WWII Springfield Armory 1903 .30-06 Bolt Action Rifle 1939 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 1903A3 is an improved version of the 1903 rifle that was introduced in 1942. The most significant change was the switch to a receiver bridge-mounted rear aperture sight.This Springfield Armory Model 1903 was made in 1939, it has been rebuilt and refinished, it includes a sight protector and a leather sling. This bolt action rifle is in Nice condition, it looks impressive for a 90 year old military rifle. This 1903 has good Springfield markings on both the receiver and the 1929 dated barrel. This 1903 has a Good bore, strong mechanics, nice parkerized finish and a well preserved wood stock. This well maintained rifle would go well in any U.S. or Military collection. Please see our photos, good luck and happy bidding!
Make: Springfield Armory
Model: 1903
Serial Number: 1532137
Year of Manufacture: 1939
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle, Fixed Internal Magazine
Barrel Length: 24"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade set atop a raised base with a sight protector installed. The rear sight is a U notched blade attached to a fully adjustable sight ladder. When flipped up, separate notches and an aperture on the ladder can be used for sighting.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The hardwood stock has a semi pistol grip, nose cap with bayonet lug, stacking loop, barrel band, 2 sling loops and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The wood shows a few scattered scrapes and scratches. The LOP measures 13" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Rebuilt and Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore has an M.E. of 1. The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is deep. The muzzle and grooves are light gray. The bore shows fouling and erosion at the muzzle and in the grooves. In this writer's opinion and for the age, the bore rates a 8 out of 10. Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950's.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 96% of its metal finish. The metal shows some scuffs and scrapes. The top of the barrel and front sight band show scratches. The front sight protector shows discoloration from oxidation. The screw heads are sharp. 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 more thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: A Boyt leather sling is included, the sling shows moderate wear and some verdigris.
CA LEGALITY: C&R: YES, CA DEALER Transferable: YES
RIFLE