Guns International #: 102529453
Seller's Inventory #: 2312-0068

Category - Springfield Rifles - 1903 - Military Rifles - US

Category
Springfield Rifles - 1903
Military Rifles - US

Springfield Model 1903 Low-Serial Number (1906) WW2 Rebuild with Sling, Cleaning Kit

Description:
The Model 1903 Springfield rifle was designed to replace the U.S. Army’s Krag Rifle in service. It was built around the one-size-fits-all concept, and so did not have a cavalry/artillery specific model as did the Krag rifle. The M1903 was originally chambered for the .30-03 cartridge, which featured a 64.5mm long case and a 220gr round-nosed bullet. With the introduction of the German 8mm S Patrone and its 154gr Spitzgeschoss or Spire Point Bullet, the US had to follow suit and by 1906 the .30-06 was born (with its 150gr spitzer bullet and slightly shorter 63mm case length). As the Springfield was essentially a Mauser 1898 with a small ring receiver, royalties were paid to Mauser up until the U.S. declared war on Germany in 1917. By the time the US entered WW1 in 1917, 843,239 M1903 rifles had been produced at the Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal.
Prior to the entry into war, it had been discovered that the production of the M1903 utilized questionable metallurgy. Some of the receivers constructed using the single-heat-treated method using case-hardened steel were improperly subjected to temperatures well above what was required during the forging process. Essentially, the carbon would be “burnt” out of the steel, resulting in an exceptionally brittle receiver. Contrary to popular belief, while there is documented evidence indicating some early receivers were improperly forged, actual cases of receivers self-destructing were very rare. Although some cases of serious injury resulting from a receiver failing during firing are documented, the U.S. Army never reported any fatalities. Indeed, a large number of the failures were not solely due to the quality of the receiver’s construction, but in fact to what was being loaded into the rifle. Some of the failures were linked to the use of incorrect cartridges such as the 8x57 Mauser. There is also evidence that Winchester may have significantly overloaded some of the .30-06 ammo they produced during the war. Nonetheless, pyrometers were installed in December of 1917 to more accurately measure temperatures during the forging process. The process of heating and quenching the steel was changed as well. This change was made at serial number 800,000 for rifles made at the Springfield Armory and at serial number 285,507 at the Rock Island Arsenal. Rifles with serial numbers lower than 800,000 are commonly referred to as “low-number” 1903s and while those above are termed “high-number” 1903s. The high-number 1903s are said to have been “double-heat treated” which refers to the newer heating/quenching process. Another change was made at serial number 1,275,767 with the introduction of nickel steel, replacing the WD 1325 steel used previously. While the likelihood of failure was low, the low-number 1903s still posed a potential safety risk, and the Ordnance Department withdrew as many of the low-number M1903s as they could find and stored them away. During World War 2, however, the urgent need for rifles resulted in the Ordnance Department’s decision to rebuild and reissue many of the low-number Springfields as well as the high-number ones. Sadly, as is usually the case with rebuilds involving large numbers of guns, the bolts tended to become mixed up during the process. However, telling the difference between a high-number bolt and a low-number bolt is easy. The original low-number bolt features a bolt handle which points directly downward or perpendicular to the length of the receiver. High number bolts, however, feature a bolt handle that is swept backwards at a slight angle. While some of the early high-number receivers came with the vertical bolt, NONE of the low-number receivers came with a swept-back bolt handle when they were originally built. Another major change made to the low-number guns during rebuilding was the replacement of the original straight-grip stock with the newer “Type C” wooden stock with pistol grip. As the rifles were required to be sent out as quickly as possible, the work done for the Type C stock to fit a low-number gun was usually a little crude, with small gaps between the tangs (upper and lower) and the stock itself. The original barrel might also be replaced with a newer one during the rebuild.
The rifle shown here is of course one of the low-number rifles rebuilt during World War 2. The receiver was built originally in 1906, the year the .30-06 Springfield and its spitzer bullet replaced the older .30-03 and its 220gr round-nosed bullet. The wear and tear on this rifle is consistent with one that has been used overseas. The barrel was a replacement made by Springfield Armory in July of 1942. The bore of the barrel is in good shape; there are a few miniscule spots of pitting visible near the muzzle, but they are mostly shallow and should not have that much effect on the accuracy of the rifle. The bolt is unsurprisingly a high-number type, given the swept-back bolt handle. The Type C stock has dings and a few dents here and there, and there are gaps behind the receiver tangs although the lower gap is smaller than the one on the top. Please see the pictures. The receiver is in no way loose in the stock, but the appearance is certainly unusual for a an M1903. The letter “K” is stamped into the recess for the magazine cutoff switch. This is the only stamp that can be visibly seen on the stock, so it is likely the stock was refinished at some point. The buttstock has a slim crack on the right-hand side that does NOT appear to have passed through to the other side. Repairing this should be fairly straightforward. The receiver, thankfully, has NOT been drilled and tapped. The condition of the 03’s finish is what would be expected of a rifle that saw service during wartime. There is a set of scratches on the rear sight collar. The rifle appears to have been cleaned of any rust on the external surfaces. There is a cleaning kit tube in the butt stock storage space. The leather sling is stamped “Hoyt 1917”, and its appearance encourages the belief that it is at least original to the era if not original to the rifle.

SOLD

Rifle Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Manufacturer: Springfield Arsenal
Model: Model 1903
Serial Number: 166396
Bore: Rifled, 4 grooves, 1:10 inches (1 in 254 mm) RH twist
Ejectors: Manual ejection via operation of the bolt
Condition: Used - Good
Barrels: Nickel steel
Barrel Type: WW2 4-groove type
Action: Bolt action, Mauser ’98-style action with CRF
Triggers: Standard M1903 trigger
Stock: Type C wooden stock
Fore End: Wood
Butt Pad: Metal plate with trap door
LOP: 13.0 inches (330 mm)
Finish: Parkerized
Weight: 8.0 lbs. unloaded
Sights: M1905 Ladder type rear sight, blade front sight, sight radius 21.625 inches (549.275 mm)
Manufacture Date: 1906