cakes and crap she bakes, sometimes to her displeasure (I don't put it away "right" )

[Roy]

Yes Vishooter hasn't changed since I began collecting, but it is known as the most accurate.

The build cartouche is too faint to read but the RIA FK (Frank Krack)is a rebuild mark from RIA during 1920 -30. -Brophy

Is there a RI stamped on the forend tip?

Nice stock. I like rebuild stocks, I can make the rifle as mixed up as I like as correct to the rebuild date.

[EddieB]

Yes Vishooter hasn't changed since I began collecting, but it is known as the most accurate.

The build cartouche is too faint to read but the RIA FK (Frank Krack)is a rebuild mark from RIA during 1920 -30. -Brophy

Is there a RI stamped on the forend tip?

Nice stock. I like rebuild stocks, I can make the rifle as mixed up as I like as correct to the rebuild date.

I am a software guy and depending on what needs to be done, maybe I could help to update the site. If the current administrator is intersted, just send me an email or pm.

Roy, do you know how the RIA metal was marked? or was it marked? By marked I mean "R" like for Remington.

[usabaker]

The build cartouche is too faint to read but the RIA FK (Frank Krack)is a rebuild mark from RIA during 1920 -30. -Brophy

Is there a RI stamped on the forend tip?

It is "RIA FK" it looks like there is an "S" on the forend tip it was covered in gunk, Also found a C or O in the mag/trigger guard well here is a picture;

Attachment 92278Attachment 92279Attachment 92280

[Roy]

To Eddie

Most of the good info was copyrighted to John Beard. If you could contact him and if he let you use his lists you could create a new site quite easily which could be the best M1903 site around, I'm not tech at all but I would like to help with such a project if possible and the platform was easy.

I need to get the RIA book, but very early in production I think RIA had some proofs like eagles heads and ordnance bombs but by WW1 they were not used.

Roy

[twh]

With respect to sources CS Ferris's book on RIA production is the most complete resource in print. There are numerous threads on this forum and on the Jouster2 forum all though a lot of those were generated on the prior version of that forum but may still be in the archive portion.

[Rick the Librarian]

According to John Beard, Receivers sent from RIA were from 375,000-430,000+ - 375,000-405,000: About half of these were sent to Springfield; from about 405,000-430,000+, about 75%+ were sent to Springfield and finished there.

A good place to start to get more information on this interesting variation is C.S. Ferris' Rock Island Rifle Model 1903 book published about 10 years back and still available online.

The most interesting (to me) variation of these "hybrids" are the "high number Rock Island rifles. These were receivers marked with "Rock Island Arsenal/Model 1903" with a Springfield serial number in the 1,290,000 range. Supposedly, about 1200 of this variation were manufactured.

"For the record", four types of receivers were sent from Rock Island to Springfield in the mid-1920s:

1) raw forgings
2) completed but unmarked receivers
3) receivers with "Rock Island" but no serial numbers
4) receivers with Rock Island and RIA serial numbers

Here's a few pictures of the "high number" RIA/SA hybrid I have:









---------- Post added at 06:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:17 AM ----------

RIA/FK is actually Frank Krack, inspector (actually chief of small arms inspection), 1941-46 - Brophy was incorrect.

A large (1/4") S is evidence the stock was originally manufactured at Rock Island during the 1904-1913 period.

[cplstevennorton]

it was a Springfield Ser# 611998.

I want to hear about this rifle. That is a very interesting serial range to me.

[RCS]

Any information on Springfield 606103 (without Hatcher hole) barrel is RIA 5-18 dated ?