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Since Fred, in one of the other threads asked about it, and it has been awhile, here's the rundown on the rifle I pictured - no stock bolts.
About six years ago, I was offered a M1903 for sale. Although it appeared to be mostly original, it was marred (or so I thought) by an Indian head carving on the left side of the stock.
However, it was a good price and I bought it anyway. There was a little bit of "drama" in getting it, when the seller sent me a box of computer parts by mistake (he got the shipping labels mixed up on two parcels he had sent). Fortunately, the right parcel got sent and the rifle was mine.
The rifle itself was as I thought, a more or less original early M1903 that had been modified to later standards in the 1908 period. It had been manufactured, probably as a 1903/05 and later rechambered in 30-06 and given a 1908 barrel. The only "post" 1908 part was a fine-checked buttplate.
The rifle came in a deteriorated cotton sleeve and had obviously not been stored correctly or "put away wet" after firing corrosive ammunition. There was extensive pitting on the crown of the muzzle and the bore was extensive pitted, as well. There was some rust on the barrel and upper band, although it was "surface", which cleaned off.
The most interesting thing was the manual and a couple of letters which accompanied the rifle. It had the name "John Gillie, Butte Montana" on the cover and on the inside.
Since the name was relatively uncommon, I did a Google search on "John Gillie" and "Butte Montana" and found that he was a mining engineer. He was the operations manager for the Anaconda firm that ran the copper mines (and virtually "owned" Montana in the early part of the 20th century).
The letter in the book contained a reference to a realty company that the author worked for. I looked up the firm and wrote them an email. They told me that, while the letter-writer had passed away, his daughter and two of his sons were still living. The daughter soon contacted me and I found out the author of the letter was John Gillie's stepson.
I found out that John Gillie was not only a prominent mining engineer, but a Montana pioneer, who had arrived in 1880. I liked to shoot and apparently used his position to obtain the M1903 (as well as a couple of other military rifles which had disappeared after being donated to a local museum). Gillie was the Operating manager at Anaconda during much of the labor unrest in the WWI-era.
The "smoking gun" (pun intended) was in form of a picture I obtained from a Montana historical society of John Gillie with his signature below. The signature matched the signature in the book. I also found out that Gillie was an amateur woodcarver and almost certainly carved the Indian head on the stock.
I used the research I did to write a magazine article for "Gun Reports" Magazine about 2008. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it because I was able to combine my knowledge of M1903s and my professional library and history research skills. I also had the help of John Beard and a few other people on this forum.
As for the rifle, it is totally original for the 1908 period, except for the later buttplate. It has a no-bolt WES-marked stock, a non-grooved handguard and the earlier "strapped" fixed rear sight base. It came with a Rock Island 1907-marked sling and nickeled oiler, in addition to the manual. I have received offers to clean off and recrown the pitted muzzle of the rifle but have decided to leave it as/is.
It is one of the very few firearms I own in which I can trace the history. It is mentioned in SRS, but as an "oops" - supposedly with the 10th Cavalry in the early 1920s, but obviously in error, since it has been out of circulation since 1908 (the SRS record was probably RIA 78180). I offered to send SRS the research I had done to help them correct the mistake, but they declined.
Detailed pictures below.
About six years ago, I was offered a M1903 for sale. Although it appeared to be mostly original, it was marred (or so I thought) by an Indian head carving on the left side of the stock.
However, it was a good price and I bought it anyway. There was a little bit of "drama" in getting it, when the seller sent me a box of computer parts by mistake (he got the shipping labels mixed up on two parcels he had sent). Fortunately, the right parcel got sent and the rifle was mine.
The rifle itself was as I thought, a more or less original early M1903 that had been modified to later standards in the 1908 period. It had been manufactured, probably as a 1903/05 and later rechambered in 30-06 and given a 1908 barrel. The only "post" 1908 part was a fine-checked buttplate.
The rifle came in a deteriorated cotton sleeve and had obviously not been stored correctly or "put away wet" after firing corrosive ammunition. There was extensive pitting on the crown of the muzzle and the bore was extensive pitted, as well. There was some rust on the barrel and upper band, although it was "surface", which cleaned off.
The most interesting thing was the manual and a couple of letters which accompanied the rifle. It had the name "John Gillie, Butte Montana" on the cover and on the inside.
Since the name was relatively uncommon, I did a Google search on "John Gillie" and "Butte Montana" and found that he was a mining engineer. He was the operations manager for the Anaconda firm that ran the copper mines (and virtually "owned" Montana in the early part of the 20th century).
The letter in the book contained a reference to a realty company that the author worked for. I looked up the firm and wrote them an email. They told me that, while the letter-writer had passed away, his daughter and two of his sons were still living. The daughter soon contacted me and I found out the author of the letter was John Gillie's stepson.
I found out that John Gillie was not only a prominent mining engineer, but a Montana pioneer, who had arrived in 1880. I liked to shoot and apparently used his position to obtain the M1903 (as well as a couple of other military rifles which had disappeared after being donated to a local museum). Gillie was the Operating manager at Anaconda during much of the labor unrest in the WWI-era.
The "smoking gun" (pun intended) was in form of a picture I obtained from a Montana historical society of John Gillie with his signature below. The signature matched the signature in the book. I also found out that Gillie was an amateur woodcarver and almost certainly carved the Indian head on the stock.
I used the research I did to write a magazine article for "Gun Reports" Magazine about 2008. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it because I was able to combine my knowledge of M1903s and my professional library and history research skills. I also had the help of John Beard and a few other people on this forum.
As for the rifle, it is totally original for the 1908 period, except for the later buttplate. It has a no-bolt WES-marked stock, a non-grooved handguard and the earlier "strapped" fixed rear sight base. It came with a Rock Island 1907-marked sling and nickeled oiler, in addition to the manual. I have received offers to clean off and recrown the pitted muzzle of the rifle but have decided to leave it as/is.
It is one of the very few firearms I own in which I can trace the history. It is mentioned in SRS, but as an "oops" - supposedly with the 10th Cavalry in the early 1920s, but obviously in error, since it has been out of circulation since 1908 (the SRS record was probably RIA 78180). I offered to send SRS the research I had done to help them correct the mistake, but they declined.
Detailed pictures below.
That really cleaned up GREAT!!! Beautiful Rick! 
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