How about this early Rock Island 03

[Fred]

I can see one stock bolt under the handle. I can see that it has clips on the hand guard and that the hand guard has a groove of course. The windage knob is large. The top edges of the stock are sloped and not of high profile. Neat rifle. Wonder what the sailor man has on the hand guard. It looks like something stuck to the top and right side of it.

[rayg]

My God you're right, guess I didn't look that close at the rifle. So I guess it wasn't mine, Lol

[rayg]

Well the correct replacement middle band came and also the front sight blade. It's now in complete period trim, Ray

[Fred]

Hey, it looks Great Ray!

[rayg]

The SRS request that was posted earlier reminded me that I'm away from my SRS books and can't check this rifle's #87241 serial number. Could someone take the time look it up for me, thanks, Ray

[Rick the Librarian]

No match, unfortunately.

[rayg]

Thanks, Rick for looking, Ray

[rayg]

Well I was just able to get at my book on the "Springfield Model 1903 Service Rifle" by John Beard and C.S. Ferris and which John had autographed for me and I looked up the serial number of the Rock Island rifle I just got. And I see, that according to the book, the rifle I have is not one of the rifles that was built up from stored parts awaiting the final rifle approval and were finally assembled after the approval and were assembled regardless of period of manufacture. But my rifle is one of the first ones assembled/build post January 1907 using entirely newly manufactured parts. The barrels of the rifles built after that date reliably indicate the approx. date of manufacture of the rifle un-like the parts rifles. Here's a sampling from the book of these first year whole made rifles. You will note that the receiver serial number and the barrel date of mine falls within the sampling on the list.
I think that makes my rifle one of the earliest Rock Island rifles to come off the assembly line as an original production built rifle. It being made in the first months, of the first year of standard 1903 manufacture at Rock Island Arsenal. I think that's kind of neat. Ray

[RCS]

Rock Island rear sight

My Rock Island s/n 64145 with a RIA 3-07 barrel (also open bottom rear sight base) has the square left side slide like yours. This might be unique to early Rock Island rifles only as the Springfields from the same period all have the round left side on the leaf slide

[rayg]

RCS, yours is even earlier then mine. Are all the parts and the stock still in the correct early configuration? If so, there can't be a whole lot of these early standard production, non parts rifles, that are still in the correct configuration that are earlier then yours still in existence, Ray

[RCS]

early 1903 Rock Island

Ray, I saw the early Rock Island on Gunboards too and thought about buying it as it was close to me, that was a really good buy.

My Rock Island s/n 64145 has all the correct metal for the period but I did have to replace the stock with another early Rock Island stock with a single bolt. Enclosed are some photos, note the breech cone is in the white and the early sear has the hole. Robert

[Rick the Librarian]

Dang, I've been looking for a single-bolt RIA stock for years. If anyone knows the location of another one...

[rayg]

Ray, I saw the early Rock Island on Gunboards too and thought about buying it as it was close to me, that was a really good buy.

My Rock Island s/n 64145 has all the correct metal for the period but I did have to replace the stock with another early Rock Island stock with a single bolt. Enclosed are some photos, note the breech cone is in the white and the early sear has the hole. Robert

Robert, so you must be close to Tampa, I was in Punta Gorda when I saw the ad.

Rick, I'll keep an eye out for a stock for you, I'm pretty good at spotting these early stocks at shows. In fact, I just I picked one up a few months ago. The cartouche is barely visible but the stock is still high wood. Ray

[Rick the Librarian]

I need a 1908 to 1909. I have a rare modified RB RIA stock (1906 inspection stamp) as trade. I would use it, but the stock is made for the "strapped" FRSB and the rifle I need the stock for is the "solid FRSB variety.

Any help would be appreciated!

[rayg]

Rick, you should get together with RCS Robert and see if it would be a good trade in stocks for you two. The early RB stock would work for him as they continued to use the converted RB and 30-03 stocks into 1907. As an example, my new 6-07 Rock Island has a shorted 30-03 stock as you can see the plugged upper band 2nd screw hole. And the later single bolt stock would work for you providing it's cut for the solid sight base, Ray