Possibly Purchasing M1903 Mk I this weekend. A few questions...

[Yankee Doodle]

Heya all! I'll be going to look at a Springfield 1903 Mk I this weekend, serial 1042XXX (so it's a "safe" serial number, manufactured in 1918) from a fellow member of a local gun board. It appears the rifle may have been rearsenaled in 1942 (from looking at the pictures of the barrel markings), and it has the ejection port on the left front portion of the receiver for the Pederson device. He got the rifle from a coworker, who has owned it since the 1980's. Apparently, it hasn't been fired since then, either.

What do I need to look at and check to ensure I'm not getting a paperweight? I intend on really taking care of it as a piece of history, but I'd also like to shoot it. The current owner doesn't know much more about the rifle other than what I've already stated, and it's really not his cup of tea as far as rifles go. That being said....I've never fired one, and only held one once, and it was an 03A3.

Any help you folks can provide would be greatly appreciated....and if I buy it this Saturday, I will of course update this post with pictures.

Thanks again!

Information

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[Rick the Librarian]

First, I would look at the bore - if you have one or can buy one, use a cleaning rod and patch. Run it through the bore. Dirty is OK, rust may not be (although it can be cleaned) Look for pitting, or other problems in the bore. Look for cracks in the stock, especially around the small of the stock or aft of the rear tang screw. Look for missing or broken parts.

A Mark I with a 1942 barrel is going to be a shooter, probably not a collector, but that's all right for starters. Good luck!

[Yankee Doodle]

Excellent, thanks Rick! I'm reading through the 1903 manuals found here. I've got a bore light, I'll take my cleaning kit for the rod and patches. I also have a handful of 30.06 snap caps as a generic go/no go and to test functionality through dry firing it. Should I run the patch through dry, or with Hopps or CLP?

I'm not really a "collector" in that I don't buy safe queens....so this being a "shooter" is exactly what I'm looking for.

[Rick the Librarian]

Maybe one with Hoppes and then a couple of dry patches. Then look at the bore with a bore light. I've seen several bores that looked pitted and terrible before they were cleaned out.

[Yankee Doodle]

OK, awesome. Exactly what I needed to know!

It appears to have a C-stock (which was refinished by a previous owner, so I'm unsure about the survival of any cartouches), but otherwise looks complete from the pictures I've seen. Hopefully everything check out and I can upload pictures tomorrow evening.

He's asking $750 for the rifle. He originally posted it at $600, and since I replied before the price change (after input from other CSC forum members) he'll sell it for his original price to me. That being said, I don't want him to take a significant loss on it either (I'm OK either way). Is that about right, so long as it's in good physical and mechanical order?

[Calif-Steve]

Re-barreled Mk1 with sanded down wood? No way $750.00. $550.00 range, tops.

[Rick the Librarian]

I don't know about $550, but I would say $650 tops. And that is with a good bore and decent finish.