Two new detail photos of my N.M. 1903

[Fred]

Well, I'm going to clean my bores out on all of my 03's today using just Hot soapy water in a large plastic coffee can, pumped up into the barrel with a cleaning rod while the muzzle is down inside of the water. I'm afraid to use WD-40 afterwards to chase out the residual water. It might dissolve the applied finish!

[Rick the Librarian]

Here's another "go" at showing the receiver:



And a "big" one showing the whole receiver area.

[CptEnglehorn]

beautiful rifles, now if I may pry, being that this finish is sensitive to oils and solvents, is there any particular ones to definatley stay way from, which ones would most likely be safe. If I should ever come to own such a rifle it might be good info to have, or even to pass on to someone else that may own a rifle with such finish.

[John Beard]

Concurrent with introduction of the Mark I rifle, Springfield changed the receiver finish from blue to black. The chemical nature of the black finish is unknown, but is believed to be oil blackening that was a direct by-product of the double heat treating process. The black finish is glossy and is reasonably durable.

Also concurrent with introduction of the Mark I rifle, Springfield changed the finish of most remaining parts to olive-grey parkerizing. The olive-grey parkerizing, however, was painted over with asphaltum on exposed surfaces. As mentioned previously, alsphaltum is a black asphalt-based paint (commonly used to paint old automobile radiators) and is soluble in most petroleum-based solvents. Consequently, many rifles lost their original asphaltum finish when cleaned, usually with gasoline.

On a rifle with its original asphaltum finish, you can remove the handguard and see where the rear sight base was hand-painted over along with the front barrel stub, but the middle of the barrel covered by the handguard exhibits the unpainted parkerizing.

As with any manufacturing change, a transition serial range exists where a rifle could correctly have either configuration. With few exceptions, changes did not appear abruptly by serial number because rifles were not assembled in serial number sequence.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

[Fred]

John, what was the purpose of the asphaltum finish?

[John Beard]

John, what was the purpose of the asphaltum finish?

One can only speculate what the purpose of the asphaltum finish was. One explanation I heard revolved around weatherproofing the rifle based on experience with Krag rifles in the Philippines. That explanation, however, seems a bit of a stretch because earlier blued rifles were not painted and they were less durable than parkerizing. Another explanation would be to darken the rifle and reduce visibility to an enemy. That explanation seems more plausible.

For what it's worth.

J.B.

[Fred]

I'm left wondering what the advantage of reducing the visibility of a National Match competition rifle would be. Especially one that still retained a highly reflective polished bolt. Maybe the thought was to prepare such rifles for an eventual need to use them in war when their bolts would be darkened?

[John Beard]

I'm left wondering what the advantage of reducing the visibility of a National Match competition rifle would be. Especially one that still retained a highly reflective polished bolt. Maybe the thought was to prepare such rifles for an eventual need to use them in war when their bolts would be darkened?

National Match rules required that the rifles be in service rifle configuration with no special sights or other non-standard modifications. Deviations to those rules, such as polished bolts, reverse safeties, and headless cocking pieces, required extensive justifications and approvals at the highest levels. It was probably easier just to paint the rifles rather than pushing the bureaucracy for a deviation.

Springfield Armory was also in business to sell rifles. The black paint was more attractive than dull olive-grey parkerizing.

J.B.

[Fred]

That's interesting. Thanks for the information John!

[Fred]

One more question... I've noticed that the main spring on my National Match is a bit lighter. Am I correct in figuring that the coiled mainsprings of Such rifles have had a coil or two removed to ease the lifting of the bolt? Seems I've read that somewhere decades ago.

[John Beard]

One more question... I've noticed that the main spring on my National Match is a bit lighter. Am I correct in figuring that the coiled mainsprings of Such rifles have had a coil or two removed to ease the lifting of the bolt? Seems I've read that somewhere decades ago.

Individual shooters have nefariously replaced the mainsprings in their rifles, usually with stiffer springs to decrease lock time. And I seem to recall on one occasion where some rifles were inspected and found to have shortened mainsprings, but I don't recall the explanation. And I seem to recall where some International Match rifles had trapezoidal mainsprings to increase stiffness and reduce lock time. But tampering with mainsprings, in general, was forbidden.

J.B.

[Fred]

Ya know, I believe what I experience when I lift the bolt handle is the incredible smoothness of the action from the polished surfaces. I interpreted that as a lighter main spring because there was no drag or friction like on my other bolts. I'm not used to this Cadilac of 03's.

[Roadkingtrax]

Springfield Armory was also in business to sell rifles. The black paint was more attractive than dull olive-grey parkerizing.

J.B.

That's a very interesting comment, considering how the paint fills in the numbers...but would certainly "hide" any machining marks and scratches present in the park finish.

[Dollar Bill]

beautiful rifles, now if I may pry, being that this finish is sensitive to oils and solvents, is there any particular ones to definatley stay way from, which ones would most likely be safe. If I should ever come to own such a rifle it might be good info to have, or even to pass on to someone else that may own a rifle with such finish.

This is just my unlearned speculation but at the time these rifles were made, ammo was corrosive (left corrosive salts from the primers in the bore) so the bore cleaner was water-based. Current bore cleaners made for black powder would be effective and shouldn't damage the finish, as well as Ballistol, my favorite BP cartridge bore cleaner.

P.S. Thanks to all you fine gentlemen for sharing your collections and knowledge. There are many with a great interest in these rifles who will probably never have the opportunity to own one.

[Dracster]

When did they stop applying this asphaltum finish? I have a few M1 Carbines that look to have some sort of varnishy finish on the metal.