Need some help on a Springfield 1903 H.B. 1932

[Fast996]

I'm going to take a look at this rifle sometime next week and was hoping some RKI's here could point out,what this rifle is actually. I'm interested mainly if it is original the way it sits and if it could be have been produced at the armoury.

If Cosine26 is around can you please comment on this rifle.

The barrel is 28 inches in length and does look like a style "T" type. The bluing does look to be consistent through out,but I'm not a expert at all on these rifles. The stock does have a circle P on the grip.

Has the stock been cut? The serial # is 1417414 so should be a 1932 manufacture. IIRC these Style T rifles were all produced in 1930 and this gun has the standard safety,not the reverse safety. Also it has the headed type cocker which I think would be correct for a 1932 rifle.

I'm not really sure if this is a NM action,maybe others can make that distinction. Is does have a root marked N.S. bolt,but looks to be overstamped. The barrel band does look like the enfield adapted type. The Lyman does not look period correct for the year of rifle.

The front sight does look to be the modified BAR type with a Redfield globe attached.

The gun does not show up on the DCM list.

I have attached several photos.

Thanks in advance.

p.s. someothers on another forum think this is a NM action because of the pin prick mark on the RH rail between the extractor and bolt. It does have the grooved trigger.

[Fast996]

Some other photos

[Fast996]

Photos

[Jeff L]

Nice! Is that heavy barrel?

[Fast996]

Nice! Is that heavy barrel?

Well I haven't seen it in person yet,but by the photo of the barrel at the receiver I would say yes it is.

[Fast996]

Ok I finally talked to a person that knows a little about this rifle. This rifle was bought at Auction buy a Cabelas buyer. The manager collects Springfields and he says that the gun is original,not a parts gun,it hasn't been cut or altered. He said the bluing looks factory. I asked him if the barrel was a Springfield and he thought is was. This does look like a style T,but the serial # is later than 1930. It is a 28 inch barrel and in another post Cosine26 commented that by 1931 the 28's were gone. Just hoping that somebody here that knows about these Springfields can shed further light. If it is a armory gun I would guess that somebody other than the DCM sold and ordered it. Like I said it is not on the SRS list.

Just a question...should I have the stock taken off to check what marks are on the barrel? I ask because the rifle looks to be never taken a part before. Thanks

One little comment...the manager said when the rifle came in customers would just stare at it and ask what it was..he said it was a really impressive looking rifle.

[Ed Byrns]

SA#1417414
Things I know and can see.
The receiver is in a group of "loose NM receivers and barreled actions",where a good number
were sent to G&H for improvements(not this specific serial number)at specific customer requests.
The rear sight assy. is post war with graduations to "90".
The stock work,cut out for Lyman ,is not the work of SA.
Respectfully submitted
Ed Byrns

[Fast996]

SA#1417414
Things I know and can see.
The receiver is in a group of "loose NM receivers and barreled actions",where a good number
were sent to G&H for improvements(not this specific serial number)at specific customer requests.
The rear sight assy. is post war with graduations to "90".
The stock work,cut out for Lyman ,is not the work of SA.
Respectfully submitted
Ed Byrns

Ed,Thank you. OK,I thought the Lyman cutout was not right,so would that point to this rifle not being made at SA? My next biggest concern is the barrel,actually without measuring the muzzle which s.b. .860 and at the receiver 1.25,I am not sure this is a actual Style T barrel. Although it has the correct barrel band and Browning BAR front sight base.

Another thought with the only mark on the stock the "P" proof,would that stock be available as a part?

[John Beard]

My documentation shows no Style T rifles ordered or manufactured in 1932.

The rifle appears to be a Sporter that the original owner had re-barreled with a Style T heavy barrel. The DCM sold six (6) NRA Sporters in a tightly-clustered serial number block, the last of which was less than 60 rifles away. And the SA annual reports show more than 800 NRA Sporters being made 1932-33.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

p.s.,

With the deepening Great Depression, Congress declined to appropriate funds for the 1932 National Matches. Even though rifles for the 1932 National Matches had already been re-conditioned or manufactured earlier that year, the National Matches were cancelled. This probably explains why no new Style T rifles were manufactured.

[Fast996]

My documentation shows no Style T rifles ordered or manufactured in 1932.

The rifle appears to be a Sporter that the original owner had re-barreled with a Style T heavy barrel. The DCM sold six (6) NRA Sporters in a tightly-clustered serial number block, the last of which was less than 60 rifles away. And the SA annual reports show more than 800 NRA Sporters being made 1932-33.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

p.s.,

With the deepening Great Depression, Congress declined to appropriate funds for the 1932 National Matches. Even though rifles for the 1932 National Matches had already been re-conditioned or manufactured earlier that year, the National Matches were cancelled. This probably explains why no new Style T rifles were manufactured.

J.B. I hope you don't mind me picking your brain here. If it is a rebarrel, do you see signs of a reblue? If it is a sporter the leading edge of the receiver should be rounded. I'm not a RKI,can you tell? Thanks

It would make more sense if it was a sporter,that would explain the P proof on the stock. One other poster mentioned he thought it was a NM though....because of the polished raceways and a pin prick mark on the RH rail between the extractor and bolt. After all it might not matter in the end my main concern is that the rifle is mostly original,meaning stock,barrel(springfield) and the action being either a NM or sporter. If the bluing was original,but I would have no good explanation for that.