Has Anybody Heard of This Rifle?

[usmc69]

Springfield
1903
30-06
Serial # 355979
Sub Target
1 of 300
$1199.99

A friend saw this in a gun shop near his home. Any ideas as to which if any 03 it may be?

[louis]

This is working off my memory but I believe they were mounted on artillery pieces. Not sure what type of artillery but they didn't have a stock. But they were removed at a later time and converted back to rifles. Now like I said I'm going by memory but maybe someone has a better explanation. I believe they were stamped as 1903-A2

[m1903rifle]

Not listed in SRS so it might be hard to prove unless there is a list of them somewhere:

355973 04/18/31 USMC
356132 12/31/29 AMERICAN TRP SHANGHAI VOL CORPS

[louis]

Here it is. Go to 1903.com look up 10 oddball 03 variants and not only is it listed but there is also a photo of the marked receiver.

[usmc69]

Thanks for the info. Will pass this along.

[Ironlip]

Here it is. Go to 1903.com look up 10 oddball 03 variants and not only is it listed but there is also a photo of the marked receiver.

Louis, I went to 1903.com and got a company called Weingarten that manufactures jewelry and insignia, some of it military, but I can't find anything about 1903's. Am I just not searching it properly?

[Rick the Librarian]

I tried it and got the link all right:

http://m1903.com/odd1903/

[Ironlip]

I tried it and got the link all right:

http://m1903.com/odd1903/

AH HAH! Got to have the m in front of 1903. I remember these guys. Great site! Thanks Rick

[louis]

Thanks for fixing that Rick

[butlersrangers]

Maybe this model 1903 Springfield was altered for use on a Cumming's Sub Target Gun Machine?

Brophy's, "The Springfield 1903 Rifles", shows this system/device, which was a 'shooting simulator' in use before and during WW1. It was used on adapted Krags, Lee-Enfields, and 1903 Springfields.

"Sub Target" refers to a miniature target that was needle punched by the apparatus, while the adapted rifle was aimed and 'dry-fired' at a 2nd distant target. (The expensive, $800 plus, training machine worked kind of like a pantograph).

The machines used in the U. S. used a mechanical/cable linkage. The machines used by Britain and Canada used a battery, trigger activated switch, and solenoid.

These machines were later simplified and eliminated by the use of compact devices that did not require permanently altering and destroying the usefulness of a rifle.

strm-'03-Mech..JPGstrm-post-ed.jpgsub-target gun-Ca-1904ed.JPGofficialhandbook08publ_0084.jpg