Springfield 1903 Low SN

[LX Kid]

does it have a Hatcher hole?

It does not have the Hatcher's Hole on the left side. It does have the smaller hole on the right side. The 03-A3 does have the Hatcher's Hole on the left side.
(Should I drill a hole in the left side to let those ruptured cases breath?)

[Calif-Steve]

No, don't drill it. Receiver is very hard and you may muck it up. Use new brass and moderate loads. Good luck.

[TDH]

I have a low number receiver 1907 rebarreled in '19 and I used to shoot I with reduced loads twice a year on the 4th and Veterns Day until I had a second pistol blow up in my hand then I decided maybe it was time to retire the old girl. You do what you want I've been lucky twice. And in case you are interested the first was a Cobra derringer in 9mm with less than twenty rounds through it {replaced by them in 38 which has had hundreds of rounds through it } and the second was an SA XD in 45. With no injuries.

[LX Kid]

No, don't drill it. Receiver is very hard and you may muck it up. Use new brass and moderate loads. Good luck.

I was kidding! I should have put a "LoL" at the end of that last line. Ha Ha
I have a copy of "Hatcher's Notebook" and have been doing some interesting reading, starting on page 212, about the heat treatment and hardening of the receivers. Interesting read as long as I can keep my eyelids open!
Interesting fact is that in Aug 1918, starting SN 319921, they went to a nickel steel that was similar to the steel being used by Winchester and Eddystone for the Model 17 Enfields. This is a curiosity to me cause my rifle was mfg in 1909 with sn of 391xxx. That's a nine year difference!

[browningautorifle]

That's a nine year difference!

I take it you're suggesting a close relation of serial numbers? They didn't make many rifles or bayonets until war production...comparatively...

[LX Kid]

I take it you're suggesting a close relation of serial numbers? They didn't make many rifles or bayonets until war production...comparatively...

That's true but by 1918 my receiver was already 9 years old and "wasn't" made of the nickle metal as were signified by the earlier serial numbers than mine. Just confusing! (According to mfg dates.)

[Ridolpho]

I was kidding! I should have put a "LoL" at the end of that last line. Ha Ha
I have a copy of "Hatcher's Notebook" and have been doing some interesting reading, starting on page 212, about the heat treatment and hardening of the receivers. Interesting read as long as I can keep my eyelids open!
Interesting fact is that in Aug 1918, starting SN 319921, they went to a nickel steel that was similar to the steel being used by Winchester and Eddystone for the Model 17 Enfields. This is a curiosity to me cause my rifle was mfg in 1909 with sn of 391xxx. That's a nine year difference!

319921 is the number at which Rock Island switched from the new double heat treat to "nickle steel"- yours is Springfield. Acc. to one reference I grabbed quickly, Springfield's switch to nickle steel occurred in 1927 at number 1,275,767.

Ridolpho