Young FDR with rifle

[Liam]

Photo caption of the young Assistant Secretary of the Navy says he's holding a M1903 Springfield. Looks weird to me. No rear sight ladder, etc.
http://www.historicalfirearms.info/p...eld-1903-seen#

[dave]

Not weird at all, ladder sight removed, peep added, and full length handguard (like an A3) installed. Just a standard rifle modified for target.

[Allen Humphrey]

Certainly not uncommon after the A3 handguard was produced, but I don't recall seeing pictures of a pre-war handguard of that shape. Custom made part? Not an 03?

Somewhere there should be a movie reel of him firing.....notice the camera in the background.

What about the picture below it? 3rd guy on the line is FDR again with the (perhaps) same rifle. Picture taken from the vantage point of the movie camera. "Not an 03" is my guess.

Someone will probably set me straight in about 3 seconds

EDIT--- Discussed before http://www.jouster.com/forums/showth...ight=Roosevelt

[joem]

Can't see any of the current DC bozo's doing something like that.

[chuckindenver]

looks like a Krag handguard modified for a target rifle

[Rick the Librarian]

As I recall, the rifle was equipped with an experimental rear sight. The picture and/or the description is in Brophy.

[Jeff L]

Interesting pics. I vote Krag hand guard as well. I guess straw hats were the "cover of the day".

[Fred]

It has two reinforcing clips on the extended 1903 type hand guard. I say a specially made 1903 hand guard. like a later 03A3 type but predating one of those.