1903 supposedly from the Philippines in a case with a plaque?

[John Beard]

If your rifle was brought back into the U.S. in modern times, then it would have passed through an importer such as Century Arms or Blue Sky. And the importers were required to place their marking somewhere on the rifle so that it could be traced by the BATFE. If you encounter such a marking, then that should enable you to learn more about your rifle's history.

Good Luck!

J.B.

[fjruple]

If the Springfield came from the Philippines, it would have been been from US forces. The Filipino forces were primarily armed with the M1917 rifles. A little short of 250,000 were captured by the Japanese who used them to arm their own forces. When the US recaptured the Philippines, US forces burned the M1917s which technically was propriety of the Philippine government. US Forces quickly rearmed the Philippines with the latest US arms, the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, BAR, etc. While an interesting M1903, you know the old adage, don't buy the story buy the gun.

[highpower3006]

IMO it's hard to establish any sort of real provenance on rifles shipped to the Philippines prior to WWII. I have a '03 that I can say that the stock was there, but as for the rest of the rifle, there is just no way to tell. My '03 is early 1906 vintage and has been rebarreled with a 1919 Avis barrel. It has a early high wood stock that has had both stock bolts added. The original cartouche is barely a ghost and it has a "BA-W" stamp from Benicia Arsenal. Over that is a POD-D cartouche from the Philippine Ordnance Depot, which was closed in 1942 as the Japanese closed in on Manila and was never reopened. As I see it that dates the stock to being there after 1-19 and prior to the invasion in 1941. I would like to believe that the entire rifle went there sometime after having been reworked at Benicia and them somehow came back.




Nevertheless, you got a good deal on that rifle for what you paid.

[Mike D]

If the Springfield came from the Philippines, it would have been been from US forces. The Filipino forces were primarily armed with the M1917 rifles. A little short of 250,000 were captured by the Japanese who used them to arm their own forces. When the US recaptured the Philippines, US forces burned the M1917s which technically was propriety of the Philippine government. US Forces quickly rearmed the Philippines with the latest US arms, the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, BAR, etc. While an interesting M1903, you know the old adage, don't buy the story buy the gun.

"US forces burned the M1917's"

Please cite your references on this! Interesting statement that I would like to learn more about.

Mike

[fjruple]

"US forces burned the M1917's"

Please cite your references on this! Interesting statement that I would like to learn more about.

Mike

Mike-- I will have to check which source that came from. I further understand the destruction really pi**ed off the Philippine Government as it was their property.