1903 Rock Island Arsenal with Jaeger Type DST Trigger

[rbp75503]

New to the forum but not new in owning a sporterized 1903. My 1st rifle to buy in 1966. It had been chambered in 6-284. I recently took it out the safe and have begun to re-barrel, refinish and rebuild. Have been able to disassemble most of the rifle, but I am stuck trying to remove the DST trigger from the floor plate.

I am afraid of doing harm to the trigger and it would be shame to mess it up as it is rather nice. Any help would be appreciated.

Bob

Information

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[Rick the Librarian]

Do you have any pictures of the rifle before you disassembled it? Keep in mind that there are "classic" sporters that are worth as much or more than original military M1903s. Be careful!!

[rbp75503]

Thank you Rick for the heads up. Unfortunately I didn't take a pic of the rifle completely assembled. I do have a close-up of the receiver and bolt if that would help. The SN is 358293 and the searches I have done show it was produced after 1920 but before 1927. Another search pegged it a 1926.

[cplstevennorton]

You know I'm not going to claim I know double set triggers on 1903's at all, because I really don't. But the thing that strikes me on this rifle, that serial is in prime USMC range in the SRS. In fact I have one listed I think 3 digits off that.

I have no idea for sure what they look like, as I haven't found a pic that I can at least remember, but I have seen it tons of times in Documents from the early to mid 20's that the Marines had a double set trigger in their match rifles. The double set trigger was manufactured at Philadelphia Depot of Supplies and they were pretty found of it.

You might just pause for a second on this, before you do anything else especially to that trigger group. I don't know if I have that stuff on those triggers easily accessible, but let me look real quick. If I don't I might have to do some digging.

[Rick the Librarian]

The receiver dates to late 1918 or so. Rock Island stopped producing receivers after mid-1919.

[cplstevennorton]

This is one note that I had easy to access, it's from 1925. I was just thinking too, somewhere I had really detailed photos of Morris Fisher's Match rifle. I think it had double triggers in it. Let me try to remember where it was. And again I know nothing of double set triggers, this might be something commercial. I have no idea. I only mentioned it because I saw that serial, and know how heavy that RIA 350K range is in the Marine files.

"During the fall of 1923 a new and improved design of double-set triggers was experimented with at the Depot, with a view to reducing the firing time for heavy match rifles. One of these set triggers, along with several other types, was tested at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. The results of this test proved the superiority of the Marine Corps trigger.

These triggers were used by the International match team in 1923-24-25. A distinctive feature of this trigger is its simplicity of design and the low cost of production. It can be manufactured for about half the cost of the Bosch trigger, which has been in general use. Much credit is due Mr. Frank W. Rimkunas, mechanic attached to the Ordnance Department, who worked out the design."

[rbp75503]

Thanks gentlemen for the additional information. I will take a pause until additional info is found. I appreciate the help in identifying what I have. I bought this used when I was 17 in Northern California. The purchase included RCBS dies and a chrony print-out by RCBS. The only id on the barrel I can find is that it is 6mm-284.
I did not have any other documentation or given any history of the rifle that I can remember.

Thanks again

[Doco overboard]

I would just get another trigger bow and fire control parts that you need to accomplish your goal. If that trigger works the way its supposed to and is safe I wouldn't take it apart. Has the floor plate been permanently attached once the mechanism was installed?

[cplstevennorton]

Out of extreme morbid curiosity, because I have absolutely no life at all. If you flip that receiver over, where you are looking at the bottom side of the receiver. The flat area in the front, directly under where the serial is located on top. Is there a punch mark pretty much right in the middle part of the flat of the bottom? There should be probably some random inspector stampings, and then you would see what looks like someone took a round punch and whacked it with a hammer. It might be very faint since this has been monkeyed with, if it was ever there to begin with.

[rbp75503]

I have all the fire control parts and had taken the rifle to the range the previous week of disassembly. The trigger performs safely and is very smooth. The floor plate is solid to the bottom metal.

Cpl the action is at DGR with the intention of installing a 308 barrel. When it gets back I will take a look for the punch mark

Thanks again for the info.

Bob