Pre-WW1 M1903 Eye Candy

[John Beard]

If you look closely, you will see that the rifle is fitted with an altered rod bayonet barrel and the front sight is pinned at the front.

The rifle's receiver was manufactured in 1907, well after the .30-'06 cartridge was adopted. The rifle, therefore, was never fitted with a 1905 rear sight.

The rifle was assembled in 1908 using mostly leftover parts drawn from Ordnance Stores at Springfield Armory. One must remember that Springfield Armory accumulated in Ordnance Stores very large quantities of unassembled parts, including loose barrels and receivers, during 1905 and again during 1906-07. And those parts had to eventually get assembled into complete rifles.

J.B.

[chuckindenver]

after i saved and blew the picture up, i can see the ghost for the pin in front..
like i said, iv been looking at so many parts guns over the last few years of gunsmithing....hard to say on a nice rifle anymore..

[03Rifleman]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it's been my understanding that the upper bbl band had been improved with a steel hardening process beginning sometime in 1910 and was therefore marked with the "H" to identify this process. This rifle appears to have this type of upper bbl band. Good pictures but personally, I would like to see a picture of the sighting index staking of the front sight to the stud on the bbl to see if it's original.

[John Beard]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it's been my understanding that the upper bbl band had been improved with a steel hardening process beginning sometime in 1910 and was therefore marked with the "H" to identify this process. This rifle appears to have this type of upper bbl band. Good pictures but personally, I would like to see a picture of the sighting index staking of the front sight to the stud on the bbl to see if it's original.

The upper band bayonet lug is not conclusively marked with an "H". In addition, I am not aware of documentation affixing the precise date for implementation of bayonet lug hardening.

J.B.

[RCS]

sequence of front sights: left is the rod bayonet, middle is the altered barrel with the pin in front and far left is the standard.

My SA s/n 160963 has a SA 2-07 bbl and the no bolt stock has a non serif P in circle

[03Rifleman]

The upper band bayonet lug is not conclusively marked with an "H". In addition, I am not aware of documentation affixing the precise date for implementation of bayonet lug hardening.

J.B.

I respectfully disagree, the upper band on the rifle in question does appear to me to be marked with a small "H". With "precise date of implementation" aside and if the upper bbl band is indeed hardened and marked, would you consider it to be "period correct" for the rifle?

[John Beard]

I respectfully disagree, the upper band on the rifle in question does appear to me to be marked with a small "H". With "precise date of implementation" aside and if the upper bbl band is indeed hardened and marked, would you consider it to be "period correct" for the rifle?

I stand corrected. I enlarged the upper band photo and the bayonet lug is indeed marked with a very tiny "H". The "H" is considerably smaller than the "H" which appears on later rifles and perhaps may be an experimental or very early marking. Nevertheless, I still consider the upper band to be original to the rifle.

J.B.

[Fred]

Ok, what would you guys say that this rifle would be worth on the collectors market?
Thanks.

John Beard, I tried to send you a PM on this but your box is full

[Fred]

By the lack of a response, I'd guess that there are some of you who are interested in bidding on it. That's cool. I have a good idea what this rifle is worth anyway.

[John Beard]

Ok, what would you guys say that this rifle would be worth on the collectors market?
Thanks.

John Beard, I tried to send you a PM on this but your box is full

An analysis of the bid history shows that the last serious bidder dropped out at $1500. And therein lies a clue!

My Inbox has now been cleaned out some.

J.B.