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Outstanding Springfield Model 1903A1 National Match Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,800.00 USD Estimated At:NA
Outstanding Springfield Model 1903A1 National Match Rifle
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Estimate: $4500 - 5500
Early production Springfield Armory Model 1903A1 National Match rifle manufactured in 1930. This rifle is one of 805 new M1903A1 NM rifles manufactured during the second year of NM production. The rifle has the distinctive pre-war, Springfield black-green parkerized finish on the receiver, barrel, upper barrel band, trigger guard, floor plate and buttplate. The lower barrel band is blued. The rear sight base has the blackened finish found on 1920s and 1930s production 1903/1903A1 NM rifles. The bolt is polished bright and has the distinctive armory ''feathered'' polishing above and below the safety lug. The receiver bolt runways and the top of the follower are polished in accordance with NM specifications. The receiver has a single gas port on the right side. The rear sight has a polished face and lacks the 2750 yard "volley notch" found on WWI production M1903 rifles. The rear sight binding screw and the windage knob are the flat face, post-WWI pattern. The buttplate and buttplate cap have the coarse checkering found on NM rifles. The bolt has the headless cocking piece installed on NM from 1924-1930 to reduce lock time. The safety lock has the reversed safety that was used on NM rifles from 1924 to about 1933. The muzzle is fitted with the special front sight cover issued with NM rifles. The receiver is roll-stamped: "U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/MODEL/1903." in five lines above the serial number "1342916". The top of the barrel is roll-stamped: "S A" above the Ordnance "Shell & Flame" insignia and the date "11-29". The index mark of the front sight and front sight base are correctly aligned. A star-gauge mark is stamped at the 6 o'clock position on the muzzle. The star-gauge number "I/2307" is stamped on the top of the barrel 1 1/2 inches ahead of the rear sight base. The nickel-steel bolt handle has the early, large, "NS" marking without periods found on 1928 and 1929 production NM rifles. The full serial number "1342916" is electro-penciled on the top of the bolt body. The safety lock and magazine cut-off have block letter markings and the "ON" side of the cut-off is polished bright. The rifle has the black walnut, oil-finished, pistol grip "C Stock" installed on NM rifles from 1929 onward. The handguard is the low-profile, post-WWI pattern. The full serial number "1342916" is stamped on the underside of the stock directly in front of the lower sling swivel. The Ordnance final inspection mark "D.A.L." surrounded by a rectangle is stamped on the left stock wrist. An encircled, block, "P" proofmark is stamped on the inside of the pistol grip. A "S" sub-inspection mark is stamped in the stock cut-off recess.
BBL: 24 inch
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 30-06 Springfield
Finish: parkerized
Grips:
Serial Number: 1342916
Condition: Excellent plus. The rifle is completely original and retains 98% plus of the original parkerized finish. The barrel band has all of the original blue finish. The bolt has all of the original polish. The bore is bright. The stock is also in excellent condition with crisp Ordnance inspection marks, proof and serial number. This is an outstanding, early production, Springfield M1903A1 NM rifle from an old, advanced, U.S. M1903 Springfield collection. It would be extremely difficult to improve on this M1903A1 NM rifle.