Suitability of M7 grenade launcher for WWII era 1903

[usmartial1950]

I have a chance to pick up an M7 GL that looks like an original. Can it be used for display with a rebuilt 1903 and is it historically correct in that context?

[Tom in N.J.]

The M7 launcher is for the M1 rifle, the M1 launcher is for the M1903 (& 03-A3). M2 launchers for the M1917 were re-worked and re-marked for use on the M1903 also. Photo, top to bottom, shows early M1 launcher, standard M1, re-built M1, and M2 converted to M1. Note that originals are blued, while converted and re-built are Parkerized.
Early blue M1, la&#11.jpg

[usmartial1950]

Thanks for your input, you were very helpful.

[Tom in N.J.]

M7 launches were modified in Viet Nam to fit the M1903 series rifles, and marked in Vietnamese. They were also done commercially here to fill the need for a launcher at a lot less than M1 / M2 collector prices.

See Bill Ricca's web site for info on launchers. http://www.billricca.com/glpg.htm

[cplnorton]

I have a chance to pick up an M7 GL that looks like an original. Can it be used for display with a rebuilt 1903 and is it historically correct in that context?

I'm sort of reading this as, would a rebuilt M1903 have been used in WWII as a grenade launcher? Otherwise in WWII, were original as manufactured M1903's used as grenade launchers or were rifles that had been been through a rebuild used? You are trying to find if a rebuild M1903 is correct, right?

If you are asking if a rebuild M1903 is historically correct to be used in a display of a WWII Grenade launcher. The answer is Yes. M1903 rifles were rebuilt quite frequently. I have documents that detail that the average time before a rifle needed rebuilt was quite short. I think in several of the documents it details 4 years or less was average.

I know I have a Marine Corps document somewhere from 1926 or 1928, something like that. That details of all the new Marine M1903's received in WWI, only 2000 were left that hadn't been reworked in someway since. That was basically less than 10 years after WWI had ended.

About the only historical thing I have seen on Grenade launching M1903's is with the Marines Corps. They mention they only used high number rifles for grenade launching. Early on they would use any RIA serial and only high number SA. Later it was changed to high number RIA's as well.

But yes a rebuild M1903 would be entirely correct as a period issued WWII Grenade launcher. To me it would be much more correct as a rebuild, than a original as manufactured rifle.

[cplnorton]

Actually re-reading it, I think I read it wrong. Tom did a great job answering it.

[CPC]

Tom, that blued short latch is very nice. Thanks for sharing!

[rayg]

Speaking of rifle grenade launchers' here's a rare bird I have. It's a original 1917 rifle launcher. Almost all 1917 launchers were either sent over seas with the 1917 lend lease rifles or converted to 1903 launchers. Only a few remain in original 1917 configuration and It's still in mint and unissued condt. rayRifle grenade launchers-10-1917.JPGRifle grenade launchers-9-1917.JPG