1903 Springfield pre WW1 NRA rifle

[cplstevennorton]

I found a bunch of info on these at the National Archives.

Basically back pre WWI, shooting was actually a really popular sport. There were shooting competiions everywhere and nearly every town had one or several shooting clubs that were backed and controlled by the National Rifle Association. Back when the NRA was actually about furthering shooting and not politics like they are now.

Since shooting was actually considered a huge sport at that time, all they had to do was I believe have a minimum number of members (I think 10), fill out paperwork as a shooting club to the NRA, and they could purchase these rifles thru the club to be used in shooting competitions.

The rifles were technically the property of the shooting club, and not the individual. That was the way they could go around the laws of the time. Though you also could buy one if you were a lifetime member of the NRA.

The rifle sales policies changed about 1919 on this and individuals could now buy them direct, without being a member of a NRA club or lifetime member. The 1919 National Matches were the first M1903's sold directly to civilians who competed in the 1919 NM's.

I live near Camp Perry and these early NRA sales or club rifles pop up a lot in this area. I think just because I'm by Perry. But I see them a lot.

They actually sold a pretty good amount of these rifles pre WWI. I think a lot are still undiscovered in older guys closets and they don't know what they have.

[Smokeeaterpilot]

Funny I was at NARA yesterday digitizing some files on these...

Couple of things to add...

There are pre-WWI NRA Sales records in the SRS. But they are few and far between.

The program was first authorized by Congress in 1905. But took a bit to get implemented.

The rifles were not always shipped directly out of Springfield Armory or Rock Island Arsenal. Each arsenal was responsible for a set of territories or states. The club would file paperwork through the NRA, attain status as "good standing." Then your club could purchase arms, ammunition, and even 1910 infantry equipment through the State's Adjutant General. The designated arsenal would then ship what was purchased. The arms were subject to inspection although through the office of the Chief of Ordnance.

The NRA Life member benefit did not come until almost the program was suspended. Either in 1915 or 1916, I am trying to track down a specific date. Annual members could purchase Krags and Life members could purchase the same articles a club could.

There are few examples of M1911 NRA sales pistols because clubs just didn't buy them nearly as frequently as rifles. That came as a bit of a shock to me personally.

Lastly, in 1915 states bordering Mexico were denied sales due to the border crisis.

The 1919 National Match sales were slightly different than sales to rifle clubs or educational institutions. National Match rifles weren't authorized to sale to the public until a few years later. At that time you had to be a competitor for that sale to be authorized. (It didn't say it specifically but I imagine you had to be registered or on some sort of roster with that year's match).