M1903 NRA Sporter with Cocking Piece Sight

[Promo]

I recently came across a M1903 NRA Sporter which caught my attention, though I had said to myself I do not need a second one. The reason was not only that it had a cocking piece sight, but also that the stock obviously has not been inletted for the Lyman 48C rear sight! This stock does not bear any markings (at least not on the outside, or I have not found them yet), but also looks to have never been refinished or plugged.

Could it be that they simply pulled out a new stock when the buyer had told them he wants to use a cocking piece sight, and therefore it's lacking any markings? Or would the whole stock be a reproduction?

SRS lists this rifle as being sold on 22nd of June 1926 - would I still get an SRS letter for this rifle?

[Promo]

Second and last set of pictures.

[psteinmayer]

We've seen this occasionally on Krags. It's interesting, but I think it would be a little unnerving when the firing pin drops. Also, I would think it would affect accuracy from shot to shot as the striker would move a hair from shot to shot!

[JimF]

Not to "rain on your parade", but . . . . .

Those cocking-piece rear sights were never much of a success because they reduce the "lock time" on an already slow striker assembly, and, on the '03, the tolerance between the bolt sleeve and the firing-pin rod are too sloppy for precision shooting.

Granted, the rifle looks GREAT . . . .and if it were mine, I'd look for another FP rod and install a Lyman 48 in the already D & T holes.

Keep in mind, the later 48's did NOT require any notching of the stock . . . the sight base is relieved around the wood! --Jim

[chuckindenver]

this rifle looks to have been special ordered with a 1903 rear sight base, stock is likely a replacement, the stock was available for 7.50 at the time,
nice looking rifle.

[Promo]

It probably was not clear, but I already own this rifle. It was purchased half a year ago for probably half what these rifles usually bring. And I do not plan to use it for shooting, therefore there is also no need to place a Lyman 48C on it. And even if I wanted to, as mentioned I have another NRA Sporter which has the original sight on it.

Would the original SRS letter unveil whether this rifle was sold in exactly this configuration?

[Mike D]

1903 rear sight base? Install a Lyman receiver sight?

This rifle is unique, with the stock and rear sight. I would never change a thing, on a rifle like that. Thanks for sharing!

Oh, and definitely get a letter!

Mike

[barretcreek]

Please don't be insulted by what I say. Interesting but a bubba solution. Very good 'smith here showed me his personal '03 for which he had completely manufactured a bolt shroud for the sight base. Which is how the English did with Mannlichers and Mausers they sold. I'm certainly not an expert and I would treasure that rifle but it ain't a Griffin and Howe product.
Just as with the '03 sporter I posted a while ago. Back then there were '03, Mauser, P17 and SMLE actions to work with and there were a lot of different results which we look at today and the pros and cons are more clear.

[StockDoc]

I would not of thought that, that is nifty! That looks really nice!

[Cosine26]

For Promo
Here is some information about Sporter Stocks that you might find interesting. It was possible to order Sporters without stocks or with special stocks, I believe. The cocking-piece sight was a favorite of some, but not for Capt. Crossman. You could also , at one time, order Sporter parts and assemble your own. I believe that these might be identified as such in the SRS books which I do not hold.
Sporter Stocks
The following information is excerpted from an article entitled “United States Rifles, Caliber .30” by Lt. Col Townsend Whelen which appeared in the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN magazine in August 1934. According to the information provided, LtCol Whelen was the Ordnance Officer of the Seventh Corps Area.
SPECIAL STOCKS
* The D.C.M. price list includes certain stocks available for sale to members of the N.R.A. The old style service straight-grip stock, the pistol-grip stock type C and the “Stock Assembly, cal .30, SA 6597 “ for the Style T rifle, have already been described, and are for replacement purposes on standard rifles.
* The “Stock assembly, cal .30. SA6595.” Is the N.R.A. sporting-type pistol-grip stock which was standard on the above U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903 N.R.A., now obsolete. The similar stock SA6596 is intended for the same rifle where the owner desires to replace the Lyman No. 48 with some other sight and objects to the cut in the stock *The “Stock, assembly, cal. .30 SA6598,” is the pistol-grip sporting-type for the service and National Match rifles. When the standard stock and the rear-sight fixed base are removed from these rifles, this stock can be substituted. The similar stock SA 6599 is intended for such use when the standard rear sight and fixed base are to be retained. In this case the owner will usually desire to fit some form of walnut hand guard between the rear sight fixed base and the lower band, and the standard military lower band (Band, lower) should be used to retain the hand guard in place. With all other sporting stocks the appropriate one of the special bands should be used, the band not being included in the price of the stock.
*When the member desires to convert the service or National Match rifle to sporting type, and he removes the standard stock and hand guard, he finds that the exposed surface of the barrel is rather rough. If he further removes the rear-sight fixed base, he finds that the barrel under it is not blued, and is rough in shape. It is usually customary to have a gunsmith polish and blue this unsightly barrel. When this is done, the barrel grooves of stocks SA6598 and SA 6599 will not fit. Therefore “Stocks,, assembly cal. .30, SA 6600 and SA66012 have been provided, having narrow barrel groves which a gunsmith can channel cut to fit the refinished barrels.
*Note that the price of a stock includes the walnut stock only, and does not include the lower band, lower band swivel, lower band screw, butt swivel, butt swivel screws (2), , butt plate, or butt, plate screws(2) and these must be ordered separately. The old- style service straight-grip stock, and the Type C pistol-grip stock, use the “Plate, butt, assembly,” and the sporting type stocks, including the Style T, use the “Plate, butt, M1922(Sporting.”)
* I am sure that the above information is well known to the M1903 experts but hope that it will provide some insight into how the Ordnance Department supported NRA member back in the 1930’s.
* Incidentally it ws about this time that the “Sporter” was discontinued but the ordnance department indicated that they would maintain a supply of spare parts for five years. Later it was announced that these spare parts would only be sold to individuals who had previously purchased a “Sporter.”