Richard Turner/Turner Saddlery
03-16-2014, 02:04
Any information on what I have would be appreciated.
M1903 SA Receiver Ser #1032532, Barrel SA 11-18, zinc butt plate with Scant Stock.
I was stationed at MCB, Camp Pendleton, CA, 88-91, and showed the rifle to MGySgt Gus Fisher, who was Chief Armorer, SNOIC at Edson Range. Gus and I were at a local gun show at the time, and he checked the bore and said it measured less than a 1, and that it had not seen much use. The barrel is not stamped as star gauged on the crown. It has the Hatcher Hole on the left side of the receiver, and it appears to have been drilled since you can feel a wire edge to the hole. Crown is near perfect and rifling is crisp. There are no cartouches on the stock, only an "S" stamped where the cut off it located.
History as I know it:
Was given this rifle by my CID Chief Investigator MGySgt M.G. Spain in 1989, while I was working for him at CID MCB Camp Pendleton, CA. (Worked for MGySgt Spain at both Camp Lejeune and Pendleton as a CID Agent). He knew I was setting up at gun shows in Southern Ca, and said if I would help him liquidate several of his Dad's rifles, this one was mine. Sad thing was, one of the rifles was an almost mint Japanese Arisaka, complete with dust cover and the chrysanthemum had not been defaced, which I believe I sold at the Great Western Show for $110, and had a hard time getting that for it. Sure wish I had kept that one since it was a battle field pick up his Dad brought back from Iwo Jima.
Mike said his father Sgt John R. Spain Sr. 1941-1945 was a Distinguished Shooter and either won this rifle as a USMC Trophy Rifle at one of the matches or bought it from the USMC. After his Dad left the Corps, he was a member of the Forbes Rifle & Pistol Club, Albany, NY, and continued to use this rifle in various matches in Albany, NY. I asked Mike about the zinc buttplate and he said his Dad may have replaced it, but was not sure.
Mike said his Dad was at the first flag raising at Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, just before Joe Rosenthal's famous photo. Mike is digging up more info on his Dads military service for me.
I have never fired the rifle, although Mike said his Dad fired it in several 1,000 yd matches after he left the Corps.
Anyway, here are some photos. I don't have a macro lens for this camera, so I hope these will help.
S/F
Richard
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4450_zps6a66af10.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4451_zps6703e836.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4452_zpsfe98c79e.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4449_zps8e5d3086.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4454_zpsac7d44ed.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4453_zpsc25a0ebb.jpg
M1903 SA Receiver Ser #1032532, Barrel SA 11-18, zinc butt plate with Scant Stock.
I was stationed at MCB, Camp Pendleton, CA, 88-91, and showed the rifle to MGySgt Gus Fisher, who was Chief Armorer, SNOIC at Edson Range. Gus and I were at a local gun show at the time, and he checked the bore and said it measured less than a 1, and that it had not seen much use. The barrel is not stamped as star gauged on the crown. It has the Hatcher Hole on the left side of the receiver, and it appears to have been drilled since you can feel a wire edge to the hole. Crown is near perfect and rifling is crisp. There are no cartouches on the stock, only an "S" stamped where the cut off it located.
History as I know it:
Was given this rifle by my CID Chief Investigator MGySgt M.G. Spain in 1989, while I was working for him at CID MCB Camp Pendleton, CA. (Worked for MGySgt Spain at both Camp Lejeune and Pendleton as a CID Agent). He knew I was setting up at gun shows in Southern Ca, and said if I would help him liquidate several of his Dad's rifles, this one was mine. Sad thing was, one of the rifles was an almost mint Japanese Arisaka, complete with dust cover and the chrysanthemum had not been defaced, which I believe I sold at the Great Western Show for $110, and had a hard time getting that for it. Sure wish I had kept that one since it was a battle field pick up his Dad brought back from Iwo Jima.
Mike said his father Sgt John R. Spain Sr. 1941-1945 was a Distinguished Shooter and either won this rifle as a USMC Trophy Rifle at one of the matches or bought it from the USMC. After his Dad left the Corps, he was a member of the Forbes Rifle & Pistol Club, Albany, NY, and continued to use this rifle in various matches in Albany, NY. I asked Mike about the zinc buttplate and he said his Dad may have replaced it, but was not sure.
Mike said his Dad was at the first flag raising at Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, just before Joe Rosenthal's famous photo. Mike is digging up more info on his Dads military service for me.
I have never fired the rifle, although Mike said his Dad fired it in several 1,000 yd matches after he left the Corps.
Anyway, here are some photos. I don't have a macro lens for this camera, so I hope these will help.
S/F
Richard
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4450_zps6a66af10.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4451_zps6703e836.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4452_zpsfe98c79e.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4449_zps8e5d3086.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4454_zpsac7d44ed.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y417/tursad/M1903/IMG_4453_zpsc25a0ebb.jpg