Something Old Something New And It Is Blue To.

[tabs]

A friend of mine wanted/needs some cash, so he sold me his Noveske Combat Carbine wt SS 7/1 twist B wt upgraded Geiselle trigger. ...that is the New...shot once with less than 200 rounds through it, in the box wt paperwork. Got a GOOD DEAL on it...




The Old and Blue is a Springfield 1903 with a SN of 124XXXX with a B date to match 3/22. I saw this at an auction back East, 3 pics that were lousy and the description to match. Made the call to the auctioneer to get an eyeball look over. So I took a chance...as I knew it was in original config...no WW2 rework

Opened the box and was not terribly happy as the stock was sanded and the barrel was rusty. Went through all the parts on the rifle matching them to Brophys "1903 Springfield" book. The rifle is straight with the exception of the Bolt which is a 1918 Straight bolt instead of what it should be and that is a 1921 style swept back Bolt. Also on the Crown of the Muzzle is a stamp that looks like and asterisk. The Springfield Star gauged Barrels had what looked ike a 6 legged Turtle stamp??? So I pulled the rifle apart and found that there were 2 different Star Gauge marking on the Barrel and an "AV" stamp. The stock had also been sanded, but it only had the correct DAL cartouch still faintly visible, with no rework cartouch. Also there is NO CREEP and a crisp release in the trigger pull, which would indicate a special target trigger? .

During WW1 the AVIS Gun Barrel CO contracted with Springfield to make replacement barrels. The AV stamp denotes the AVIS Co. and the SA 3/22 marking shows that this was one of the ones that Springfield completed in 1922. This is UNSUSAL.

Star Gauge marking would denote that the rifle was a National Match or DCM Special Service Rifle mdl 1922 What is an anomally is the fact that the NM in the white sweptback bolt was exchanged for a 1918 blued Straight Bolt. In the day Match Shooters were known for customizing their rifles to their own preferences (there is a picture of a 1921 Frees Style International Match Rifle wt a Straight Bolt in Brophys book). It also could have been a 1928 to 1931 NM turn in by a shooting team, whence the arsenal would refurbish the rifle and reissue or sell through the DCM, thus the second Star gauge marking on the Barrel. One supects that since the Barrel was not changed out, that the Barrel met tolerences but not NM tolerences so the NM parts were removed (NM Bolt) and the rifle was sold through the DCM as a Special Target Rifle (only about 1200 were in this configuration). Anyway one wants to cut it this is one unusal 1903 and a dedicated Springfield Collector that I know said when I reference the barrel , "Some rifles you buy to shoot and some to collect and this one is to collect."

At this time there is no SRS to factory letter the rifle. One just has know their stuff and to do their homework. I will probably wind up selling this one and possibly double up on it?

BTW the Sprinfield collector told me that the different looking Star Gauge marking on the Crown of the Barrel might indicate that it went through the Marine Corp Armory in Philiedelphia? Thus it was a Marine Corp Match Rifle.

[john70t]

Good find.

[Jim Bremner]

In before the Racoon WANT!

[Buckterrier]

Nice weapons Tabs.Love the carbine. When I get my stamp back for the SBR I am going with a Noveske 11.5" barrel per your recommendation.