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My late 1917 dated 1903.
This rifle has a bright bore with Very sharp rifling. It's been handled and shows use, but there's no indication of it being abused. It certainly has Not been assembled from surplus parts. In my estimation, this rifle has remained in its original configuration and is a splendid example of what was coming off of the assembly line at Springfield Armory midway into the U.S. involvement in World War I. Thats something I've seldom encountered. It seems to me that the number of 1903's made in 1917 that survived that period of time (and over two Decades more) to remain in their original configuration is quite small. That's why I liked and bought this rifle.
I've never applied any linseed oil to the stock and so the sheen on the wood seems to be an old and original finish.
Any blue on the metal is what's still there of the original Armory finish. This rifle has never been overhauled or refinished. The bore is absolutely pristine looking. This rifle is the tightest assembled 1903 that I've ever owned except for the Mint 1920 National Match rifle I used to own that was equally as tight and well made. It appears to me that Seven or Eight months into our entry into the Great War, this rifle was assembled with the same attention to the Fit and Detail of wood to metal as were the rifles made in the pre war years. There is absolutely no slop or looseness in the rear sight. It is tight and smooth in operation. The slide is completely free in its travel up and down the sight ladder unless the slide binding knob is tightened. There is no looseness of the rear sight base within the sleeve. This rifle was assembled better than the ones assembled just a few months later in that same armory. The safety is crisp and smooth in operation. The 1918 dated bayonet that goes with it fits Very tight while being Very easy to attach or detach. Smooth as butter. I've never before seen a bayonet fit so perfectly to a rifle. There is no slop or movement of the mounted bayonet. If I ever sell this rifle, I want the bayonet to go with it. I think any future buyer of the rifle will appreciate that once he see's how they fit together. Like bark on a tree.
This rifle has a bright bore with Very sharp rifling. It's been handled and shows use, but there's no indication of it being abused. It certainly has Not been assembled from surplus parts. In my estimation, this rifle has remained in its original configuration and is a splendid example of what was coming off of the assembly line at Springfield Armory midway into the U.S. involvement in World War I. Thats something I've seldom encountered. It seems to me that the number of 1903's made in 1917 that survived that period of time (and over two Decades more) to remain in their original configuration is quite small. That's why I liked and bought this rifle.
I've never applied any linseed oil to the stock and so the sheen on the wood seems to be an old and original finish.
Any blue on the metal is what's still there of the original Armory finish. This rifle has never been overhauled or refinished. The bore is absolutely pristine looking. This rifle is the tightest assembled 1903 that I've ever owned except for the Mint 1920 National Match rifle I used to own that was equally as tight and well made. It appears to me that Seven or Eight months into our entry into the Great War, this rifle was assembled with the same attention to the Fit and Detail of wood to metal as were the rifles made in the pre war years. There is absolutely no slop or looseness in the rear sight. It is tight and smooth in operation. The slide is completely free in its travel up and down the sight ladder unless the slide binding knob is tightened. There is no looseness of the rear sight base within the sleeve. This rifle was assembled better than the ones assembled just a few months later in that same armory. The safety is crisp and smooth in operation. The 1918 dated bayonet that goes with it fits Very tight while being Very easy to attach or detach. Smooth as butter. I've never before seen a bayonet fit so perfectly to a rifle. There is no slop or movement of the mounted bayonet. If I ever sell this rifle, I want the bayonet to go with it. I think any future buyer of the rifle will appreciate that once he see's how they fit together. Like bark on a tree.
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