rcmkhm
01-29-2014, 03:48
I have been trying to find out when the official design change to the rear sight windage and elevation binding knobs that eliminated the groove down the center of the knurling was made and when that change first began to appear in production model 1903s. JC Harrison's book says knobs were knurled and grooved until 1914. Poyer's book states the elevation binding screw with groove was replaced by the same style without the groove and that the new, non-grooved knob "was used during WWI," but provides no dates. His book states that the larger windage knob was grooved from from approximately 360,000 (1909) until 509,000 (1913). Brophy notes the change but I could not find a date. I could find no reference to it any any of my other 1903 books. I have also heard from several other folks that generally say that the bisecting groove was eliminated anywhere from 1912 to 1914. But in Fred Colvin's book from 1917, he notes that the descriptions shown in his book "are those in use during the fall of 1916," and the machining operations he describes and the drawings clearly show the bisection groove on both knobs. I've attached a photo of one of the pages from Colvin's book. That is what threw me for a loop. Any clarification would be appreciated. Chip