What Do I Have - 1928 NM M1903

[Jay Johnson]

I bought this off the CMP Forum a few years ago. The late Type C stock is not original to the rifle and because the receiver is drilled and tapped for a Lyman 48 rear sight I suspect it may be a 1928 "style B" rifle. I believe this rifle will show up in a SRS search but will that indicate if it was originally a "style B" rifle or not? The serial number is 1368203, the barrel date is 3-28 and the crown is star marked, the NS marked bolt has a NM headless cocking piece and is engraved with the receiver's serial number. Any information you can provide would be appreciated.

TIA,
Jay

[Ed Byrns]

Sir
I does appear on the SRS as a "NM" ,nothing more ,nothing less.
Respectfully submitted
Ed Byrns

[Jay Johnson]

Thank you, Ed.

[John Beard]

You have a 1931 National Match rifle and it was sold by the DCM in September, 1931, apparently to a participant in the 1931 National Matches. Your rifle was never a Style B rifle.

J.B.

[JimF]

What’s with the HUGE gap around the receiver, between the wood and metal?

Or is it just a shadow?

[Jay Johnson]

You have a 1931 National Match rifle and it was sold by the DCM in September, 1931, apparently to a participant in the 1931 National Matches. Your rifle was never a Style B rifle.
J.B.

Thank you for clearing that up and for the information about when it was sold by the DCM, John, is the information from your personal records? I’d like to document the information myself.

At that time, 1931, it would of had a C stock, wouldn’t it?

What’s with the HUGE gap around the receiver, between the wood and metal?

Or is it just a shadow?

It’s a large profile C stock, not the original in my opinion, the shadow is making a reasonable rear tang gap appear larger than it is.

[John Beard]

Thank you for clearing that up and for the information about when it was sold by the DCM, John, is the information from your personal records? I’d like to document the information myself.

At that time, 1931, it would of had a C stock, wouldn’t it?

The source of my information is the SRS listing of DCM rifle sales. I also may have the actual National Match sales report to the DCM buried somewhere in my files. Your rifle would have been originally fitted with a Type C stock exhibiting a boxed "D.A.L." inspection stamp.

J.B.

[Cosine26]

That looks to me like a WWII Keystone replacement stock. Look in the cutoff cutout and see if you see a "K". There appears to be a cutout for the 03A3/A4 barrel ring just forwrd of the receiver. I have had several Keystone stocks and they were all very generous in their inletting. Inletting on true A1 or NM stocks was much less generous. The army sold these stocks as replacements through the DCM ater WWII.
JMHO
FWIW

[Jay Johnson]

That looks to me like a WWII Keystone replacement stock. Look in the cutoff cutout and see if you see a "K".

There's a "S" in the cutout

[Cosine26]

That "S" in the cutout slot would tend to indicate SA manufacture.

[John Beard]

I agree with Cosine26. Your rifle appears to be fitted with a Keystone Type C stock and the "K" has been sanded away and a fake "S" stamped in its place.

J.B.

p.s.,

You have a package on the way.

[Cosine26]

Hi John.
I agree with you. Would an original 1930/1931 NM M1903 have been originally issued with a 1928 barrel? Just curious.

[John Beard]

Hi John.
I agree with you. Would an original 1930/1931 NM M1903 have been originally issued with a 1928 barrel? Just curious.

Each year's production run of NM rifles included a batch of spare parts, including barrels. Nothing went to waste. So parts left over from preceding years got used in succeeding years. A 3-28 barrel in a 1931 NM receiver is a bit of a stretch, but not impossible.

J.B.

[Cosine26]

Thanks!

[Jay Johnson]

Each year's production run of NM rifles included a batch of spare parts, including barrels. Nothing went to waste. So parts left over from preceding years got used in succeeding years. A 3-28 barrel in a 1931 NM receiver is a bit of a stretch, but not impossible.

J.B.

The bore is absolutely mint in appearance and measurement, the throat and muzzle erosion are both just under 0 (Stone Axe and Duff's respectfully), acknowledging this, Springfield had good reason to reuse it.

You have a package on the way.

Thanks again, Sir!