"US SPRINGFIELD ARMORY U.S. M1903 INTERNATIONAL MATCH RIFLE WITH WINCHESTER HEAVY BARREL. SN 1255110. Cal. 30-06. Fantastic match rifle with 30" tapered rnd heavy bbl nearly the same diameter as receiver and 7/8" at muzzle. It has a heavy front sight sleeve with dovetailed globe front sight with interchangeable apertures. Top of bbl is mounted with scope blocks & left side has Winchester name & address with nickel steel & caliber markings over chamber area. Near receiver, in same area, is marked '12" TWIST'. Receiver ring has the standard Springfield 1903 markings & serial number. Rear receiver bridge is mounted with a Lyman 48S receiver sight with target knobs. Bolt has a headless striker with polished handle & body with receiver rails also polished. Firing pin is an especially made type with lightened body & grooves around front shoulder, intended to reduce weight & speed the strike time. This rifle is intended for single shot firing only with a bronze plate in place of the follower which is part of the bracket mount screwed into magazine well, which is the mount for the adjustable USMC cork ball palm rest. Mounted in very nicely figured, straight grain Claro walnut international match stock with uncheckered wide forestock with a sling rail & sling loop on bottom & beautifully fleur-de-lis carved & checkered wrist with hard rubber grip cap & concave cheek piece with adjustable long hook aluminum buttplate. Trigger guard has been altered with dbl set triggers with holes machined to allow access for adjustment. This rifle has the Winchester bbl supplied to the Frankford Arsenal & tested in January 1924 and was one of the fifteen rifles selected to be used in the 1924 Olympic matches. This information is reported in extensive detail on pp. 534-536 & 542 of the February 1, 1924 issue of The American Rifleman magazine. Page 536 in this article specifically lists this rifle by serial number. Another article which appeared in The American Rifleman Vol. LXXII (No. unknown), pp. 132-134, by W.R. Stokes reports results of the matches. Accompanying this rifle is a letter from the Springfield Research Service identifying this rifle as found in the records with the information that "this is an international match rifle manufactured with 30 in. Winchester bBL with 12-inch pitch for use in the 1924 Olympic matches". This letter also cites the aforementioned magazine articles. None of the above information identifies the shooter who actually used this rifle. The opportunity to actually own a fabulous match rifle that has documented Olympic use, rarely ever presents itself and usually, shooters being the quirky individualists they are, these rifles have been altered beyond reclamation. This rifle also is a documented Frankford Arsenal accuracy test rifle and is so designated in Vol I, pg 75 of Springfield Research records and is listed in Brophy by serial number on pg 116. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Metal retains most of a strong orig finish with glossy orig Winchester blue on bbl having a few minor scratches and a thin spot in between scope blocks on top. Bolt body & handle retain most of their bright orig polish. Stock has a hairline adjacent to bottom buttplate screw, otherwise wood is sound and retains about all of its beautiful orig finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 4-35517 JR424 (17,500-27,500)"
Reloading kit for pinfire cartridges (5mm,7mm, 9mm & 12mm)
How does it work?
PRICE LIST
|
