Rock Island cartouched stock with S on muzzle end.

[11mm]

I have asked this question before, maybe not here, but I don't think that I have ever gotten an answer.
I have a Springfield 1903 made in 1910, and it has the proper single bolt stock.
Problem is, the cartouche says CN1910. That means the wood was cartouched at Rock Island and is probably not the original stock.
There is an S stamped clearly on the muzzle end of the stock.
The rifle has a 1919 barrel, so it was rebuilt after WW1.
This is the way it came to me. The total wear of the rifle and wood is such that the stock appears to be the one applied at the time it was re-barreled.
I can see the stock being replaced and being nearly correct for the rifle, however not original due to the re-barreling, but there is the S stamping.
Was Springfield making stocks for Rock Island around 1910?

[butlersrangers]

IIRC - The "S" on the stock tip signified it was made as a standard "S" type Stock (and not an 'altered' stock adapted for the .30-03 barrels which were shortened at the breech and re-chambered in .30-06).

I use to have an all original 1913 Rock Island model 1903. It had a "CN-1913" cartouche (Conrad Nelson) and the "S" stamp on the forearm tip. It had nothing to do with Springfield Armory.

It sounds like your stock was 'reused'.

[John Beard]

I have asked this question before, maybe not here, but I don't think that I have ever gotten an answer.
I have a Springfield 1903 made in 1910, and it has the proper single bolt stock.
Problem is, the cartouche says CN1910. That means the wood was cartouched at Rock Island and is probably not the original stock.
There is an S stamped clearly on the muzzle end of the stock.
The rifle has a 1919 barrel, so it was rebuilt after WW1.
This is the way it came to me. The total wear of the rifle and wood is such that the stock appears to be the one applied at the time it was re-barreled.
I can see the stock being replaced and being nearly correct for the rifle, however not original due to the re-barreling, but there is the S stamping.
Was Springfield making stocks for Rock Island around 1910?

No. Springfield was not making stocks for Rock Island around 1910. All Rock Island stocks up through 1913 were marked with a large "S" on the fore end tip. Your rifle's stock is not the least bit unusual in that regard.

J.B.

[11mm]

No. Springfield was not making stocks for Rock Island around 1910. All Rock Island stocks up through 1913 were marked with a large "S" on the fore end tip. Your rifle's stock is not the least bit unusual in that regard.

J.B.

Thank you. So the S evidently has nothing to do with Springfield Armory.

[John Beard]

Thank you. So the S evidently has nothing to do with Springfield Armory.

Springfield Armory stocks up through 1910 were also marked with an "S" on the fore end tip. The Springfield Armory "S", however, was 1/8" tall whereas the Rock Island "S" was 1/4" tall. The difference is quite noticeable.

J.B.

[clintonhater]

Springfield Armory stocks up through 1910 were also marked with an "S" on the fore end tip. The Springfield Armory "S", however, was 1/8" tall whereas the Rock Island "S" was 1/4" tall. The difference is quite noticeable.

J.B.

But why was that particular letter chosen? For "standard"?

[John Beard]

But why was that particular letter chosen? For "standard"?

When Army Ordnance adopted the Model 1906 cartridge (.30-'06) in October, 1906, they had in excess of 200,000 new rifles chambered for the Model 1903 cartridge (.30-'03). Part of the adoption deliberation process required that a satisfactory method be developed to modify existing rifles to the new caliber. They could hardly afford to scrap 200,000 new rifles. The developed modification method required (among other things) that the stock be shortened 0.2" to maintain compatibility with the Model 1905 bayonet. The new shortened stock was designated as "Type 'S'" and the stock's designation was stamped on the fore end tip as a convenient method for visually confirming that a stock had been shortened.

J.B.

[clintonhater]

The new shortened stock was designated as "Type 'S'"...

"S" for short, I'll assume.

[John Beard]

"S" for short, I'll assume.

Your guess is as good as any.

J.B.

[Kragrifle]

Were all the small S marked stocks altered or was the practice of marking the stocks with the small S just carried through on newly made stocks up until 1913?

[John Beard]

Were all the small S marked stocks altered or was the practice of marking the stocks with the small S just carried through on newly made stocks up until 1913?

You are correct. The practice of marking the "S" on the fore end tip applied to all stocks, both new and altered, through about 1913. Once Army Ordnance was reasonably confident that all stocks in stores and issues had been altered, the practice was dropped. Of course, a few were missed. But they are very rare.

J.B.

[RCS]

the early handguard was also shortened by 0.2 inches too, the small s was stamped at the rear.

this handguard has had the sight groove added but still without the clips43126