M1903 NRA Sporter with Cocking Piece Sight

[Promo]

I recently came across a M1903 NRA Sporter which caught my attention, though I had said to myself I do not need a second one. The reason was not only that it had a cocking piece sight, but also that the stock obviously has not been inletted for the Lyman 48C rear sight! This stock does not bear any markings (at least not on the outside, or I have not found them yet), but also looks to have never been refinished or plugged.

Could it be that they simply pulled out a new stock when the buyer had told them he wants to use a cocking piece sight, and therefore it's lacking any markings? Or would the whole stock be a reproduction?

SRS lists this rifle as being sold on 22nd of June 1926 - would I still get an SRS letter for this rifle?

[Promo]

Second and last set of pictures.

[psteinmayer]

We've seen this occasionally on Krags. It's interesting, but I think it would be a little unnerving when the firing pin drops. Also, I would think it would affect accuracy from shot to shot as the striker would move a hair from shot to shot!

[JimF]

Not to "rain on your parade", but . . . . .

Those cocking-piece rear sights were never much of a success because they reduce the "lock time" on an already slow striker assembly, and, on the '03, the tolerance between the bolt sleeve and the firing-pin rod are too sloppy for precision shooting.

Granted, the rifle looks GREAT . . . .and if it were mine, I'd look for another FP rod and install a Lyman 48 in the already D & T holes.

Keep in mind, the later 48's did NOT require any notching of the stock . . . the sight base is relieved around the wood! --Jim

[chuckindenver]

this rifle looks to have been special ordered with a 1903 rear sight base, stock is likely a replacement, the stock was available for 7.50 at the time,
nice looking rifle.

[Promo]

It probably was not clear, but I already own this rifle. It was purchased half a year ago for probably half what these rifles usually bring. And I do not plan to use it for shooting, therefore there is also no need to place a Lyman 48C on it. And even if I wanted to, as mentioned I have another NRA Sporter which has the original sight on it.

Would the original SRS letter unveil whether this rifle was sold in exactly this configuration?

[Mike D]

1903 rear sight base? Install a Lyman receiver sight?

This rifle is unique, with the stock and rear sight. I would never change a thing, on a rifle like that. Thanks for sharing!

Oh, and definitely get a letter!

Mike

[barretcreek]

Please don't be insulted by what I say. Interesting but a bubba solution. Very good 'smith here showed me his personal '03 for which he had completely manufactured a bolt shroud for the sight base. Which is how the English did with Mannlichers and Mausers they sold. I'm certainly not an expert and I would treasure that rifle but it ain't a Griffin and Howe product.
Just as with the '03 sporter I posted a while ago. Back then there were '03, Mauser, P17 and SMLE actions to work with and there were a lot of different results which we look at today and the pros and cons are more clear.

[StockDoc]

I would not of thought that, that is nifty! That looks really nice!

[Cosine26]

For Promo
Here is some information about Sporter Stocks that you might find interesting. It was possible to order Sporters without stocks or with special stocks, I believe. The cocking-piece sight was a favorite of some, but not for Capt. Crossman. You could also , at one time, order Sporter parts and assemble your own. I believe that these might be identified as such in the SRS books which I do not hold.
Sporter Stocks
The following information is excerpted from an article entitled “United States Rifles, Caliber .30” by Lt. Col Townsend Whelen which appeared in the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN magazine in August 1934. According to the information provided, LtCol Whelen was the Ordnance Officer of the Seventh Corps Area.
SPECIAL STOCKS
* The D.C.M. price list includes certain stocks available for sale to members of the N.R.A. The old style service straight-grip stock, the pistol-grip stock type C and the “Stock Assembly, cal .30, SA 6597 “ for the Style T rifle, have already been described, and are for replacement purposes on standard rifles.
* The “Stock assembly, cal .30. SA6595.” Is the N.R.A. sporting-type pistol-grip stock which was standard on the above U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903 N.R.A., now obsolete. The similar stock SA6596 is intended for the same rifle where the owner desires to replace the Lyman No. 48 with some other sight and objects to the cut in the stock *The “Stock, assembly, cal. .30 SA6598,” is the pistol-grip sporting-type for the service and National Match rifles. When the standard stock and the rear-sight fixed base are removed from these rifles, this stock can be substituted. The similar stock SA 6599 is intended for such use when the standard rear sight and fixed base are to be retained. In this case the owner will usually desire to fit some form of walnut hand guard between the rear sight fixed base and the lower band, and the standard military lower band (Band, lower) should be used to retain the hand guard in place. With all other sporting stocks the appropriate one of the special bands should be used, the band not being included in the price of the stock.
*When the member desires to convert the service or National Match rifle to sporting type, and he removes the standard stock and hand guard, he finds that the exposed surface of the barrel is rather rough. If he further removes the rear-sight fixed base, he finds that the barrel under it is not blued, and is rough in shape. It is usually customary to have a gunsmith polish and blue this unsightly barrel. When this is done, the barrel grooves of stocks SA6598 and SA 6599 will not fit. Therefore “Stocks,, assembly cal. .30, SA 6600 and SA66012 have been provided, having narrow barrel groves which a gunsmith can channel cut to fit the refinished barrels.
*Note that the price of a stock includes the walnut stock only, and does not include the lower band, lower band swivel, lower band screw, butt swivel, butt swivel screws (2), , butt plate, or butt, plate screws(2) and these must be ordered separately. The old- style service straight-grip stock, and the Type C pistol-grip stock, use the “Plate, butt, assembly,” and the sporting type stocks, including the Style T, use the “Plate, butt, M1922(Sporting.”)
* I am sure that the above information is well known to the M1903 experts but hope that it will provide some insight into how the Ordnance Department supported NRA member back in the 1930’s.
* Incidentally it ws about this time that the “Sporter” was discontinued but the ordnance department indicated that they would maintain a supply of spare parts for five years. Later it was announced that these spare parts would only be sold to individuals who had previously purchased a “Sporter.”

[Herschel]

The lack of a circle C proof behind the triggerguard indicates the stock was not on the rifle when it was proofed. In addition to the excellent information provided by Cosine26 I will mention that the 1942 Shooter's Bible lists exact replicas of the NRA Sporter stock for sale. I am surprised that no one has mentioned the lack of a serial number etched on the top of the bolt. I can't see one in the photos. On later NRA Sporters the serial number of the rifle was on the bottom of the bolt. The serial number of #1270388 should be on top of the bolt. The WL3 bolt should be correct for the rifle. Perhaps a replacement bolt was obtained also. I would certainly leave the rifle as it is an obtain the SRS sales letter. I have a 1922M1 that the SRS letter shows as having been sold as a barreled receiver.

[Johnny P]

In 1925 the Sporting stock with or without the cut was $5.50 from the DCM.

[Promo]

Many thanks for the lot of information, especially to Cosine and Herschel. I've also received a private message with information of the original purchaser of this rifle.

The shown bolt features the typical NM polishing around the rear locking lug. It's also not the first un-serialized bolt for a NRA Sporter I've seen, therefore this was not a no-go for me. So were ALL NRA Sporters with a serialized bolt only?

This cocking piece is the Lyman 103 cocking piece sight, specifically made for the 1903 Springfield rifle.

Where can I request a copy of the original sales letter?

[Herschel]

NRA Sporter bolts did not have the rifle serial number on them until 1924. I am not sure now and will not look it up if it was early or late 1924. To get the SRS Sales letter you must first be a subscriber to U S Martial Arms Collector magazine. That costs $35 .00 per year. Then the cost of the letter is an additional $65.00. Mailing address is U. S. Martial Arms Collector Magazine and Springfield Research Newsletter, P. O Box 126, Cabin John, MD 20818. Email address is editor@usmartialarmscollector.com.

[gnoahhh]

Practically speaking, those Lyman cocking piece sights worked very well. Accuracy was superb on all the guns I had them on. As for the sight picture moving/going away when you pull the trigger, it all happens so fast you don't notice it. Slow the lock time down? Sure, somewhat, but again not so's you would notice. Real world usage proves the concerns expressed about these sights to be groundless, IMO.

[Pietro Panama]

Not an expert, but Wayne Gagner, SRS, editor US Martial Arms could research and advise.