firing pin rod cocking/decocking knob

[milboltnut]

Hey fellas,
I'm guessing this knob was derived from the SMLE?

I don't remember reading about it anywhere even in Hatchers notebook.

Thoughts?

[psteinmayer]

The knob for the 03 was a carryover from the Krag.

[milboltnut]

how could I miss that?? LOL thanks

[chuckindenver]

it was flared at the end to deflect hot gas away from the shooters face if it suffered a case head failure.

[milboltnut]

so between Hatcher drilling a hole in the receiver and the knob being tapered, that took care of the possible ruptured case.

I heard the cutaway (that is also clearance for the thumb, stripper clip charging) ahead of the stripper clip charger bridge acts as a diversion for gas escape too??

[dave]

That small flare on the knob would do little to deflect gas, it is more of a 'grip' so it can be pulled back and lowered. The 1898 Mauser used a large flange around the front of the bolt shroud but as the '03 was copied from the 1893 Spanish Mauser it does not have that feature.

[Darreld Walton]

The primary purpose of that flare is to direct gas from a pierced primer from blowing back into the shooter's face. It was NOT designed primarily as a way to "de-cock" the rifle. To do that, ensure the chamber is empty, pull the trigger and close the bolt. That function can be done one-handed (if you're right handed, it's much easier).
Remember that if the firing pin is lowered (by ANY method) against a chambered cartridge, the end of the firing pin rests against the primer, with spring pressure. Almost any bump, from dropping the rifle, or against equipment, could, and likely would, cause a discharge! Pulling the knob, and then the trigger, and lowering the firing pin is akward, AND dangerous. The only scenario where I could see it (the flare) being used to re-cock the rifle is in the event of a failed discharge. Even then, it's far better to wait a second or two, and then cycle the action to remove the round and reload, or, simply raise and lower the bolt handle to recock the rifle.
To say that the '03 rifle was a direct copy of any Mauser is not exactly correct. The most desired feature of our new rifle was an ability to load via a stripper clip. That meant a new, "rimless" cartridge case, rather than retaining the 30-40, with improved ballistics. The '03 was a mix of features, including the Krag, the Mausers, and other rifles.
There are several design "flaws" that were never corrected in our main battle rifle. It 'needed' a one piece firing rod design, instead of the weaker, two piece affair, it 'needed' a flat breach, a gas shield on the shroud, it did not 'need' a magazine cutoff...and the sights were terrible for a combat rifle.

[dave]

Two main things we copied from the Mauser---Staggered box magazine and the stripper clips. Mauser sued and we paid 200,000 dollars (or was it 20,000?) for the magazine infringement and some pennies each, for stripper clips we made, up to some specified amount. There were other things copied from the Mauser but they may not all have been under patents. The two piece firing pin was probably a design to avoid another patent.
I did not use the word 'direct' in my post. And I did not say anything about lowering firing pin on a cartridge, most likely it was to retry a hang fire or misfire, with out opening the action. The Mauser has this feature also, altho its done with a cartridge rim, no grip on the knob.
We had just fought the SAW and the Mauser was recognized as vastly superior to our Krag, especially the cartridge. Except for the Mannlicher action 'almost' all bolt action rifles made to-day are modified Mauser actions. Rimmed cart. can and are used in stripper clips, there are several examples out there! The '03 needed a "gas shield on the shroud" ? why? it had the flared knob!!!??

[IditarodJoe]

The Springfield 1903 rifle was based concepts, and modifications of concepts, taken from many, many other arms that came before it. Same is true of Mauser's rifles. Far too much is made of the notion that Springfield "copied" Mauser's design. If you take either a Springfield or a Mauser and strip away everything that wasn't wholly invented by Paul Mauser, you'll be left with little to nothing.

[Darreld Walton]

The whole discussion about the true purpose of the firing pin rod flange reminds me of an old joke I once heard. Something about a Brit, a Frenchman, and a Pole discussing a flange on that one part of the human male anatomy. One claimed it's purpose was for the man's pleasure, the second's remark was that it provided pleasure for the woman, and the third guy said "it keeps my hand from slipping off"......
Please, have a nice day.

Tact has never been one of my strong suits. Gotta do something about that......