A WWI relic 03...

[Fred]

Here's something interesting. It appears to have suffered an impact from artillery.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Orig-WWI-US-1907-1903-Springfield-Relic-Artillery-Struck-Ground-Found-WW1-USMC-/131238977457

[ebeeby]

That'll buff right out....

[John Beard]

The rifle doesn't appear to have suffered an artillery impact. It's more like a demilitarization. When troops on the move captured enemy weapons, they hastily demilitarized them by removing bolts, wrapping them around trees, bending them over rocks, etc. The rifle appears to have suffered one of those fates, perhaps at the hand of an enemy.

J.B.

[Allen Humphrey]

Wonder if it is loaded?

[TDP0311]

If it was tied to a certain battlefield, and not possibly bubba's backyard, that would be enticing for me. But like JB says, it definitely looks as if it was demilitarized.

[TDP0311]

The more I look at it, I can definitely make out 2X2850, but possibly 12X2850, which would obviously DQ it from being an "authentic WWI relic" as described.

[fjruple]

I remember seeing a lot of Springfield M1903s like that being found after the Dover NJ Ammunition Depot explosion in July 1926. I believe they have one or two of them on display at the Picatinney Arsenal Museum. The museum director indicated to me that they were still finding unexploded ordnance and Springfields into the 1950s and 60s. The explosion at the time caused about $80,000,000 worth of damage which was a lot at the time and killed a number of folks.

--fjruple

[Emri]

Hard to tell with all the rust but the muzzle looks like a WWII flat crown.

[Jeff L]

A wire wheel will clean that right up.

[Dave in NGA]

At what point does a 'firearm' become a 'relic' and no longer subject to the rules for 'firearm' transactions?

[John Sukey]

I have a Lee Enfield that looks like that, but it was found on the Somme. The barrel is also bent at an angle on mine.

[jaie5070]

That rifle reminds me of the guns we pulled out of our mobile home after it burned to the ground. That one looks as if it has been exposed to more moisture after the event.
john

[JBinIll]

Could have just as easily have been in a house fire in Secaucus,New Jersey too.LOL I gotta watch this one.

[TDP0311]

An Enfield from the Somme... thats incredible.

[Fred]

I have a GEW 98 that was picked up from the body of a German soldier in a trench at the Somme by my wife's first father in law. Her first husband was a lot older than her. It must've been the 2nd battle?


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/GEW1.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/GEW1.jpg.html)


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/GEW3.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/GEW3.jpg.html)


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/Gew5.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/Gew5.jpg.html)


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/GEW2.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/GEW2.jpg.html)

[rayg]

The rifle doesn't appear to have suffered an artillery impact. It's more like a demilitarization. When troops on the move captured enemy weapons, they hastily demilitarized them by removing bolts, wrapping them around trees, bending them over rocks, etc. The rifle appears to have suffered one of those fates, perhaps at the hand of an enemy.

J.B.

I read once that a US soldier was killed when he was holding a enemy rifle by the muzzle as he slammed it against a tree to disable it. But there was a live rd in the chamber and it went off from the impact and killed the soldier.

[Dick Hosmer]

Likely anecdotal/apocryphal, but slamming a strange rifle, with bolt closed and cocked, against a hard object while holding it near the muzzle, would seem to be the height of foolhardiness.

[Liam]

Tripple heat-treated. Safe to shoot. Phew!

[jmcjr]

I bought a Kar 98 off ebay 15 years ago, just a barreled receiver bent by an impact, safety is still on, most likely still loaded, gent said he found it near the far side of Belleau Wood, meaning side away from the Marine assault, probably a reserve unit under fire from arty or later in the battle. Sent me a drawing of where, lost it along the way. I also have a 1888 rifle & bayonet marked for the 110R Regt who faced the Marines at Belleau Wood, no import marks or turking, all matching, combat damage evident on stock.

[tmark]

At what point does a 'firearm' become a 'relic' and no longer subject to the rules for 'firearm' transactions?

I would say when the firearm is demilled.