USMC assembled M2 .22 service rifle?

[champ0608]

I'm thinking I may have found something fairly unique here.

For years I've been looking for an M1922/M2 .22 Springfield with a rear sight base installed, so I could turn it into a replica .22 M1903A1 sniper type rifle. I found this one on gunbroker recently, won it without any counterbids, and was more than happy to have a new project.



When I got it I quickly noticed it had a USMC type "stippled" buttplate, and a 1940 USMC contract type S stock, indicated by the "S 0" in the mag cutoff well.




And then on a whim, I popped off the handguard, and found typical USMC vise marks on the barrel. I think I may have found an actual USMC M2. Anyone ever hear of such a thing?

[RCS]

You did neglect to show a barrel date and serial number in your posting. Some years ago when the CMP was selling M1903 actions with poor bores for $100 shipped, I bought one, then had a quality 22 rim fire liner with rear extension installed. Also bought a nice M2 RF bolt from a dealer in Ohio. Then I made some scope mounts to use an old Lyman 4x pre war scope, used a Unertl rear mount but the Lyman rear mount was better for this project. Rifle shows potental for accuracy and will test at 50 yards.

The punched 1903 butt plates are around, not really a rare part, stocks are becoming more difficult now. I would think your example was put together

[champ0608]

You did neglect to show a barrel date and serial number in your posting.

Oh I didn't know it was essential for me to provide that information.

M2 serial number 8523, barrel date 4-37.

I could certainly see it being built. A marine style buttplate on a Marine stock isn't that surprising. But to see those traits coupled with vise marks on the barrel, something that would be avoided by a modern gunsmith, is surprising to me. Who knows?

[Jakeroub]

I believe it is surmised that the USMC barrels with vise marks were all installed at the same depot at approximately the same time as a part of a specific rebuild program in the early days of WW2. The experts claim they can validate the vise marks as they were all made with the same vise and exhibit a certain pattern.

The oddity here is this being a .22 barrel. I think if it is legitimately a USMC built rifle, there would be other known examples with similar characteristics. There is one expert on the M2 rifles who goes by ESWL (I think) on the CMP forums.

[champ0608]

My friend Steve Norton posted these on the gunboards forum. This came as a shock to me. I had certainly never heard of these rifles before. But the Marines did in fact build rifles like this prior to WWII. The way I read the document, as of October 1940, they had already built 146 such specimens and were ordering another 300 built. To me this furthers my belief that this may have been a Marine build.

[Jakeroub]

Nice!