Introduction and a bit of history

[pmclaine]

Bet it shoots nice someone put some effort into it.

Id leave as is its part of its history in its present state but......its not my rifle and its your property to do with as you wish.

Shoot it first though you may not want to mess with the magic if it shoots well.

Enjoy the memories it brings you.

[Randy A]

Just out of curiosity did you remove the hand guard and check for a star gauge number? I've seen late SA barrels with the goofy crown like that before and I know it's a late date for star gauging, but I'm curious about this one.

[Rick the Librarian]

If there is a star gauge number on a 1942 barrel, it is also a fake. NO star gauge barrels were manufactured in 1942 - PERIOD. Keep in mine there will be a steel lot code number, which appears on nearly every M1903 barrel, which is totally different. In my early days of collecting M1903s, I came across an early 1917 rifle with a correct barrel with a star gauge "star" - obviously, a fake.

[PeteDavis]

But perhaps done by a smith with no ill intentions. The rifle overall looks like it would perform well as intended. The other alterations and serial take it out of the running as a NM anyway. I like it, remember these rifles in the many thousands were altered heavily by the civilian public, each represents a different kind of history which was putting the M1903 to work on the home front in peaceful times. Shoot, enjoy, covet and shoot again I say.

PD

[maj75]

Thanks for the comments.

I'm having an issue with the original rear sight. The windage knob turns a few turns but doesn't move the sight itself. From what I've read, I have to be able to get the windage of the sight to move to take it apart.

I've turned the windage knob as hard as I can, by hand. I don't want to use anything that may mar the knob. Any ideas are appreciated!

I don't need the factory sight with the Lyman, but I hate the idea of something on the rifle that's not working properly.

[maj75]

Just out of curiosity did you remove the hand guard and check for a star gauge number? I've seen late SA barrels with the goofy crown like that before and I know it's a late date for star gauging, but I'm curious about this one.

I'm going to take it apart next week and see what trigger and other assemblies are hiding under the stock. I will update with any additional markings I find.

[maj75]

Since this is a parts gun, and the stock is a later C stock, any harm in trying to sand off the checked areas of the stock? I realize this will thin the fore end of the stock, but the first C stocks were thinner than the WWII versions IIRC. The checking is not the best, so I would rather get rid of it. The rifle would look better without it IMHO.

[Griff Murphey]

Yes to Pete's comments. I saw many guns like this as a high school kid getting into big bore in the mid 60's. People just wanted to shoot better with what they had. Lyman even made a globe peep front sight for the M-1.

[Kurt]

The Keystone stocks are indeed fat and you do have room to thin them up to an SA C stock profile. Where you will need to take a close look at is the area behind the lower band. If you have enough there to take out the checkering without making the band prouder you can probably do it. I expect you'll have to thin up the hand guard as well. The wrist area shouldn't be a problem. Notice the stock cross bolts and how much they are recessed, you will have to thin the stock the full length, not just where the checkering is. Again, plenty of room to thin there.

Good luck and nice looking gun.

Kurt