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1903 SPRINGFIELD

unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
edited July 2002 in Ask the Experts
A friend suggested I ask the pros so here goes:

Ser. # 883xxx

RIA over flaming bomb at top of barrel

2-19 below flaming bomb

U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1903 on the reciever

Very nice Parkerized finish on the metal.

Stock has the following markings:

224 stamped on the top of the handguard, forward of the rear sight.

Just above the triggerguard are two stampings, both enclosed in boxes. First one reads W.J.S. and the second is S.A. over S.P.G.

Any information greatly appreciated.
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    have 03 springfield ser # 185xxx. I read that there was a stamp on bottom of reciever that signified if the rifle was safe to shoot. there are a bunch of things stamped on bottom of reciever. does anyone know what the stamp put on by armory to signify that it is safe to shoot.Has 1942 barrel 4-groove.
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a 1903 Springfield that has been sproterized with Hoffman Arms parts. I inherited this gun from my great grandfather. It appears to be missing the rear sight. Does anyone know of a place where I might find this piece?



    201212010407041.jpg
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a gun that was given to me by my grandfather. I don't know where he got it, and he doesnt seem to recall, however i can't seem to find a picture of it anywhere.Nor can i find it's value. The only time I've seen one was in the movie Saving Private Ryan. It looked exactly like the gun that the sniper (Jackson) used. It is a Springfield 1903, that I'm sure of, it says it on the barrel. But it doesnt look like any of the 1903's I've seen at gun auction sites or even the ones at the Springfield Armory site. It has an interchangeable scope,and a military strap. As I said it looks just like the sniper rifle in the movie. It has a short stock, and it can use strip clips, with a drop-out bottom. Any help to identify this?
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    US Springfield Armory Model 1903, serial # 22xxxx, dated AV with flaming bomb 12-18, bayonet, straight grip, very good condition. What is the approximate value and does it fall within the serial number range making it safe to shoot?
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi,
    have a 1903, made at Springfield Armory, serial 411xxx, (411K.
    Beautiful rifle, all original. Any idea as to value?
    Thanks.
    PS: even has the cleaning kit in the butt.
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A guy I know asked me to find out about the value of this rifle. Its serial number is 1231145 which translates to a build date of 1921. It was re-barreled on 9-24. Here are a few pics:

    DSC00968_zpsf76f2f37.jpg

    DSC00967_zps8014307b.jpg

    DSC00951_zps686a52ae.jpg

    DSC00955_zps35d4e46b.jpg

    DSC00950_zpsf974ffe8.jpg

    If you need more pictures I can send them to you. I also wanted to mention that it looks like someone taped the barrel for some kind of scope.
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Can anyone explain all the "peeps" and "U" notches on a 1903 Springfield rear sight?? I'd like to shoot this in a Garand match my club holds but have no idea what all that is about. Also, the 1903 I just acquired is in the 460K range serial number. I understand that below 800K they are unsafe due to incorrectly heat treated receivers, but this one is a WWII rebuild with a new 8-42 barrel. Would the army re-barrel an "unsafe" receiver?

    Thanks for the advice
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    unrexunrex Member Posts: 10 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    #916xxx date of mfg. please anyone.
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    OleDukOleDuk Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    UNREX-- That's a low number Springfield which many people these days would reccommend not to use as a shooter. Don't know about the value. The NRA magazine (The American Rifleman) has published much info about these guns. You'll probably get many more informative comments on these rifles from others.
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    FUBARFUBAR Member Posts: 175 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    SN 800,000 and above are the heat treated(safe for modern ammo)ones. The value based off your description right now would propably be $450.00 or less.

    Guns! Guns! Guns!
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    101AIRBORNE101AIRBORNE Member Posts: 1,252 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    unrex,
    Try this site www.jouster.com
    They have a forum on 1903 Springfields.
    Obviously a low number w/ Avis barrel. 101
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    Iroquois ScoutIroquois Scout Member Posts: 930 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Your Model 1903 Springfield was reberrled with an Avis barrel in December of 1918. There is some question as to wehether Avis just roughed the barrels out and they were finished by Springfield or if Avis did the whole job. In 1918 Avis was located at 198 Brown Street,West Haven,Connecticut. From the serial number on the receiver of your rifle,it was made sometime in 1906. Serial numbers for 1907 start with number 269,451. Serial numbers for 1918 start at number 761,758 and end with number 1,055,092. The serial number on your rifle and it's date of manufacture place it in the low number single heat treatment class and should not be used for high pressure loads. This plus the fact that it has been rebarreled and therefore not original would detract from it's collector value.
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    jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Traditional knowledge would say "don't shoot it" however...

    CMP has been selling these with no warnings. Springfield told someone I know who called them that the warning was stupid, that the problem came from poor ammunition in WW1 and only a few rifles ever blew up. So I say shoot it but don't go with any heavy loads, and make sure the barrel is clear.

    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf
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    nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,880 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    CMP includes a booklet entitled "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1903 READ THIS FIRST!" with every M1903. Page 4 states:

    quote:WARNING!
    A serious safety risk is associated with "low-number" receivers. DO NOT FIRE any Springfield Rifle with a "low number" receiver. Such rifles should be treated as valuable and historic items, not "shooters."

    I don't think that CMP could be any clearer. There have been enough documented blowups of low number receivers that I would not fire one; I certainly wouldn't recommend that others do so.

    Neal
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    jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Huh. News to me. I didn't see a warning on their web page or in their catalog so I didn't figure they were issuing one. Seems stupid to let someone unknowingly buy a gun without this info.

    Still, the gun has the same heat treatment the Krag did and people shoot those, with just one locking lug. Which is why I still suspect that it is safe with weak loads.

    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf
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    Iroquois ScoutIroquois Scout Member Posts: 930 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Jonk and I have been through this topic before,about a year or year and a half ago. Enough early 1903 rifles blew up and enough people were hurt to cause the Government to change both the makeup of the steel and the heat treatment procedure starting at serial number 800,000. You can not compare the .30-40 Krag which operates at a chamber pressure of 42,000-45,000 P.S.I. to the .30-06 that operates at a chamber pressure of 50,000-55,00 P.S.I. Also, the Krag has only one locking lug on the bolt,but the rib that the bolt handle is attached to acts as a second locking lug. The decision as to shoot or don't shoot is up to you,but for me I would err on the side of safety.
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    MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,977 ******
    edited November -1
    THE TWO LOW # SPRINGFIELD THAT I PURCHASED FROM THE CMP HAD THE FIRING PIN TIPS GROUND OFF AS WELL AS THE WARNING LISTED ABOVE.
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