Does a RIA barrel on a 1903 Springfield always indicate a rebuild??

[neelyja]

This may be a stupid question, but a newbie has to begin somewhere!!!

I have just acquired a nice 1903 Springfield (see photos below) that I am attempting to date. It appears to have been reblued by a previous owner, and that owner, for some unknown reason may have attempted to remove the serial number (see photos).

My best estimation is that the serial number was 303,xxx (1907). However, it could have been 503,xxx (1912). The rifle has a clearly stamped barrel clearly stamped with RIA, the ordinance "flaming bomb", and 5-10.

Logically, the first serial number is correct, but could the second number possible be correct?? The logic there being that the rifle was made in 1912 and a 1910 barrel was installed at the time of manufacture. So, does a RIA barrel on a Springfield always indicate a rebuild??

Thanks for your patience!! neelyja

#1.jpg#2.jpg#3.jpg#4.jpg#5.jpg

[neelyja]

Here is the receiver with the "scrubbed" serial number.

#6.jpg

[John Beard]

Your rifle is a Bannerman rifle. During the 1920's and 1930's, Francis Bannerman, a surplus arms merchant, assembled and sold ersatz M1903 rifles from junked parts sold as scrap by Springfield Armory. Receivers, for example, were heavily pitted, perhaps as recovered battlefield relics. So Bannerman heavily buffed and polished to remove most of the pitting. That's why your receiver's markings are very thin. And where parts were unavailable, Bannerman improvised. Your rifle's rear sight, for example, came from a Krag rifle. The upper band came from an M1917 rifle. And the handguard came from no-telling-where.

But to answer your question, I am not aware of any newly-manufactured Springfield Armory rifles that were fitted with RIA barrels. So yes, an RIA barrel indicates a rebuild.

Hope this helps.

J.B.

[chuckindenver]

or install by someone other then the military..

[Rick the Librarian]

I agree with John that the rifle is likely a Bannerman, but the rear sight looks like a Springfield to me, not a M1901 Krag. A closer look at the top, showing the "leaf" would identify it for sure.

[Parashooter]

Look closely and notice the sight lacks a notch and triangular "field" immediately above the aperture. To me, it looks like a 1901 leaf on a 1905 base - which I missed completely until JB pointed it out (same for the M1917 upper band).


1905 leaf and movable base.

Other visible differences include "stop" aft of the hinge pin and contour around slide cap retaining screw

[Rick the Librarian]

As the deputy said in the movie "El Dorado", "Well, I'll be a suck-egg mule!!"

Thanks for the "detail" work. I did pick up the M1917 upper band.

[Fred]

Arther Honeycut

[John Beard]

As the deputy said in the movie "El Dorado", "Well, I'll be a suck-egg mule!!"

A suck-egg mule? Are you aspiring to move up in the world?

J.B.

[Rick the Librarian]

A suck-egg mule? Are you aspiring to move up in the world?

J.B.

That exclamation just has a better ring to it than "Well, I'll be a monkey' uncle"! LOL!

[John Beard]

I concur. Better to be a suck-egg mule than a monkey's uncle.

J.B.