early rear sight base

[RCS]

Here is a part that you do not find very often, believe it is a SpringfieldP1010047_0043_043.jpgP1010048_0044_044.jpg

[Fred]

From the shape of the Front end of the Right Lightening Cut or Groove, I think that that sight base came off of a rifle that'd originally been in 30-03.
Maybe it wasn't, but I believe it was.
Neat and difficult part to find for certain.

[John Beard]

The rear sight leaf definitely came from Springfield Armory. And I will assume that the rest of the sight and base came likewise.

If the sight base originally came from a .30-'03 rifle and went through the 1906 alteration, then the base should have two grooves in the back.

J.B.

[Fred]

I've just seen a picture of what you described John. I wonder when they went with just one groove.
The rear sight sleeve that RCS posted photo's of appears to have one groove. Interesting!

[John Beard]

I've just seen a picture of what you described John. I wonder when they went with just one groove.
The rear sight sleeve that RCS posted photo's of appears to have one groove. Interesting!

When the rear sight fixed base was pressed on the barrel, a longitudinal hole was drilled in the rear seam between the base and barrel and a pin was installed to keep the base from rotating on the barrel. The hole was drilled at the 1 o'clock rotation.

If the rear sight fixed base was salvaged from a scrapped barrel and re-used on a new barrel, a second hole was drilled and pinned in the 11 o'clock rotation because the first hole could not be re-drilled.

J.B.