Springfield Armory Model 1903 .30-06 WWII Bolt Action Rifle MFD 1918 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1325
LSB#: 210711RW10
Make: Springfield Armory
Model: 1903
Serial Number: 823381
Year of Manufacture: 1918 (page 373 of Joe Poyer’s book, The M1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations, 3rd Edition). Barrel Date: August 1920
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Bolt Action, Internal Magazine
Markings: The top of the receiver is marked “U.S. / SPRINGFIELD / ARMORY / MODEL 1903. / 823381”. The top of the Springfield barrel is marked “S A / flaming bomb / 8- 20 / A”. The safety is marked “SAFE READY” and the magazine cutoff is marked “ON OFF”. The stock is stamped “S” in the trench cut-off scallop. The right side of the barrel band is marked “U”. The trench cutoff is marked “R”. The base of the bolt handle is marked “R”. The left side of the front sight blade is marked “35”. The left side of the front sight protector is marked with a flaming bomb over “U.S.” and the right side is marked “R”.
Barrel Length: Approximately 24 Inches
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade atop a barrel-mounted base. The rear sight is a “U” notched blade attached to a fully adjustable sight ladder marked from “3-27”. When flipped up separate notches and an aperture on the ladder can be used for sighting. The front sight has a protective hood and the rear sight has a P.J. O’Hare protector.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two-piece hardwood stock has a straight grip, metal nosecap, stacking loop, 2 sling loops, barrel band, 2 through bolts, and a metal buttplate with a hinged door for storage. There is a crack on the nose of the forend. There is a crack on each side of the buttstock at the rear. The bottom of the forend has been reprofiled behind the sling loop and had material removed. There are a couple of dings, compressions, and scratches. The majority of the defects have darkened. There is some discoloration on the wood, most noticeable towards the front. The LOP measures 12 3/4 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some finish loss, spots of erosion, and has been custom-stipped. The stock rates in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Parkerized & Black Paint
Finish Originality: Original Receiver with Refinished Barrel
Bore Condition: The four groove bore is mostly gray and the rifling is sharp where not interrupted by erosion. There is pitting in the bore. Our gauge gives us an M.E. of about 2.0.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains approximately 85% of its metal finish. The barrel and nosecap have some patches of finish loss and little scrapes. The exposed metal on the barrel and nosecap has patinaed. The receiver has some mottled patina and there are some spots of light oxidation. There are some little light marks on the bottom metal. The bolt handle has some light little scuffs and spots of frost. There is standard operational wear. The screwheads show light use. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included is a canvas sling and the sight protectors.
Our Assessment: When the US Army was looking for a rifle design to replace their Krag rifles, they looked at the Spanish Mauser Model 93 they captured during the Spanish-American War. Other than changing the firing pin to a two-piece design and a few other minor alterations, the 1903 was, in fact, a Mauser design, and the U. S. Government ended up paying royalties to Mauser Werke. The rifle was well worth it though. It had a strong and reliable action and served the Army for over thirty years in two world wars. It’s fast .30-06 cartridge, adopted in 1906, continued to be the one cartridge that all others are compared against, whether it is for ballistics or felt recoil. This Springfield Armory Model 1903 was made back in 1918 and has a replacement barrel and likely saw use in WWII. There is some scattered wear but this historic rifle will still be a nice addition to your C&R collection. Please see our photos and good luck!