My 1920 National Match 1903 Springfield arrived

[Fred]

Wow! I mean Wow! I wiped it down and this rifle has 100% original finish on it. Even the black Phosphate or Asfaultum coating on the exposed part of the front of the barrel is all there. 100% of it. The trigger guard and the floor plate have 100% finish too and I mean 100%. So does the rear barrel band, front band and the receiver and barrel and everything. Heck, it's brand spanking Mint. This rifle must've been bought by a man who never went out to shoot it or maybe he died soon after and the rifle was put away within a rack or a closet, unseen and forgotten for many decades. I swear, the rifle is 94 years old and it looks like it just came off the assembly line at Springfield Armory. I'll take some photos tomorrow and post them.

F.G.

[Fred]

Just a follow up as I wait to take pictures of it outside as soon as the sun rises. The bits of perceived roughness and possible corrosion on the metal that showed in the original photos on GunBroker were nothing more than dirt and dust and bad lighting. Everything cleaned up perfectly. Even what appeared to be corrosion on the nickel plated oiler in the butt trap was only greenish verdegrease that developed on its surface while lying inside the butt stock for a century.
The hand guard has the fixturing slot underneath and so it certainly is the correct and original one. I've already mounted a Turner 1907 Match Sling on it that I'll dye a dark brown as soon as the dye arrives in the mail. I don't think that this rifle ever had a sling on it before. Absolutely no finish wear on the swivels or rubbing wear on the trigger guard. All that I can say is that it's 100% perfect except for two shallow handling dents in the virgin stock that I might decide to carefully steam out later. Also, the 94 year old bolt has slight surface darkening on the handle where someone didn't wipe the sweat off of it. I can live with that or maybe I can carefully polish it again if John Beard, Rick or anyone knowledgeable about such matters on a rifle like this could give me advice on the procedure.

FG

[pmclaine]

I'd leave it as is no steam, no polish. sounds great cant wait to see it.

[Emri]

I'd leave it as is no steam, no polish. sounds great cant wait to see it.

DITTO !!! Do NOT steam the dents. It will destroy the original finish in the surrounding area and you will have a stock with two blotches on it . Don't fool with the bolt either but to maybe use some steel wool and oil on the handle if the surface is rough.

FWIW,

Emri

[Fred]

The surface on the handle is quite smooth. I did lightly go over it with Bronze Wool and oil to clean it, but that's all.

[Fred]

[Fred]

[Fred]

I really like the color case hardened 1903 Springfield Magazine selector.

[Rick the Librarian]

Magnificent example, Fred!

[Fred]

Well it's the only National Match I've ever owned and it sure does Shine, so I'm certainly inclined to agree with you Rick. Wow! I'm hesitant to shoot it. Of course I guess it should only be used to shoot Match Ammo. But I haven't any of that. I have a butt load of Korean and also of Iranian, but I don't want to pull the trigger on any of that stuff with this rifle. Gee, who knows, this rifle might just sit in My gun cabinet too without ever being fired until the next guy who owns it finally gets to shoot it in years to come. Come to think of it, I haven't shot any of the five 1903's that we currently have in our gun cabinet.

[Fred]

Oh, I forgot to mention that the bolt is a J5, marked on the safety lug.

[tbone69]

I did a GB search on this rifle and am I wrong or are prices on the original 1903's starting to bottom out? I found several nice early rifles lately at what seems to be $1K or more below what they used to bring. does this just speak of the economy or are those of us who love these dwindling? not complaining but starting to question my investment stratagy. I would have been a contender for this one had I seen it and not had other priorities. very nice find!!

[Fred]

I saw it and just bought it outright without bidding. I wasn't really concerned with how much such a rifle was going for now. I just wanted it. I was really fortunate in that the seller had a Buy It Now price on it and also that few people if anybody had noticed it let alone recognized it for what it really was since the seller described it as only just a really nice 1903. Heck, even as just a really nice 1903 I would've been interested. Not at that price though. The thing is, when it comes to the going rate or value for any particular type of 1903 in Flayderman's, that's really just a guide reflecting the average price that such a rifle has been seen selling for in an auction or sale in the recent past leading up to that particular edition. The price that such a rifle generally brings today is what Flaydermans Price Guide will reflect in the next or 10th edition. Then the editors will be watching what the rifles will be bringing again and reflect those prices in the 11th issue and so on. So, I shouldn't be too shy about spending what I feel I have to in order to win something if that's the price that's being asked for at the time. The value of something is whatever a person is willing to give for it at that time. So values can certainly go up and down according to the desire of the beholder at any one time. Something to think about... Flayderman's doesn't even mention the 1919 and 1920 National Match rifles or any of the earlier types either because of an erroneous idea that rifles weren't specifically produced for the National Matches at Springfield Armory until 1921. John Beard and Dick Culver and Rick Slater and some others could explain it in detail. They know more about the subject of 1903's than any other collective think tank on the planet. What my rifle is worth is only what I'm willing to pay for it I guess. A shooter with good eyes that can hit a target like George Farr would value it highly. My eyes are kind of outa wack, but I appreciate a fine 1903 and so I value it highly too. Some guys would want a 1903A3 instead.

F.G.

[tbone69]

I was looking at the wrong one

[tbone69]

I have not looked at a Flaydermans since the 70's