Mk.1 stock w/no Cartouche

[GWS]

"Unless I am badly mistaken, one reason your rifle's stock has no inspection stamp (cartouche) is because it's not a Mark I stock."

Could you explain a little more please? Thanks.

[Fred]

To my recollection, Mark I 03's had smooth butt plates.
About the stock, if it IS an Unsanded Mark I stock, I think that the ejection port cut out should have milling or cutting marks in it that can be easily seen from the top looking down.

[John Beard]

"Unless I am badly mistaken, one reason your rifle's stock has no inspection stamp (cartouche) is because it's not a Mark I stock."

Could you explain a little more please? Thanks.

Seasons' Greetings!

It's very simple. An authentic Mark I stock notch doesn't look like that. Dick Hosmer's reservation about the proof mark, therefore, still applies. And Fred is correct that a Mark I rifle does not have a checkered buttplate. I took for granted that Bubba had switched the buttplate.

Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

J.B.

[Mike D]

Here is one that shows some milling marks. GWS' stock sure looks good. I would guess NOS, with a possible fake "P". The rest of the stock looks so crisp, and the age of the relief cut matches.

[GWS]

J.B.--You may be right, I'll pull the action out of the stock first chance I get today. Thanks.

[GWS]

The pictures don't lie--this is definitely NOT an Armory mfg. stock! The milling cuts around the receiver are rough, uneven and even chipped a piece out between the cutoff and ejection relief cut. Note the very uneven cut around the front receiver-stock screw.It's obvious now that most of the time and effort was on the outside of this stock and not the inside! Obviously made to decieve! I guess I could sell it for a shooter grade gun and try to find a decent, real Mk.1 stock.........with a Cartouche! Thanks for everyone's help and chalk up another one for John B.DSCN0084a.jpgDSCN0087c.jpgDSCN0088.JPG

[John Beard]

Seasons' Greetings!

I do not believe your stock is a reproduction. You appear to have an authentic Springfield Armory-manufactured stock. I just believe that it was not originally manufactured for a Mark I rifle. More specifically, it appears to be a field replacement stock.

Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

J.B.

p.s.,

Can you post a left side photo of the cutoff recess? Please oblige. Thanks!

[GWS]

" I do not believe your stock is a reproduction. You appear to have an authentic Springfield Armory-manufactured stock. I just believe that it was not originally manufactured for a Mark I rifle. More specifically, it appears to be a field replacement stock."

Here you are John. You say it may be a Springfield Armory replacement stock(which is the first good news today!), but were all replacement stocks this crude on the inside? Parts of it- the buttplate area and lightening cuts up front look pretty good, it's really the receiver and sight base area that look so poorly made. There is what maybe a 'T' in the cutoff notch, a '55' on the butt, and a '21' just back of the triggerguard cut out. My pictures may make them hard to make out. So, would Springfield have marked the stock as a replacement or might this be more a "field job"? Again, thanks for your help and knowledge.DSCN0092.JPGDSCN0095.JPGDSCN0096.JPGDSCN0097.JPGDSCN0094.JPG

[John Beard]

Seasons' Greetings!

Your stock is convincingly an authentic Springfield Armory M1903 stock. I am unable to comment on the poor inletting. And I cannot rule out the possibility that it may be an authentic Mark I stock, except that it's a bit different from others I have seen.

I have withheld disclosing the fact that not all Mark I stocks have inspection cartouches. So absence of an inspection cartouche is, by no means, a basis for declaring the stock a replacement. I can state with reasonable certainty that the checkered buttplate is a replacement. And the proof mark is certainly questionable. But again, I cannot rule out the possibility that the proof mark may be authentic. Stranger things have happened.

The beaver-chewed inletting above the magazine cutoff is correct.

Before pursuing a replacement stock, I recommend leaving that stock on your rifle. Perhaps another one will surface and prove your stock authentic.

Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

J.B.

[GWS]

Thank you John. Guess I'll keep it together for a while, maybe replace the buttplate.

[Rick the Librarian]

If you want a picture of another interesting Mark I stock that turned up, look at the pictures below - about 9-10 years ago, I examined a Mark I M1903 that came with Pedersen Device - the only one I had seen "in person". The rifle was in all respects an original Mark I except that the stock had been modified from a former no- or one-bolt GRG-marked stock! As I recall, from the discussion at the time, the cut for the ejection port was legitimate although obviously added at a later time when the stock was modified.

low res 13.jpgP5200123 (3) low res.jpgP5200127.jpgP5200130 (2) low res.jpg

[Fred]

Neat!

[Fred]

I like your rifle GWS!

[John Beard]

I like your rifle GWS!

Ditto

J.B.

[GWS]

Thanks guys.