An interesting 1903 Sporter, any new SRS info?

[pmclaine]

A few years ago a coworker told me he wanted to get into riflery so I took him to my honey hole gun shop.

He isnt into the as issued milsurps as I am so I wasnt sure what we would find for him.

Sitting in the 03 rack was this Rock Island 1903 sporter.....




The interesting bit....


An old SRS check indicates it is in a block of USMC rifles from about the WWI period. Michael Petrov ( )had seen the gun when it was up for auction at Amoskeag but couldnt identify a builder. He was interested in it. My local seller picked it up and my coworker bought it on probably the best advise I ever gave in my life.

It sports a Griffin and Howe mount with a Noske 4X scope. The scope is still super clear and Im told was one of the nicer optics of its day. Interesting thing is the elevation turret seems to be set up for bullet drop. The adjustments are from 1 to 10 which I assume to be 100 to 1000 yards. The low end of the scale the numbers are close together than spread as you move to 10.




One of those guns that I say to myself "Why did I let this one get away from my safe?"

[bruce]

Beautiful rifle! Sincerely. bruce.

[clintonhater]

...One of those guns that I say to myself "Why did I let this one get away from my safe?"

Because you weren't insatiably greedy? Or maybe because you accept the sad fact that you can't take it with you. (A fact disputed by some, or so their greediness would suggest.)

I think the 1935 date precedes its present configuration. The Monte Carlo and white-line spacers suggest to me a post-war build, maybe late '40s, early '50s, when they were all the rage.

[Kurt]

Damn, I love a nice sporter! Thanks for the rush.

[pmclaine]

Because you weren't insatiably greedy? Or maybe because you accept the sad fact that you can't take it with you. (A fact disputed by some, or so their greediness would suggest.)

I think the 1935 date precedes its present configuration. The Monte Carlo and white-line spacers suggest to me a post-war build, maybe late '40s, early '50s, when they were all the rage.

I forget where, maybe the cocking piece, I saw a Remington R stamped. Post war would make sense but the Noske and the red butt pad (I looked up the maker once, but cant recall who it is now) I believe might have been more 1930s fare.

[FC-Fan]

This is a rifle, from which it is not only the night worthwhile to dream. Thanks for the pictures!

Best regards fro, Germany!
Thomas

[clintonhater]

Checking zero today on this Noske 2-1/2 X mounted on an "improved" Springfield built 1939. This was the "forward" mounting position recommended for this long eye-relief model by Whelen, Crossman, and others. Might not work with the 4X. Anyway, scope can't be moved further back without bolt hitting ocular.IMG_2718.jpgIMG_2720.JPG

[Herschel]

I agree with clintonhater about the mounting of the long eye relief scopes. Mounting the scope so that the bolt handle was behind the ocular lens precluded having to grind away part or the bolt or bending down the bolt handle for scope clearance. I believe the stock that is now on the rifle was not on it when the metal was modified into sporter configuration. It appears that the bolt handle was bent down after the stock was checkered as the notch for the bolt handle cuts into the checkering. Regardless, this is a nice rifle.

[Shooter5]

Gorgeous stick! I would have snapped it up in a flash! Please take it out long range and report results.