Springfield 1903 Mark I .30-06 Bolt Action Rifle, MFD 1919Our 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 1919 so it was around for all of WWII. It is over 100 years old and is historically significant. The rifle has clear Springfield markings on the receiver & barrel as well as the "MARK I" designation on the receiver.
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: 1157842
Year of Manufacture: 1919. Barrel Date: January 1920M1903 Mk I Rifles were produced from early 1918 to 1920 with a serial number range from 1,034,502 to 1,197,834.
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Bolt Action, Internal Magazine
Barrel Length: 24"
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. 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 nose cap 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 oxidation and wear. The wood shows several scratches and compression marks. It also shows sanding marks. The left side shows an edge repair below the rear sight. There is a small gap between the receiver tang and the wood. 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 overall condition as refurbished.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Original to Arsenal Rebuild
Bore Condition: The muzzle and grooves are gray. The rifling is deep. There is erosion in the bore, mostly in the grooves. The bore shows an M.E. of 2.In this writer's opinion, this bore rates 6.5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. The bottom metal has been cleaned and refinished. The metal shows scrapes, scratches, thinning on the leading edges, and varying degrees of discoloration from both oxidation and oil residue. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads show use. The markings are deep. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. We have cleaned this firearm and performed a mechanic's check but expect many will want to clean the firearm again depending on their standards.The rifle has had its sear replaced with a standard 1903 sear. The 2-part sear necessary to fire the Pedersen Device is no longer installed.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: The rifle has a leather sling attached.
CA LEGALITY: CA Classified C&R: YES. PPT: NO
RIFLE