1903 Receiver / bolt / receiver markings help.. days searching!

[Okiewan]

Yeah, another noob with yet another identification question! Sorry.. I've been all over the web for a couple of days on this, no luck. So yeah, anyone willing to provide some info will be greatly appreciated. Hopefully I can post pics.

Inherited Springfield '03.
1) S/N = 1,357,812 ... 1930
2) Barrel = SA, bomb, 8-30
3) Bolt = F1 on the safety lug (from vishooter: 1911-mid 1914)
4) Also see pics for the "cocking piece" (also looks date range above from what I've seen)
5) Stock = Scant, P proof forward of "pistol grip" no circle or square. "S" in the cut-off indention. I understand the scant stock was only on rebuilds, and the P by itself means rebuilt (?).
6) no other markings on the stock visible.
7) But plate is smooth with no markings.
8) Sling appears to be original, or at least aged/condition similar to the rest of the rifle.

So good, so far.
This is where I'm stuck.

Receiver marking = NS and J I or 1 and two, different typeface, un-aligned zeros.

So, it's a 1930 build, rebuilt sometime after 1942 by Springfield (from what I gather)
The receiver and barrel (bore is great btw) appear to match, but the bolt is much older.

As sihooter's page shows, the F1 mark on the bolt ended at s/n 573,848. Two questions about the bolt then: a) are the early bolts also affected by the bad heat treating, or just the receivers? b) any other known issues with the bolt mis-match?

Any info would be appreciated! I'm not trying to value this for resale, as it was my late father's in addition to my love of historic weapons, it'll be cleaned-up (JUST cleaned) and kept close for occasional fondling. I would like to know as much about it as possible though. I will try to research typical selling prices for one like it, so if I kick-off before her, my wife will know what to ask for it

Thanks in advance!

FYI: I also inherited my father's Garand, Mod 98/K98, M1 Carbine as well as an ornate engraved Mauser Model 98, scoped hunting rifle that dates 1940. I'll be all over this forum digging for info for some time to come.... not a hit and run poster here!












As it's disassembled at the moment, here's a pic that includes the 1903.
(the Carbine cleaned-up (no sanding) with mineral spirits, just prior to raw linseed ... )

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[wkuhns1]

Hello. I can't answer your decoding questions, sorry. Just LYK I inherited a "sporterized" version of the same rifle from my grandpa, and it's a solid shooter once you clean and reassemble everything. My grandpa dropped the guts in a Winchester 70 stock, added a scope, and used his as a large game (whitetail) hunting rifle til he stopped going out. I shot it several times as a kid, so I know it still works just fine. Good luck with your project

[champ0608]

The early bolts are single-heat-treated just like the early receivers, and were considered as suspect at the time those decisions were made. Most of those decisions have been debated for nearly a century now, and the fact that your bolt still exists is evidence that its perfectly safe, but that debate is all over the internet. Technically speaking, it is an early bolt, replacements are cheap enough, and as a replacement to this receiver, you wouldn't be effecting the originality of the rifle by replacing the bolt again.

If it was me, I'd buy a later bolt, preferably an NS. I'd also find a nice straight stock with grasping grooves and have a classy, pre-WWII example. But that's just me.

Take a look at the muzzle crown and look for a "star mark" in the 6 o'clock position. Very common in that era, and considered valuable. Also check the left side of the receiver for the "Hatcher" or "Borden" hole which was added to some branches 1903 rebuilds post-1937.

Its a nice rifle from a desirable era in my opinion. And a nice collection altogether. Welcome to the forum.

[Okiewan]

Thanks for the replies!

If it was me, I'd buy a later bolt, preferably an NS. I'd also find a nice straight stock with grasping grooves and have a classy, pre-WWII example. But that's just me.

More noob stuff: where would one shop for such parts and be confident in getting legit items?

Take a look at the muzzle crown and look for a "star mark" in the 6 o'clock position. Very common in that era, and considered valuable. Also check the left side of the receiver for the "Hatcher" or "Borden" hole which was added to some branches 1903 rebuilds post-1937.

Looked for the star mark previously... not there, and no hole on the left side of the receiver.

Again, thanks for the help!

[browningautorifle]

where would one shop for such parts and be confident in getting legit items?

Here's a couple places you could look... https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...?idCategory=80

SPRINGFIELD 1903-A3

Products

Springfield Parts | 1903 Parts | 1903 Rifle Parts | SARCO, Inc

[Roy]

Being a S marked stock, it may not have have a cut for the 03A3 handguard ring, they'll be visible at the join between breech and rear sight base if they are present. 1903 scant stocks are not that often seen and some even deny they were made. As a rebuilt rifle anything goes, it could have come out of SA like that or it could have been rebuilt in someones shed.

[Orroe]

Nice set of rifles,
The NS is for nickel steel, and the J 100 probably forging code for the billet the receiver milled from or inspection codes. Hopefully many chime in the confirm this.

Owen