Unmarked M1903 Bolt

[thorin6]

I have just recently picked up a M1903 straight handle bolt body. The body is in the white and the bolt handle is dark. There are no identifying marks other than a punch mark on the underside of the bolt handle. The punch mark looks like the one on my straight handle J5 bolt. At the moment I'm unable to post pictures (still bring up my new computer and getting settled after a remodeling so my camera is AWOL at the moment). I've looked over John Beard's chart and it looks like it would be a very early bolt body. Absent pictures can anyone point me to characteristics that would disprove that it's an early bolt.
Thanks.

[John Beard]

Early and late straight handle bolts have different manufacturing characteristics besides markings. But those characteristics would be difficult to capture with a camera. May I ask what leads you to suspect that the bolt may not be an early bolt? Please advise.

Thanks!

J.B.

[Rick the Librarian]

If it is a straight bolt and there are no markings on the safety lug on any side, it is a very early RIA or Springfield bolt.

[thorin6]

Early and late straight handle bolts have different manufacturing characteristics besides markings. But those characteristics would be difficult to capture with a camera. May I ask what leads you to suspect that the bolt may not be an early bolt? Please advise.

Thanks!

J.B.

John,
Thanks for your reply. While I've handled a few of the straight bolts, they've always had other markings, sometimes faint. While I don't see any evidence of markings on the lugs or other parts of the bolt, I've learned to be careful when drawing conclusions about age. Also, while the bolt handle is dark and the rest of the bolt seems to be in the white that could just be because of wear. The punch mark on the bottom of the handle is just like the one on my J5 straight handled bolt, so I would suspect it being an early SA. However, there is also a very slight difference in the handles that is hard to describe and I'm not sure it would show up in a picture. I'm digging for my camera and should locate it by tomorrow so if there is anything that I should take picture of I could post it tomorrow.
Also, are the early bolts uncommon? I picked this up to act as an extra bolt for another project I'm thinking about so it isn't going anywhere.
t6

[John Beard]

John,
Thanks for your reply. While I've handled a few of the straight bolts, they've always had other markings, sometimes faint. While I don't see any evidence of markings on the lugs or other parts of the bolt, I've learned to be careful when drawing conclusions about age. Also, while the bolt handle is dark and the rest of the bolt seems to be in the white that could just be because of wear. The punch mark on the bottom of the handle is just like the one on my J5 straight handled bolt, so I would suspect it being an early SA. However, there is also a very slight difference in the handles that is hard to describe and I'm not sure it would show up in a picture. I'm digging for my camera and should locate it by tomorrow so if there is anything that I should take picture of I could post it tomorrow.
Also, are the early bolts uncommon? I picked this up to act as an extra bolt for another project I'm thinking about so it isn't going anywhere.
t6

Other researchers have attempted to identify straight-handle bolts by the shape of their handles. I have never been successful in that regard. I can identify most curved-handle bolts by the shape of their handles, but not so for straight-handle bolts.

The only feature I know of which can be used to identify and date your bolt cannot be photographed.

Early unmarked bolts are not rare.

Hope this helps.

J.B.