View Full Version : Today's photo's of the finaly completed rifle.
Some of you guys might be getting tired of seeing any updated photo's of my rifle, but heck, I'm kinda proud at how it's turned out. It now has all of the correct Rod Bayonet 1903 parts on it. It has the RB trigger guard, butt plate with the match ing numbers on the inside of the trap and the plate, correct safety, trigger, RB bolt, RB extractor and extractor ring, RB front sight cover, early oiler and early RB brush and RB pull through and cord, RB rear barrel band, RB front barrel band, RB front sight cover, RB stacking swivel, bayonet catch spring, etc. etc.
Again, as I've mentioned before, it's also chambered for the original 30-03.
Anyway, I was just down loading the seven photo's that I've just taken out back and wanted to see how they post on the screen. So, enjoy! ...Darn that focus! I can't seem to get it right. Maybe it's because I've got the photo's blown up too large. That's something I'm going to experiment with.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/myrifle3_zps89bf6ec8.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/myrifle3_zps89bf6ec8.jpg.html)
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Fred, looks really nice - but still think you need the hand guard spring with the two rivets (page 18 of the U.S. Magazine Rifle manual)
Yea, I've been thinking about that. I can use a Krag hand guard clip and just make it happen. I'm not sure though what distance from either end of the hand guard to specifically drill for the rivets.
John Beard
08-16-2014, 07:04
Looks good! I like the buttplate! :icon_salut:
J.B. :hello:
Fred,
From the front end of your handguard, go back 6 3/8 inches to the inside clip which is .600 inches long. The rivets are .500 inches apart center to center on the inside
clip. The head of each rivet which shows on the outside is .240 diameter.
You should be able to use something from another rifle or carbine that is close. RCS
Looks good Fred keep posting so some of us can study
Hey, Thanks RCS. I'll getter done now! I really appreciate that information!
Looks good! I like the buttplate! :icon_salut:
J.B. :hello:
Thanks John! Hey, I sure appreciate the original Rod Bayonet parts! Everything fits and looks right now.
Should I do anything with the missing wood on the heel of the butt?
Looks good Fred keep posting so some of us can study
I sure will!
Not many of them around now days. Thanks for the beautiful pics.
John Beard
08-16-2014, 08:41
Thanks John! Hey, I sure appreciate the original Rod Bayonet parts! Everything fits and looks right now.
Should I do anything with the missing wood on the heel of the butt?
I believe I would attempt to repair the piece of missing wood on the heel of the butt. But, i would remove very little, if any, existing wood. I would attempt to make a patch that would fit where the wood is missing. A good place to start would be to scavenge up an old stock that has about the same color. And then cut the patch out of that same location on the old stock. A lot of time and patience would be required to make it fit.
Hope this helps. Good Luck!
J.B.
OK, I'll get to work on that. I've tried wood patch out of a can before and that just won't do. I'll get some walnut and see what I can do. Thanks John.
buttebob
08-17-2014, 06:53
It looks great Fred. Keep those pictures coming.
Very nice. Thank you for sharing!
tom gray
08-17-2014, 05:16
Very sweet! I can only dream
I've looked up Brophy yesterday, he lists a different safety for the Rod Bayonet rifle. Did I look it up wrongly, or do the pictures show a different safety on the rifle which isn't mounted anymore?
Besides that question, my highest envy for that beautiful rifle! Congratulations to it!
I'm happy that you like it Promo! From what I've picked up, while the rifle was still in service, there was a change from the Krag type safety, which also had a concave surface on each side, to the one that we know of today. It isn't known yet just when the old type of square cornered and too short follower was replaced with the type encountered today which was longer and also rounded on the corners and which functioned better. The earliest type of stacking swivel was also replaced by another which although still having the flat on one side also had more metal around the screw hole.
I think that the unaltered rifles with the first type parts must've escaped updates because they were in the hands of individuals who had received them from the Govt. for one reason or another. During the approximate 14 months that the rifles were made, developements must've still been going on at Springfield and Rock Island. Of course I believe that the Rod Bayonet rifles were still coming into the Armory for conversions up into 1910 (anyone please correct me on this time frame)which would've given any armorer time to update any early rifles. I'll look it up in John Beard's and Nick Ferris' book on the subject. I went from not being able to find a single copy of the book to now having 7 new unread copies of it. Ain't that the way is always seems to go?
Rick the Librarian
08-18-2014, 04:38
I heard that one of the largest sources of unmodified RB rifles were those sent as samples to the various state governments.
OK, I'll get to work on that. I've tried wood patch out of a can before and that just won't do. I'll get some walnut and see what I can do. Thanks John.
I've owned a RIA that had several PERFECT patches added to the stock. I wonder if anyone is still around that can do such expert work without the use of lasers or computer guidance.
JohnMOhio
08-18-2014, 07:53
I hear Rick B is good at repair work as well as bringing back an original finish to a stock.
John
Possibly an old time furniture repairman would be helpful.
Fred, you might look for a Bannerman safety, they are around and not worth much but you might want it for your rifle, You have to modify the locking shoulder on the firing pin rod but some use these on restorations
That's an interesting item indeed. I'll keep a look out for one.
John could you explain why you like the butt plate? Is it an early Krag one or another reason? I'm far away from my early 03 that has a krag one on it to compare.
Fred, that rifle is just beautiful! Ray
Ray, I received the butt plate from John in a trade along with some other parts. I'm Thrilled over what I received from him.
I'm glad that you like the rifle! I've never had one and didn't think that I ever would. I was fortunate that this one was overlooked and passed by at the auction. Actually, there was so much other stuff there that the rifle wasn't focused on very well by anyone with much knowledge about that type of rifle. I only saw it after somebody posted something on The Krag Collectors Forum about another gun on the auction site. I started doing searches on the auction lots and came across the rifle. They weren't even sure whether or not it was chambered in 30-06 or 30-03. I took an educated guess and did alright. It is in the original 30-03. I already had the correct and unaltered polished bolt for a RB 03 and so it was just an easy decision to make for me. I asked my lovely wife if I could have it for my birthday and she said yes. It's good to be loved!
I'm resurrecting this old thread to say that I'm going to use one of the two Krag hand guard clips from an old split hand guard to create the clip on the Hand guard for my Rod Bayonet rifle. I finally found an old, already damaged Krag hand guard being auctioned and if I win it, will be able to remove the particular clip that I need without ruining a good solid Krag hand guard. The front and rear clips are differently sized and one of them should be perfect for use on the Rod Bayonet 03. I appreciate the information you gave me on the clip placement RCS!
Six minutes left on the auction.
Won it. So now I can complete my rifle before I die. Of course that's not for some time I hope, but like Forest Gump say's, that's one more thing that I don't have to worry about now.
Dick Hosmer
03-01-2015, 02:11
Looks really nice, Fred!
Hope my M1882 28" barrel Short Rifle with (genuine) triangular rod bayonet turns out half as well.
Smokeeaterpilot
03-01-2015, 04:59
Beautiful pics, was this a rifle you restored you just simply found. Either way it's absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks smokeeaterpilot. The rifle needed just a few incorrect parts replaced with correct ones when I got it. Those I found. It is made from all original parts including an unused though slightly damaged stock and is in 30-03 caliber. I've been waiting 40 years to get one.
Nobody around here I've showed it to knows what it is. The wife doesn't even know what makes it special. I guess value is all in the eye of the beholder like they say.
Looks really nice, Fred!
Hope my M1882 28" barrel Short Rifle with (genuine) triangular rod bayonet turns out half as well.
Thanks Dick! I'd like to see some photos of your short rifle!
Smokeeaterpilot
03-02-2015, 12:26
Thanks smokeeaterpilot. The rifle needed just a few incorrect parts replaced with correct ones when I got it. Those I found. It is made from all original parts including an un issued stock and is in 30-03 caliber. I've been waiting 40 years to get one.
Nobody around here I've showed it to knows what it is. The wife doesn't even know what makes it special. I guess value is all in the eye of the beholder like they say.
Well you did th impossible. It's gorgeous and I'd love to get one but I don't think ill ever be able to afford a 15k rifle, by the time I am I'm sure It will be significantly more than that.
Thanks. I was lucky to have noticed it on an online auction. It went for $2,300.00, which was dirt cheap. Getting the correct rear band was the really hard part and was only made possible by John Beard who happened to have one for trade along with some other parts. Nobody else on the Planet had one available. I already had the correct bolt that had fortuitously come to me on a previous rifle. Those are not easy to get with their original polish on the body and extractor ring with the original extractor. If I get rid of this rifle I'll never live long enough to see another come my way so correct and so cheap. That being said, one day I will sell it along with the others just so our kids, who don't care for it or any of our stuff, don't get a chance to take it down to the local gun shop and sell it for $300.00. You know that happens all the time.
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Smokeeaterpilot
03-02-2015, 06:06
Can you post some pictures of how it started?
Yea, I've got them from when I first picked the rifle up. However the casual observer wouldn't be able to notice a difference. The Parts corrected were nearly identical in appearance to those used to replace them. None of the pictures show any obvious difference. The parts that I replaced with original Rod Bayonet parts were the bolt body and extractor, Trigger, sear, cocking piece, safety, cut off spindle retaining screw, rear sight leaf, butt plate, oiler and cleaning thong and brush, rear band, trigger guard and floor plate, rear guard screw bushing, stacking swivel and bayonet release spring. The original Rod Bayonet parts on the rifle were the Rod Bayonet, stock, Maybe the hand guard, but the jury is still out on that one, early receiver with original 30-03 barrel with Rod Bayonet front sight, Rod Bayonet front band, Bayonet lock and housing. The details of the incorrect parts were so small that one couldn't see them or notice them unless one were holding the rifle and knew what to look for.
With the addition of an original early Rod Bayonet sling, the rifle really came to life and now it emanates magic and sings songs from Valhalla and radiates power... and that's when it's just sitting in a corner in the library! Lol
Here's a photo of the special early brush and uniquely configured brass weight that was designed for use in the Rod Bayonet 03. The cord enters an opening in the Ends of the brass pull through before it's tied into a knot. You can see how the early brush is larger in diameter than the later type. It was good for the chamber, but was a little too big for optimum cleaning of the bore. Being made of boar's hair, the bristles were flexible and had no problem being pulled though the bore by the cord, but it was determined that there ought to be another brush used that fit the bore diameter better.
You can see that the oiler itself is the early 1st type that can often still be found.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/IMG_0098_zpsvvrfbjbo.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/IMG_0098_zpsvvrfbjbo.jpg.html)
Can you post some pictures of how it started?
Smokeeaterpilot, here are the photo's of the rifle when it first arrived. The original stock had been meant as a field replacement and because it had been damaged, it wasn't used. It was probably sold then as surplus. That is the only reason that the stock exists at all today. Otherwise it would've been on a rifle and altered with all of the other surplus Rod Bayonet stocks when the updates of 1905 started. Possibly the stock had been purchased by Bannerman and it found its way into the hands of a collector long ago who was the one who started putting the rifle together many decades ago when there were stil Rod Bayonet parts around.
There can't be many of those Original RB stocks around anymore. That stock alone was worth the price of the rifle in my opinion. Where else can one get one of those today? Nowhere as far as I know.
Anyway, the stock still had blackened oil stains on it and dirt that'd been on it for over a hundred years. I just wiped it off with acetone and oiled the stock. You can still see the initials of the sub inspector of stocks, R.D.Roper whose initials can also be found on 45-70 Trapdoor Springfield and Krag field replacement stocks.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/Whitedog333/RB031_zpsae657837.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/Whitedog333/media/RB031_zpsae657837.jpg.html)
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Besides adding a clip to the hand guard, there's just one more detail of the rifle to change. I've got the right part to put on the rifle or I can alter the part that's on the rifle now. I wonder if anyone else can see it...?
The 1903 cartridge belt and suspenders have arrived for my Rod Bayonet 1903.
I didn't know that the pockets were only meant to hold one five round clip each, for a total of 45 rounds of 30-03. A lot of rounds in the day when this rifle was intended to be fired as a shingle shot with a full magazine of five rounds to be held as a reserve. That theory didn't last very long.
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John Beard
03-13-2015, 07:06
Fred,
Seeing your cartridge belt reminds me. I have the last thing you need to go with your rifle. But I'm not inclined to part with it. Care to guess what it is?
Sorry.
J.B.
Holy Cow John... I'm trying to think of what it could be. :icon_scratch:
It's associated with the cartridge belt... :icon_scratch:... :eusa_wall:... :icon_confused:
No...nothing comes to mind... Now I want one! Whatever it is!...
:sign13:Duh!... Oh My Gosh, have you gotten your hands on a box of 30-03 ammo?!!! :icon_e_surprised: :icon_bounce: :icon_e_surprised:
I obtained another 1903 dated Rod Bayonet 03 sling made by Rock Island Arsenal the other day and after cleaning it and rubbing in Pecard Antique Leather Dressing, I mounted it on the rifle. I couldn't pass it up because it was priced at about half of what it should've gone for. This one is still colored brown.
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Our two Collie pups are about half grown now...
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John Beard
03-13-2015, 10:11
I have an original 20-round cardboard box of Frankford Arsenal Model 1903 cartridges in 5-round clips dated March, 1904.
J.B.
Man, I'd love to have it or the Case of ammo that it came from! Not to shoot, just to have.
Way to go John! That's at least a $600.00 to $1,000.00 item and probably more because they ain't making them anymore.
Rick the Librarian
03-14-2015, 05:34
The sling looks a lot nicer than the repro you had mounted, although it looks like Turner did they usual nice job.
John Beard
03-14-2015, 08:37
Man, I'd love to have it or the Case of ammo that it came from! Not to shoot, just to have.
Way to go John! That's at least a $600.00 to $1,000.00 item and probably more because they ain't making them anymore.
The box pictured in Brophy's book is the only other one I've ever seen or heard of. I consider myself very fortunate to have it.
What I'm missing, and would like to have, is a corresponding box of Frankford Arsenal Model 1906 cartridges.
J.B.
I'll keep my eyes open for such a box of cartridges John.
jerrbear
03-14-2015, 10:21
Fred you are pretty lucky finding components for your prized 03. In regards to your RI sling, is there a date on it. I picked up a sling yesterday and I believe it to be the same as yours. Mine however has 1 newer section added to it as is thicker. From what I can read 1 section is stamped Rock Island Arsenal 1903. It has the slits in it for the button. For a whopping $2.00 I couldn't pass that up!
Yes, 1903 is stamped into it.
jerrbear
03-14-2015, 10:38
Wish I had the rest of it. Second section is a from a standard 1907 sling. It is old and in very nice shape along with keepers. Problem is if I had the complete one as yours I would have to find the gun and you know how easy that is. Very nice piece. You should be proud! We are all filled with envy!!!!!
Oh heck, if I didn't have you guys to share it with, I wouldn't have anyone to show it to out here on the edge of nowhere in the middle of nothin. Except for if I stop the postman or a slick salesman calls or comes by, I don't even get to speak with another human being except my wife for days at a time and she couldn't be less interested in any of the 1903's, except for how much money we have in them and when we plan on cashing in on them. I'm glad that you guys find the rifle of interest.
I wish I was a filthy rich gazillionaire so I could just buy y'all (I'm from Missouri) one just like it.
I'd like to see a picture of your sling!
jerrbear
03-15-2015, 08:33
Here are some pics of my sling. Not as nice as yours. Appears they punched some extra holes right in the stamping. But for 2 bucks I can live with it. Hope these go thru. (New Computer)
That's an interesting sling. Yes, it's a 1907 made from an earlier sling.
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