Test post of high pictle photo...

[Promo]

Hey Fred, was just doing jokes. They just have had the same colour as some cows have .

Nothing much as of yet, still nothing in my hands. But will let you know when I do!

[joem]

Great pics and super nice rifle. Wish it was mine!!!!

[Fred]

Hey Fred, was just doing jokes. They just have had the same colour as some cows have .

Nothing much as of yet, still nothing in my hands. But will let you know when I do!

Oh I knew you were joking Georg. I was just telling you what kind of dog they were. It's kind of unusual to see White rough collies anymore. These two are much bigger than our other two Collies, but they're still pups! Several of our horses have the same color and pattern. Indian Paint is what I call them. Unusual pattern in Tennessee Walkers, which all of our horses are.
I think that you ought to have bought that RB 03 that went for so little on the Rock Island Auction. $4,500.00 and it had Every important and difficult to find RB part on it except for a solid rear band, which can be made out of a split type if one wanted to do so. Original 30-03 chambered barrels and Front bands and Bayonet Locking Latches are as tough to find as an honest politician. I had to make my own leaf spring for my latch that luckily I was able to do Exactly as an original in every detail because there was a life sized schematic drawing of one in my copy of the original 1904 manual. I decided to make an early butt plate with its smaller trap opening and door from a Really nice and unworn Krag butt plate which I obtained from John Beard. I still haven't emplaced the single clip yet in the hand guard, but I'm going to tackle that one of these days. I've got both a small and a large clip from a Krag hand guard and the smaller one is the correct size for the RB 03. I just can't find my notes on precisely where to inlet the outside to inside angled rivet holes in the hand guard that I had. I only get one chance at it. Can't make a mistake.
Good luck with your project Georg!

[Fred]

Great pics and super nice rifle. Wish it was mine!!!!

Thanks Joem. If you're still around when I decide to get rid of my rifles, It can be. LOL

[Fred]

Looking at my bayonet blade, I'm convinced that the Gold Paint had a chemical effect on the bright blade and darkened it. It also probably protected it from corrosion. I'll go ahead and clean that off to bring it back to the original appearance.

[Fred]

[Fred]

[Fred]

Now here is an interesting rifle. It has an 11-17 dated barrel that I'm going to take some photos of and post here. The rifle came to me with a Rock Island Arsenal made Rod Bayonet bolt that was still in its original bright finish along with the patina'd yet original Niter finished extractor with its original bright extractor collar. I found a fitting place for that bolt on another rifle and replaced it with a correct C7 straight handled bolt that is the Only part on the rifle that I've installed.
Single Heat Treated receiver of course. However, this rifle's finish on stock, hand guard and metal is I believe all original to its original assembly at Springfield Armory during the First World War.
The bore appears absolutely Pristine and Sharp. None of the wood had been cleaned by me or even oiled. All of the edges are still sharp and unmarred with the exception of the bottom edge of each grasping groove which appears to have shallow depressions from a hard forked rest of some type that appears to have supported the rifle during it being fired. This rifle came with the oiler inside of the butt stock but with no sling.
It's a really neat rifle that is a wonderful unaltered or updated example of the type that was being assembled at Springfield Armory in late 1917 to early 1918. When I decide to sell my next 1903 Springfield, this will be that rifle. I consider it to be a Fine, unaltered and well preserved 1903 that escaped overhaul and abuse. Pretty tough to find I think, which is why my wife bought it for me for a Birthday Present some time back. That woman has a Great eye for unaltered antiques that really paid off for me! Enjoy the photos!

[Fred]

[Fred]

[Jkibler2]

Wonderful pictures of a fine rifle! Being a machinist for 41 years, it amazes me that the men at SA and RIA were so good at what they were able to do.

[Fred]

Yes, the classic 1903 Springfield rifle certainly was and still is a precision instrument of the highest quality, isn't it?!