03A1

[twh]

Would a barrel date of 12/36 be correct for an 03A1 serial number 1,473,472?

[Art]

Wellllll.....

Military production of the M1903 rifle mostly ended about 1929, however replacement rifles were occasionally built out for the military and parts production continued, including spare receivers.

If the receiver was built into an all new from scratch rifle when it was manufactured the date would be 1934-35 and 1936 date would be a real possibility considering there was no real rush to crank out new rifles. The M1 rifle started production in 1936 so Springfield had other fish to fry than '03 production. There is a decent chance that you have an NRA rifle made for commercial sale.

[Emri]

Would a barrel date of 12/36 be correct for an 03A1 serial number 1,473,472?

Yes, it would be. John Beard called that "a very interesting rifle" when he saw it. All Springfield was doing in that time frame was spare parts production. Low number rifles recieved for overhaul would get the recievers replaced, and new barrels if needed, and sometimes there was nothing left of the "original" rifle and the "overhaul" was basically a "new" rifle returned for service.

Your rifle had a WWII Remington A3 stock on it when I bought it and a WWII replacement rear sight. I found a decent pre-war C stock for it and left the sight on it alone.

It IS a very nice rifle!! Why don't you make some pics of it and show everyone?


FWIW,

Emri

[twh]

I will as soon as I get it in hand. Should be here in about two weeks and thanks again for the chance to get it.

[Randy A]

My 1,475,333 has a 6-34 barrel on it. If you're looking for an earlier 34 barrel, send me a PM.

[Kragrifle]

Every time I see this discussion come up I have to reassess what I think I knew. It is my understanding that a few (60K) 1903 A1's were new made around 1938. Receiver dates will be around 1.4 million. The stock will be a new made Springfield C grip stock (although I also thought a Keystone (K in the cut off) stock might also be new made. Barrel dates seem to be 1938 and the inspector will be SA/SPG (Gibbs). The Keystone stock guns will show up with early WWII barrel dates with SA/GAW (Woody) as the inspector and these also may be new-made. Since I own one of each of these rifles I always believed I had two really neat rifles. Am I wrong?

[Emri]

Every time I see this discussion come up I have to reassess what I think I knew. It is my understanding that a few (60K) 1903 A1's were new made around 1938. Receiver dates will be around 1.4 million. The stock will be a new made Springfield C grip stock (although I also thought a Keystone (K in the cut off) stock might also be new made. Barrel dates seem to be 1938 and the inspector will be SA/SPG (Gibbs). The Keystone stock guns will show up with early WWII barrel dates with SA/GAW (Woody) as the inspector and these also may be new-made. Since I own one of each of these rifles I always believed I had two really neat rifles. Am I wrong?

They sound like neat rifles to me. The attached pic is of a 1.5 rifle I have with a '38 barrel.

[Emri]

Didn't put the pic in correctly so it would expand.

[John Beard]

Every time I see this discussion come up I have to reassess what I think I knew. It is my understanding that a few (60K) 1903 A1's were new made around 1938. Receiver dates will be around 1.4 million. The stock will be a new made Springfield C grip stock (although I also thought a Keystone (K in the cut off) stock might also be new made. Barrel dates seem to be 1938 and the inspector will be SA/SPG (Gibbs). The Keystone stock guns will show up with early WWII barrel dates with SA/GAW (Woody) as the inspector and these also may be new-made. Since I own one of each of these rifles I always believed I had two really neat rifles. Am I wrong?

Unfortunately, I regret to advise that you're wrong.

The only "new made" M1903A1 rifles were assembled at an unknown location after the start of WWII using receivers mostly in the 1.5 million range manufactured during the late 1930's along with an assortment of parts. The rifles exhibit unboxed 3-letter inspection stamps with each letter followed by a period. The quantity assembled is unknown, but not very large, probably less than 50,000.

Some M1903A1 rifles were also assembled prior to WWII at Springfield Armory as well as other arsenals and depots in the Ordnance system. These rifles used receivers above S/N 1490000. Although the stocks, receivers, and barrels were mostly new, the remaining parts were refurbished/recycled older parts. So the rifles were not entirely new. Those assembled at Springfield Armory will exhibit a boxed "S.A./S.P.G." or "S.A./G.H.S." (rare) inspection stamp. Those assembled at other arsenals and depots will exhibit the inspection stamp pertinent to that location.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

[Kragrifle]

Thanks John