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Well, It finally came and it's far better than I'd thought. I'm going to have to post some pictures as soon as I take care of our dogs who are outside somewhere looking for the Peacocks which are hopefully roosting up high off the ground tonight. My God, this rifle is too good to be true. The front sight is original and not a replacement like I'd thought. Just had to get the dirt off of everything. Almost 100 percent original finish on everything. Sure you're thinking... but you haven't seen it yet. I'm amazed. Bore is pristine too. The photo's will be coming real quick tonight.
OK, here is the inspection stamp on the left side that I believe was put on by Ora E. Lindsay, who used this single letter stamp in 1917 and possibly 1918 at Rock Island Arsenal. However, below the first photo is another showing the firing proof stamp under the wrist which is a block P of the type applied at Springfield Arsenal.
Nothing is stamped on the fore end tip of the stock. I'm reminded of the 1903 that I recently saw a photo of that showed a block P within the circle on the wrist but also showed an RI on the end of the fore end of the stock. That rifle was of course one of those that was assembled at Springfield Armory around 1927 or 1928 using a mixture of Rock Island and Springfield parts. I'm wondering, could it be that my rifle was also assembled at Springfield Armory at an earlier date just after or towards the end of WWI using parts that were supplied by Rock Island? There are some Springfield parts on it such as the safety, rear band, front band and possibly the rear sight leaf. The bolt is an earlier but unworn straight handle type from Rock Island and has a D1 on the end of the safety lug, which means that it was made in 1912 I believe. Anyway, the bore of this rifle is pristine and I don't use that term loosely. all of the parts on it seem to be from the correct time period of WWI, except for the bolt. The stock is also pristine with all edges sharp and clean. The barrel has the date of 7-18 on it and is of course a Rock Island. It's possible that the receiver is not case hardened or blued but is possibly the early Rock Island Parkerizing. It is 100 percent complete with no wear on the surface. John Beard can correct me on this if I'm off. If so, then like John told me earlier, the receiver is probably one of those lower than serial numbered receiver 285507 that was double heat treated. This information can be found within Nick Ferris' book, "Rock Island Rifle Model 1903" on pages 67, 68 & 69. Sorry for the bad photo's It's dark outside and so I have to use the library lighting in the house and it's pretty dismal. I'll take some better photo's outside tomorrow.
Now, all that being said, what John Beard told me earlier about this rifle is in all probability accurate and true. John said that this rifle is probably one that was issued to a WWI era unit that disassembled all of their rifles upon receiving them and cleaned all of the parts and assembled the rifles again from separate piles of cleaned parts. However that still leaves me wondering about that L inspection stamp that could've been applied by Ora E. Lindsay who only worked at Rock Island Arsenal. Beats me.
OK, here is the inspection stamp on the left side that I believe was put on by Ora E. Lindsay, who used this single letter stamp in 1917 and possibly 1918 at Rock Island Arsenal. However, below the first photo is another showing the firing proof stamp under the wrist which is a block P of the type applied at Springfield Arsenal.
Nothing is stamped on the fore end tip of the stock. I'm reminded of the 1903 that I recently saw a photo of that showed a block P within the circle on the wrist but also showed an RI on the end of the fore end of the stock. That rifle was of course one of those that was assembled at Springfield Armory around 1927 or 1928 using a mixture of Rock Island and Springfield parts. I'm wondering, could it be that my rifle was also assembled at Springfield Armory at an earlier date just after or towards the end of WWI using parts that were supplied by Rock Island? There are some Springfield parts on it such as the safety, rear band, front band and possibly the rear sight leaf. The bolt is an earlier but unworn straight handle type from Rock Island and has a D1 on the end of the safety lug, which means that it was made in 1912 I believe. Anyway, the bore of this rifle is pristine and I don't use that term loosely. all of the parts on it seem to be from the correct time period of WWI, except for the bolt. The stock is also pristine with all edges sharp and clean. The barrel has the date of 7-18 on it and is of course a Rock Island. It's possible that the receiver is not case hardened or blued but is possibly the early Rock Island Parkerizing. It is 100 percent complete with no wear on the surface. John Beard can correct me on this if I'm off. If so, then like John told me earlier, the receiver is probably one of those lower than serial numbered receiver 285507 that was double heat treated. This information can be found within Nick Ferris' book, "Rock Island Rifle Model 1903" on pages 67, 68 & 69. Sorry for the bad photo's It's dark outside and so I have to use the library lighting in the house and it's pretty dismal. I'll take some better photo's outside tomorrow.
Now, all that being said, what John Beard told me earlier about this rifle is in all probability accurate and true. John said that this rifle is probably one that was issued to a WWI era unit that disassembled all of their rifles upon receiving them and cleaned all of the parts and assembled the rifles again from separate piles of cleaned parts. However that still leaves me wondering about that L inspection stamp that could've been applied by Ora E. Lindsay who only worked at Rock Island Arsenal. Beats me.
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The wife is hoping that it'll be the last 03 for awhile. As a matter of fact, she suggested that I try to sell it right away for a profit. Hell, it ain't about money or profit. It's about looking for, finding and finally obtaining a particular rifle that calls out to me. I don't wanna sell it. I wanna play with it for awhile.
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