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There're one or two antique guns that I've been wanting to get for some time and so I'm going to put my Rod Bayonet 1903 Springfield on a table to sell at the annual Missouri Valley Antique Weapons show at the end of July in Kansas City, MO.
If any of you fellows are going to be there, come by our tables and have a look see. The tables are in my buddy's name George Hensel. We usually have three or four tables, back to back at the end of a row near a corner of the room. We don't know exactly where that will be this year though.
I'll be there all day Saturday. Come on by and chew the fat awhile!
This rifle is one of the roughly Fifty or so Rod Bayonet 1903's in existence that are composed of Original 1903 Rod Bayonet parts that've been re-assembled back into a rifle. It isn't one of the roughly Fifty or so $50,000.00 to $65,000.00, never been altered specimens that still exist in collections and museums. However Most of the original R.B. parts on this rifle are Very difficult if not Impossible to find today. When they Are found, they're really expensive IF the owner even wants to sell them.
The 30-03 barrel and the receiver were from a 1905 rifle in 30-03. Whoever used them to make the RB rifle, must've figured that such 1905 rifles in 30-03 were common enough at the time to use. That might've been back in the Bannerman days, but such unaltered rifles and original 1905 barreled receivers still in 30-03 are More rare than Rod Bayonet 03's today. The barrel date of 05 was taken off as well as the flaming bomb and SA letters to give the appearance of a R.B. barrel which hasn't any such markings. However the barrel being still chambered in its original 30-03 caliber, the original open strap rear sight sleeve and base is still in its original 1905/30-03 position. This barrel has never been altered to 30-06. The serial number being so early, I think the barrel/receiver began life on a Rod Bayonet rifle for a time and then was used in an Armory conversion to make an updated 1905 model, whereupon the barrel was marked with the date and Armory stamps. Then, somebody long, long ago used the 30-03 barrel/receiver on that 1905 Armory conversion rifle to once again assemble it into a Rod Bayonet 1903 Springfield in 30-03 caliber. Yep, they actually disassembled a 1905 rifle in 30-03 to use the barreled receiver. All they had to do was remove the 05, S.A. and flaming bomb stampings, bringing the barreled/receiver back to their original Rod Bayonet incarnation again. Full Circle.
Anyway, It's a really neat rifle!
The barrel's original 1905 sight base or sleeve was ground down on its topside and I myself modified a Krag 1902 rifle rear sight base by filing the base's ears to the approximate level of a R.B. rear sight base. They could be filed down just a tad more. That's something that I'll do if I don't sell it or the new owner can easily do. Nobody I've shown it to has ever noticed the difference yet. The base was ground down flat under its bottom and joined with the sight sleeve to create a two peice Rod Bayonet sight base and sleeve. These of course are one piece if original. The leaf has the 25 yard increments and the knobs are for the R.B. rifle too. The whole arrangement looks good.
The original R.B. stock is a field replacement stock that was missing a splinter of wood on the heel and so wasn't ever used. It was sold as damaged but unused surplus. I can live with the bit of missing wood. Actually the overall finish and appearance of the rifle matches. It looks like a used Rod Bayonet 03.
The butt plate is a correct R.B. type with the matching numbers on plate and door. It's the type developed Specifically for the R.B. 03 with the large door and not the often used but supplemental Krag butt plate with the smaller trap. Those were utilized by grinding down the toe to fit the 1903 stock.
The trigger guard is R.B. with a later correcting pin installed.
The bolt is an un refinished bright R.B. Bolt made by Rock Island. Its original extractor's Niter Blue finish has turned to a patina. The bright extractor ring has never been blued and is also an original R.B. feature.
The trigger is an early R.B. Type.
The rear barrel band is the Solid R.B. type without the split at the bottom. Very difficult or impossible to find today. It has been Phosfate refinished but can be stripped and blued for consistency of appearance.
The front band is R.B. and it has got to be extremely tough if not impossible to find anywhere today.
The stacking swivel is R.B.
The bayonet latch and housing of course is R.B. Also Extremely tough to find today. Actually impossible now.
The magazine cut off switch is the correct early type with the serifs.
The Safety is not only the correct updated 1904 type with the serif letters, it has the most perfectly stamped letters of any early safety I've seen. That's why I chose it.
I made and tempered the bayonet release button "Leaf Spring" myself and it is Impossible to tell it from an original. I used a life sized drawing of the one in the 1904 printing of "Description And Rules For The Management Of..." to compare it to.
The Rod Bayonet is original too of course, but that part is still easily found today.
The hand guard is well made but doesn't have the single clip installed (which I have). I wonder if the hand guard was original unused surplus too like the stock. My reasoning is that the First designed solid hand guard (no sight groove) for the 1903's with the 1905 sight with the 2400 yard sight leaf had NO clips at all. Was that omission of clips a carry over of a prior design of hand guard for the Rod Bayonet 1903 that was Never installed on production rifles in time before production stopped on the R.B. rifle? Is this hand guard an actual R.B. hand guard designed without clips? Beats me. There are (Drawing?) numbers stamped on the inside of it. However without proof, I have to assume that the hand guard is just an excellent copy.
But if it IS original unfinished or unissued R.B. wood, I wouldn't want to "complete" or "improve" it by installing a clip, thus destroying any originality. Anyway, I DO have a proper clip for it if the new owner wanted to install it.
I was able to properly position and secure the R.B. Front Sight over the original 1905 barrel key without permanently altering anything. The barrel is still an unaltered 1905 type in 30-03. Possibly the only example of one available today.They are Rare!
I have about $3,300.00 in the rifle as it is with all of its original parts. Not at all bad when one considers that it'd probably take a Lot more money and several decades to find all of the correct parts again if I even could. Some of the Rod Bayonet parts, like original Colt Walker parts, are just no longer available anywhere. It's taken me 40 years to finally get an example of this model. However I've finally got it and having successfully done so, I can let it go now. It was a challenge for me to complete what somebody else must've started long, long ago.
Anyway, I'll let somebody else who has been wanting a Rod Bayonet 1903 Springfield for 40 or so years have it now. Somebody who has never thought that they would ever be able to own one will be able to afford to take it home with them. Unless I sell it beforehand, I'm going to take it to the combined Missouri Valley Antique Gun Show and N.R.A. National Convention in Kansas City at the end of July where thousands of people will see it. If for some strange reason nobody there wants it for the asking price of $8,000.00, I'll at least have some fun walking into the show with it slung on my shoulder. That ought to cause a sensation. Kind of like a Colt Walker coming in off the street. Ha! Walking over to my buddies tables without constantly being stopped by people asking me "What've you got there?" will be impossible, so after it's been checked at the door to make sure it isn't loaded, I'll put it back into the case until I get to where I'm going.
Of course the R.B. front sight Cover will be included with the rifle along with the early oiler with original oil in it (Sperm Oil?) and early cleaning brush and pull cord as well as the correct 1903 dated sling and the original early cartridge belt. The suspenders are an excellent reproduction. Those extra items are all valued to at least $700.00 +.
If any of you fellows are going to be there, come by our tables and have a look see. The tables are in my buddy's name George Hensel. We usually have three or four tables, back to back at the end of a row near a corner of the room. We don't know exactly where that will be this year though.
I'll be there all day Saturday. Come on by and chew the fat awhile!
This rifle is one of the roughly Fifty or so Rod Bayonet 1903's in existence that are composed of Original 1903 Rod Bayonet parts that've been re-assembled back into a rifle. It isn't one of the roughly Fifty or so $50,000.00 to $65,000.00, never been altered specimens that still exist in collections and museums. However Most of the original R.B. parts on this rifle are Very difficult if not Impossible to find today. When they Are found, they're really expensive IF the owner even wants to sell them.
The 30-03 barrel and the receiver were from a 1905 rifle in 30-03. Whoever used them to make the RB rifle, must've figured that such 1905 rifles in 30-03 were common enough at the time to use. That might've been back in the Bannerman days, but such unaltered rifles and original 1905 barreled receivers still in 30-03 are More rare than Rod Bayonet 03's today. The barrel date of 05 was taken off as well as the flaming bomb and SA letters to give the appearance of a R.B. barrel which hasn't any such markings. However the barrel being still chambered in its original 30-03 caliber, the original open strap rear sight sleeve and base is still in its original 1905/30-03 position. This barrel has never been altered to 30-06. The serial number being so early, I think the barrel/receiver began life on a Rod Bayonet rifle for a time and then was used in an Armory conversion to make an updated 1905 model, whereupon the barrel was marked with the date and Armory stamps. Then, somebody long, long ago used the 30-03 barrel/receiver on that 1905 Armory conversion rifle to once again assemble it into a Rod Bayonet 1903 Springfield in 30-03 caliber. Yep, they actually disassembled a 1905 rifle in 30-03 to use the barreled receiver. All they had to do was remove the 05, S.A. and flaming bomb stampings, bringing the barreled/receiver back to their original Rod Bayonet incarnation again. Full Circle.
Anyway, It's a really neat rifle!
The barrel's original 1905 sight base or sleeve was ground down on its topside and I myself modified a Krag 1902 rifle rear sight base by filing the base's ears to the approximate level of a R.B. rear sight base. They could be filed down just a tad more. That's something that I'll do if I don't sell it or the new owner can easily do. Nobody I've shown it to has ever noticed the difference yet. The base was ground down flat under its bottom and joined with the sight sleeve to create a two peice Rod Bayonet sight base and sleeve. These of course are one piece if original. The leaf has the 25 yard increments and the knobs are for the R.B. rifle too. The whole arrangement looks good.
The original R.B. stock is a field replacement stock that was missing a splinter of wood on the heel and so wasn't ever used. It was sold as damaged but unused surplus. I can live with the bit of missing wood. Actually the overall finish and appearance of the rifle matches. It looks like a used Rod Bayonet 03.
The butt plate is a correct R.B. type with the matching numbers on plate and door. It's the type developed Specifically for the R.B. 03 with the large door and not the often used but supplemental Krag butt plate with the smaller trap. Those were utilized by grinding down the toe to fit the 1903 stock.
The trigger guard is R.B. with a later correcting pin installed.
The bolt is an un refinished bright R.B. Bolt made by Rock Island. Its original extractor's Niter Blue finish has turned to a patina. The bright extractor ring has never been blued and is also an original R.B. feature.
The trigger is an early R.B. Type.
The rear barrel band is the Solid R.B. type without the split at the bottom. Very difficult or impossible to find today. It has been Phosfate refinished but can be stripped and blued for consistency of appearance.
The front band is R.B. and it has got to be extremely tough if not impossible to find anywhere today.
The stacking swivel is R.B.
The bayonet latch and housing of course is R.B. Also Extremely tough to find today. Actually impossible now.
The magazine cut off switch is the correct early type with the serifs.
The Safety is not only the correct updated 1904 type with the serif letters, it has the most perfectly stamped letters of any early safety I've seen. That's why I chose it.
I made and tempered the bayonet release button "Leaf Spring" myself and it is Impossible to tell it from an original. I used a life sized drawing of the one in the 1904 printing of "Description And Rules For The Management Of..." to compare it to.
The Rod Bayonet is original too of course, but that part is still easily found today.
The hand guard is well made but doesn't have the single clip installed (which I have). I wonder if the hand guard was original unused surplus too like the stock. My reasoning is that the First designed solid hand guard (no sight groove) for the 1903's with the 1905 sight with the 2400 yard sight leaf had NO clips at all. Was that omission of clips a carry over of a prior design of hand guard for the Rod Bayonet 1903 that was Never installed on production rifles in time before production stopped on the R.B. rifle? Is this hand guard an actual R.B. hand guard designed without clips? Beats me. There are (Drawing?) numbers stamped on the inside of it. However without proof, I have to assume that the hand guard is just an excellent copy.
But if it IS original unfinished or unissued R.B. wood, I wouldn't want to "complete" or "improve" it by installing a clip, thus destroying any originality. Anyway, I DO have a proper clip for it if the new owner wanted to install it.
I was able to properly position and secure the R.B. Front Sight over the original 1905 barrel key without permanently altering anything. The barrel is still an unaltered 1905 type in 30-03. Possibly the only example of one available today.They are Rare!
I have about $3,300.00 in the rifle as it is with all of its original parts. Not at all bad when one considers that it'd probably take a Lot more money and several decades to find all of the correct parts again if I even could. Some of the Rod Bayonet parts, like original Colt Walker parts, are just no longer available anywhere. It's taken me 40 years to finally get an example of this model. However I've finally got it and having successfully done so, I can let it go now. It was a challenge for me to complete what somebody else must've started long, long ago.
Anyway, I'll let somebody else who has been wanting a Rod Bayonet 1903 Springfield for 40 or so years have it now. Somebody who has never thought that they would ever be able to own one will be able to afford to take it home with them. Unless I sell it beforehand, I'm going to take it to the combined Missouri Valley Antique Gun Show and N.R.A. National Convention in Kansas City at the end of July where thousands of people will see it. If for some strange reason nobody there wants it for the asking price of $8,000.00, I'll at least have some fun walking into the show with it slung on my shoulder. That ought to cause a sensation. Kind of like a Colt Walker coming in off the street. Ha! Walking over to my buddies tables without constantly being stopped by people asking me "What've you got there?" will be impossible, so after it's been checked at the door to make sure it isn't loaded, I'll put it back into the case until I get to where I'm going.
Of course the R.B. front sight Cover will be included with the rifle along with the early oiler with original oil in it (Sperm Oil?) and early cleaning brush and pull cord as well as the correct 1903 dated sling and the original early cartridge belt. The suspenders are an excellent reproduction. Those extra items are all valued to at least $700.00 +.
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