Springfield Armory Model 1903 Mark I .30-06 WWII Bolt Action Rifle 1919 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1675
LSB#: 220113JM007
Make: Springfield Armory
Model: 1903 Mark I
Serial Number: 1112240
Year of Manufacture: 1919 (page 373 of Joe Poyer’s book, The M1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations, 3rd Edition). Barrel Date: March 1919
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Bolt Action, Internal Magazine
Markings: The top of the receiver is marked “U.S. / SPRINGFIELD / ARMORY / MODEL 1903. / MARK I / 1112240”. The top of the barrel is marked “S A / flaming bomb / 3- 19 / A”. The safety is marked “SAFE READY” and the magazine cutoff is marked “ON OFF”. The nosecap is marked “R” on the right side of the nosecap. The bottom of the bolt handle is marked with a punch dot and “R”. The right rear of the bolt is marked “R”. The extractor collar is marked with an encircled “R”. The bottom of the wrist is marked with a circled “P” cartouche. There is a faded cartouche on the left side of the buttstock.
Barrel Length: Approximately 24 Inches
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade atop a barrel-mounted base and under a removable protective cover. The rear sight is a “V” 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.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two-piece hardwood stock has a straight grip, finger grooves, metal nosecap with bayonet lug, stacking loop, barrel band, 2 sling loops, 2 through bolts, and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. A cleaning kit is stored in the butt. The stock has been refinished. There are a couple of pools of finish. There are some scattered scuffs, compressions, dings into the wood, and light handling wear. The dings into the wood have darkened with age. The LOP measures 12 ¾ inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some finish loss, nicks, scuffs, and little scratches. The stock rates in about Fine overall condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The four groove bore is dark and the rifling is worn but visible. There is erosion throughout the bore. The bore has an ME of about 2.5″.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 85% of its metal finish. There are some little nicks and scuffs that have thinned the finish. There is some finish loss on the edges. There is finish loss on the bolt handle. There are some little freckles of surface oxidation on the floorplate. There are some areas of mottled thinning. The bolt handle has some finish loss and some spots of dark discoloration from previous oxidation. The screw heads show 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 plastic cleaning kit tube, NoBuckl sling, front sight cover, and rear sight cover.
Our Assessment: When the U.S. 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 four decades in two World Wars and would even be used in sniper variations in Korea and Vietnam. 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 is a nice Springfield Mark I with a cut for a Pedersen device. It looks nice and comes with sight covers and a canvas sling, it will be a nice addition to your milsurp collection. Please see our photos and good luck!