Springfield Armory M1922 MII Stock Cartouche Question

[1903nm]

Ok, I am no expert, but have a 22 I plan on firing for the first time this week-end. I cleaned the barrel and will pick up ammo tomorrow. I looked at the stock and only noticed a circled P until this morning when I saw with a magnifying glass a star stamped behind the rear swivel. I couldn't find any history on this cartouche for a Springfield. The stock is a straight finger groove stock. The rifle is drilled and tapped but does not have a Lyman rear sight. Would anyone know what this cartouche was for or and if this would be considered a military training rifle, possible DCM sale or something else?

Thank you, especially for the guy here that told me what all types of ammo to try out. I think using a ladder sight will make for a fun sort of day.

[n64atlas]

can you post pics of the rifle?

[1903nm]

My camera is not good at all but I will send one from it.1922.jpg

[m1903rifle]

A M1922 with a M1903 type barrel? It's not a Hoffer-Thompson is it?

[cplnorton]

Ok this has my curiosity peaked, can you post more pics?

[Cosine26]

It looks to me like an M2 that has had a FRSB added and installed in a M1903 Type "S" stock so that the owner could practice with a .22 that simulated a M1903. Not rare, but uncommon. Herschel says that he sees them often at gun shows.
FWIW

[1903nm]

First, I don't believe it is a Hoffer-Thompson. It looks and feels so much like just a regular issued 1903 Springfield. The stock is full length and parts and sights look identical. I tried to upload another picture and the site told me it was too large.

I picked up this rifle at a gunshow for practicing purposes about ten years ago when my son told me that his carbine was too light for him to use in the local Garand/Springfield match. It has just sat in the gun-safe until recently when I got the urge to shoot this thing. I also tried to take a picture of the little five point star cartouche I was questioning but it was too light to show up.

[m1903rifle]

OK......I didn't notice the M2 bolt the first time. Probably the way SA should have made them originally because they would have been a better training rifle ( closer to the M1903 ).

[Herschel]

The Model of 1922 Springfield was created for sale to National Rifle Association members. This is mentioned in the June 1, 1922 issue of Arms and The Man magazine in an article entitled "The U. S. Springfield, Model 1922. Calibre .22". The rifles were shipped to the NRA. They were intended for target and hunting use. The US bought many of them back when it was realized they would be useful for gallery practice In my years of collecting the 1922 Springfield series I have owned a couple and seen a few others that were in either the 1903 or 1903A3 stocks. I have not been able to find any documentation that these in the .30 cal stocks were made up by Springfield Armory or one of arsenals. I agree with m1903rifle that it is certainly not a Hoffer-Thompson. If the barrel has a .22 cal insert it could be one of the Numrich conversion kits sold in the late 1950's. Most likely it is a 1922MII or M2 in the 1903 stock.

[cplnorton]

I almost didn't say anything because I sort of wanted to find one of these first. But Tim Plowman found a Marine Corps document at the archives to build some of these as trainers. They specifically state to convert some M2's, by putting on a rear sight base and sight, and stock them in a service stock.

I can't remember if it states how many they were to convert or what year it was done. But it my memory is right, it was right before WWII or at the start of WWII. If I get bored I will go back and look to see if it says how many to convert and then what the date was.

Now whether this one was done by the Marines or someone else, I doubt there is anyway to know. But some of these were converted and used by the Marines at least.