Early SA 1903

**RCS** · 01-20-2011 07:07 AM

Attachment 19393 Attachment 19392 Attachment 19398 Attachment 19397 Attachment 19396 Attachment 19395 Attachment 19399SA 1903 with a Feb 1907 barrel, nice bore too. Stock has the early CCV cartouche and non serif P proof. There is not any sign of the stock being modified from a ram rod bayonet stoc(ram rod hole or front end block with extra hole). Note the sear has the hole

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**Jim Tarleton** · 01-20-2011 07:40 AM

Nice rifle. For a second or two I thought you had found one of the rifles for which I search. Congratulations on a very nice fund.

Jim

**Rick the Librarian** · 01-20-2011 09:51 AM

Excellent rifle - looks like a "early rebuild" from 30-03 to 30-06.

**Calif-Steve** · 01-20-2011 04:06 PM

Any chance this is a .30-'03 and not a .30-'06?

**RCS** · 01-20-2011 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Calif-Steve

Any chance this is a .30-'03 and not a .30-'06?

Not a chance (would be nice!) the rear sight would have the 2400 yd range and the barrel date is too late

I still am interested to know if the sear with the bottom hole is correct or not - a few years ago I bought a Rock Island at an estate sale, it was in the 64xxx serial range also with a RIA barrel dated 3-07 with the open bottom rear sight base. The sear on the Rock Island also had the bottom hole too.

**P-07ShortLee** · 01-20-2011 06:25 PM

Very nice! I like the early stock too!

Not sure about the hole, but does the rear sight slide binding knob have the groove in it? Otherwise all looks "right".

Originally Posted by Calif-Steve

Any chance this is a .30-'03 and not a .30-'06?

To add to what RCS said, the barrel date for a .30-M1903 rifle with 1905 sights would be marked SA 05. By 1907 the .30-06 had been adopted.

**Rick the Librarian** · 01-20-2011 08:42 PM

The windage knob is the "smaller" variety ... I'll bet the SBS matches. The fixed rear sight base is the earlier "stapped" variety and the stock is made for that. A real nice rifle. I highly suggest locating a copy of Springfield Model 1903 Service Rifle; Production and Alterations 1905-1910 by C.S. Ferris and John Beard icon

. A little book with a big name that has all the changes in it. It's out of print but fairly easy to locate on the used book market online.

**P-07ShortLee** · 01-20-2011 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by Rick the Librarian

The windage knob is the "smaller" variety ... I'll bet the SBS matches.

Yeah I noticed the small windage knob, just can't see binding knob type from the photo. Either way a nice example.

**Calif-Steve** · 01-20-2011 10:18 PM

Yes, indeed, a 1907 barrel has to be .30-'06. My bad. Very nice early '03. A real keeper.

**RCS** · 01-20-2011 10:53 PM

Both the windage knob and the small knob on the slide have a small groove in the center, Interesting is that the peep is blank where you would expect to see a 5 or 6 stamped near the peep hole.

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