M1903 late SA 12-36 serial

[Hambone]

Hello,
I picked up a Springfield 1479207 with a SA 12-36 barrel and boxed DAL cartouche. It has what looks like original finish and is in exceptional shape, mint bore. Back in the day you could go on the internet and run your serial and find out if it was listed. I'm thinking that database was bought out / taken over. Can anyone help me with any background or hit on this serial? I will post pics when I take them. Thanks in advance.
Regards,
HB

Information

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[Promo]

It could be either an original NM, or sold as a receiver. Is the bolt polished and serialized to the rifle? Is the stock serialized to the action, on bottom right in front of the rear sling swivel?

1479200A1NM 082936DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1479208RCVR 051838DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1479225A1NM 082836DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42
1479282A1NM 091238DCM RIFLE SALES 1922-42

[Hambone]

Thanks Promo. All the parts look consistent in wear and age, it came out of an old collection of original stuff. The inside rails and follower are polished, but the bolt is a 1941 era dark grey parkerized BF / SA (I think a BF 38), not polished NM bolt. Stock is circle P on the wrist and boxed DAL and everything fits like it was assembled as it is and just never really issued or used. Bore is mirror, could have a NM star, but I don't think so. It's got old air rust and patina. It hasn't been reparked, the parts are a bit different in finish and the rear sight base, etc. is still in the white. Could it have been a spare receiver built into a service rifle at SA in the period 1940-1942? I presume if it was sold through the DCM then perhaps it would be listed in those sales records, but if used by the military to make a rifle in 1941 that it would not? Thanks for your help and opinions.

[cplstevennorton]

I don't know if it's the photos, but the rails almost look polished. If you don't know what I mean, pull your bolt out and take a pic of inside the receiver.

Edit. Duh you said they were polished. lol

---------- Post added at 05:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 PM ----------

I've seen some where the star on the muzzle is almost really worn off. You could pull the handguard and see if it has a star guage record number on the barrel.

[Hambone]

It could be the "star" mark at 6 o'clock, but I will need to bronze brush it a bit. It's shiny because of the Ballistol; this is the first wiping it's likely had in a long time and there is air rust, etc. Pics of various parts.

[RCS]

My SA 1903 is serial number 1479546 and without the Hatcher hole, barrel is SA 9-35 but not a NM rifle, bolt is NS marked

[Lt1]

Your serial # places the rifle in the 1934-35 range . The 1936 barrel may be a replacement No punch mark in the ordnance bomb ??. The Dal straight finger groove stock ended early 30s. May have been a shooter preference vs a C stock that was available . Any CV marked sear or striker rod ? The P proof on top of the barrel in front of the sight base indicates a star gaged barrel , Numbers on the rt side of the rear sight base or X marked ? Nice rifle >

[Hambone]

Lt, there is a very distinct (bad pic) seraph "P" stamp on top of he barrel and there may be a star at the 6 o'clock. We are in between houses and I don't have my bronze brushes here to see. I did not see a CV striker or sear. No numbers on the right side by the sight base or X marking. You know that look parts get when they've been with the rifle since it was assembled? This one has that. I'm in it cheaper than the value of the parts, so I'm not wishful thinking this.

Was the boxed DAL in use into the late 30s to 42 period at SA? If it was a late 39 or early 40-42 SA build would it have an SA cartouche? I have a like new papered M1903A1 NM with the DAL, and a late RIA / built by SA with the SA/JFC cartouche. I guess my hope was that it was a build for service use in WW2. The description was sparse when I got it. Thanks for the help guys.

[cplstevennorton]

The Polished Rails look correct for a factory NM. The location of the 343 number is in the exact same location as my buddies star guage number on his 12/36 NM barrel. It's interesting though that this doesn' t have the drawing number on the rear sight base, or the CV marked trigger parts. I could see the Trigger parts possibly being swapped, but the lack of the drawing number RSB is what I don't understand if that barrel is original to the receiver.

I know back then you could buy star gauged barrels loose, but I don't know if you could buy a polished rail receiver.

I know of a 1.45 NM that is original that has a March or April 1936 barrel so to me this barrel date seems about right for the receiver.

If I had to take a wild guess, it looks like a NM that has had a lot lot changed for shooter preference, or some NM parts bought loose back then and mixed with regular parts for a build.

That is a mint looking rifle though! I like it!

[Rick the Librarian]

I would guess the stock was taken from an earlier rifle. The NM, after about 1929, used Type C stocks. Daniel Leary, DAL, inspected "regular" M1903s into the early 1920s, then inspected NM rifles into the mid 1930s, when later ones had an SA/SPG (Stanley Gibbs). I would agree with Steve's "prognosis" as to the rifle's origins.

I have a considerably earlier M1903 NM rifle, 1370112, with a Type C stock with a DAL stamp.

A star gauged rifle will have the registry stamp, usually a letter and 3-5 numbers, on the top of the barrel, about 1/3 of the way from the receiver end. The marking shown in the picture is the steel lot code, I believe.