Springfield 1903 Mark I Pedersen Device .30-06 Bolt Action Rifle 1920 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1075
LSB#: 220316CA127
Make: Springfield Armory
Model: 1903 Mark I. The Mark I Rifle was made with an ejection port cutout on the receiver. The ejection port is needed for the Pedersen Device.
Serial Number: 1142342
Year of Manufacture: 1920 (page 373 of Joe Poyer’s book, The Model 1903 Springfield Rifle and its Variations, 3rd Edition).
Barrel Date: December, 1919
M1903 Mk I Rifles were produced from early 1918 to 1920 with a serial number range from 1,034,502 to 1,197,834 (page 31).
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 / 1142342”. The top of the Springfield barrel is marked “S A / flaming bomb / 12 – 19” . The safety is marked “SAFE READY” and the magazine cutoff is marked “ON OFF”. The bolt handle is unmarked. The rear of the bolt body is marked “R” (twice) for Remington. The barrel band is marked “U”. The bayonet lug is marked “H”. The bottom of the grip is marked with a “P”. The left side of the stock, above the trigger, is marked with a faded “box”.
The sling is marked “MRT”.
Barrel Length: Approximately 24 Inches
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade set atop a raised 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.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece hardwood stock has a straight grip, metal nosecap with bayonet lug, stacking loop, barrel band, 2 sling loops, 2 through bolts, and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The buttplate shows scrapes. There are small surface repairs along the sides. The stock shows several scrapes, scratches and compression marks. The wood has been oiled. The LOP measures 12 3/4 inches from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Very Good Plus overall condition as refurbished.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Original to Arsenal Rebuild
Bore Condition: The muzzle and grooves are light gray. The rifling is deep. There is fouling and erosion in the grooves and at the muzzle. The bore shows an M.E. of 0.7.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 94% of its current metal finish. The metal shows scrapes, small scratches and areas of discoloration. The bolt and ejection port show operational wear. The screw heads are intact. The markings are deep. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good Plus 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: The rifle comes with a leather sling.
Our Assessment: When the US Army was looking for a rifle design to replace the 1898 Krag rifle, they looked directly at the Spanish Model 1893 Mauser. This was due to the fact that the performance of the Model 1893 Mauser was far superior than that of the 1898 Krag during the Spanish-American War. The Model 1903 is basically a redesigned Mauser clone. A U.S. Patent Court eventually found that the U.S. Army had violated Mauser’s patents and required the U.S. Army to pay the German Mauser manufacturers patent royalties. Payments were stopped once WWI started. The 1903 has a strong reliable action that served the Army for over thirty years in two world wars.
The 1903 Mark I was made to accept the Pedersen Device. The Pedersen Device replaced the bolt assembly and accepted a 40 round .30 caliber (pistol caliber) magazine. The cutout on the left side of the receiver is an ejection port. The Pedersen Device was meant to multiply the firepower of the individual rifleman. The rifleman carried 5 magazines for a total of 200 pistol caliber rounds. This was ideal for clearing trenches. Luckily WWI ended before the Pedersen Devices could be used in the trenches.
For an informative video on the Pedersen Device and its accessories see youtube.com/watch?v=wLzdGPzHL8U .
This collectible Springfield Armory Model 1903 Mark I Rifle was made back in 1920 and still has its original December, 1919 dated Springfield barrel installed. The rifle is over 100 years old and is historically significant. The rifle has deep Springfield markings on the receiver & barrel as well as a deep “MARK I” designation on the receiver. This Springfield 1903 Mark I is worth adding to your collection. Good luck.