Identity of buttplates?

[Rick the Librarian]

A friend of mine got a number of these buttplates. At first glance they have the look and fit of M1903s but as you can obviously see, they have no "trapdoors". Although a similar shape, they also don't fit over a M1903 or M1917 (the shape for a M1903 is similar, but the screw holes don't line up. Obviously not M1 or M14.

They have a charcoal-type finish, like you see on late WWII parts.

Any clues?

http://www.fototime.com/5340B7468D73C15/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/255CDA0D1FBD9D5/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/AF74FF2300514E4/standard.jpg

[Dan Shapiro]

Trapdoor?

[m1903rifle]

Parris-Dunn ( or similar ) trainer????

[Rick the Librarian]

Someone on another website suggested they might be made in S. America for very late M1 stocks. Doesn't seem likely. The buttplates (he has several) are virtually brand new.

[RCS]

Rick, I said that there were buttplates "also" made for the M1 rifles without checkering and without a trapdoor that had the same appearance and color as your 1903 buttplates in your photos. Springfield Sporters Inc also listed the plain M1 buttplate in their parts list. You would have to check with them if there was a plain 1903 buttplate also listed. The plain M1 buttplate was from South America

[Rick the Librarian]

They were obtained (about two dozen of them) with some M14 parts my friend got. Guess I'll keep looking.

[Dick Hosmer]

Trapdoor?

No, and not Krag, either.

[m1903rifle]

http://user.pa.net/~the.macs/USTR

[Rick the Librarian]

Somebody else suggested that, too, but these training rifles were made during WWI and these buttplates look almost brand new.

[Rob W.]

I had a bunch of those a year or two ago and sold them to a guy at a gunshow (maybe your buddy). They came in a box of 03 parts from ROTC or school drill rifles.

[chuckindenver]

as i said....Mark 5 drill rifles..