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Excellent Scarce First Year Production U.S. Springfield Service Type Model 1922 MI .22 Gallery Pract

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,300.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,750.00 USD
Excellent Scarce First Year Production U.S. Springfield Service Type Model 1922 MI .22 Gallery Pract
This is an excellent original example of a U.S. Springfield Model 1922 MI .22 Gallery Practice Rifle that was manufactured in 1924, the first year of production. The rifle has the blue finish found only on early production Model 1922 MI service type rifles and is fitted with the rarely encountered "B" stock with grasping grooves and deeply checkered buttplate. The receiver and barrel are, correctly, not drilled and tapped for telescopic sight bases. The rifle has a armory polished bolt with "WL3" steel lot code on the handle and headless cocking piece. The bolt is not etched with the rifle serial number: Springfield Armory did not begin to mark Model 1922 MI bolts with the rifle serial number until sometime in 1925. The rifle is fitted with a Lyman 48 micrometer front sight and blade front sight with service front sight cover. The receiver is roll-stamped with the first pattern marking: "U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/MODEL OF 1922/MI. CAL. .22/332" in six lines. The barrel is stamped with "SA" above the Ordnance 'Shell and Flame' insignia and the date "12-24". The left side of the barrel does not have the "LONG RIFLE/CART'GE ONLY" marking found on mid-late production Model 1922 MI rifles The oil-finished, black walnut, "B" stock correctly has no inspection or proof marks. Most Model 1922 MI "B" stock rifles were issued to military organizations and virtually all of these rifles were subsequently altered to M2 configuration and re-stocked and re-finished. Original Model 1922 MI, "B" stock service rifles are quite rare.
BBL: 24 1/2 inch
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 22 LR
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 332


Excellent. The rifle retains 90% of the slightly faded original blue finish on the barrel, receiver, trigger guard and floor plate. The bolt has most of the original armory polish. The rifle has the correct, unmarked, blued, MI magazine. The scarce "B" stock is in very fine condition with sharp edges on the grasping grooves and light to moderate handling wear. The barrel and receiver markings are crisp. The bore is bright. This is an excellent original example of a very difficult to find Model 1922 MI Gallery Practice rifle with early finish and markings.