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Springfield Armory Museum - Collection Record
CBS4QC news story about the 1903 Springfield rifle made at the Rock Island Arsenal.
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Title: | RIFLE, MILITARY - U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903 .30 SN# 337909 |
Maker/Manufacturer: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL |
Date of Manufacture: | 1920 |
Eminent Figure: | |
Catalog Number: | SPAR 8333 |
Measurements: | OL:110.4CM 43 1/2' BL: 60.9CM 24' |
![Arsenal Arsenal](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125515571/600450312.jpg)
Object Description:
U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903 .30 SN# 337909
Manufactured by Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Il. - Standard Model 1903 bolt-action 5-round clip-fed rifle based on a modified Mauser action. Full length walnut stock secured with two bands. 4-groove rifling, right hand twist. Muzzle velocity 2700 fps. Maximum range 3400 yards. Effective range 800 yards. Effective rate of fire 10 rounds per minute. Weapon weighs approximately 8.5 lbs. Weapon has been reworked. Bolt, hand guard, barrel bands, band springs, trigger guard, front sight missing.
Markings:
Receiver: U.S./ROCK ISLAND/ARSENAL/337909.
Barrel: SA/Ordnance bomb/10-27.
Stock: FJA in rectangle. SA/O. FJA = Frank J. Atwood.
Notes: '...beginning about August 1, 1918 with receiver No. 319,921 Rock Island Arsenal turned to the use of nickel steel. This change no doubt was influenced by the fact that at the time Remington, Winchester, and Eddystone were all using a similar nickel steel in their production of the U.S. Model 1917 Rifle. The Springfield Armory did not make the change to nickel steel receivers until April of 1927 with receiver 1,275,767.' - Mott
'Receivers made at Rock Island Arsenal as well as at Springfield Armory had been involved in the accidents occurring in 1917 and 1918 which caused the revision of heat treatment. Rock Island was using the same steel that Springfield specified, and they made some experiments that verified the Springfield results. Accordingly on May 11, 1918, beginning with receiver No. 285,507 they adopted an improved heat treatment...for the carbon manganese steel receivers and bolts. In addition, on August 1, 1918, with receiver No. 319,921, they adopted a nickel steel similar to that being used at the time for the 1917 rifles under manufacture by Winchester, Remington and Eddystone.' - Hatcher
'1918: From about 1 Aug. 1918, after receiver No. 319921, production was with nickel steel concurrently with double heat treated Class C steel. No separation of serial numbers was made. Total World War I production was 47,251.' - Campbell
References:
Brophy, William S. THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLES. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pa. 1985.
Campbell, Clark S. THE '03 ERA: WHEN SMOKELESS REVOLUTIONIZED U.S. RIFLERY. Collector Grade Publications Inc. Cobourg, Ontario Canada. 1994.
Canfield, Bruce N. A COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO THE '03 SPRINGFIELD. Andrew Mowbray Publishers. Lincoln, R.I. 1989.
Ferris, C.S. ROCK ISLAND RIFLE MODEL 1903. Scott Duff Publications. Export, Pa. 2001.
Ford, Roger. THE WORLD'S GREAT RIFLES. Barnes & Nobles Books. N.Y., N.Y. 1998.
Hatcher, Julian S. HATCHER'S NOTEBOOK. 3rd. Ed. Stackpole Company. Harrisburg, Pa. 1966.
Johnson, George B. & Hans Bert Johnson. INTERNATIONAL ARMAMENT. Volume I. International Small Arms Publishers. Cologne, Germany. 1965.
MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLES. American Rifleman Reprint. National Rifle Association. Fairfax, Va. 1989.
Poyer, Joe. THE MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE AND ITS VARIATIONS. North Cape Publications, Inc. Tustin, Ca. 2001.
Manufactured by Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Il. - Standard Model 1903 bolt-action 5-round clip-fed rifle based on a modified Mauser action. Full length walnut stock secured with two bands. 4-groove rifling, right hand twist. Muzzle velocity 2700 fps. Maximum range 3400 yards. Effective range 800 yards. Effective rate of fire 10 rounds per minute. Weapon weighs approximately 8.5 lbs. Weapon has been reworked. Bolt, hand guard, barrel bands, band springs, trigger guard, front sight missing.
Markings:
Receiver: U.S./ROCK ISLAND/ARSENAL/337909.
Barrel: SA/Ordnance bomb/10-27.
Stock: FJA in rectangle. SA/O. FJA = Frank J. Atwood.
Notes: '...beginning about August 1, 1918 with receiver No. 319,921 Rock Island Arsenal turned to the use of nickel steel. This change no doubt was influenced by the fact that at the time Remington, Winchester, and Eddystone were all using a similar nickel steel in their production of the U.S. Model 1917 Rifle. The Springfield Armory did not make the change to nickel steel receivers until April of 1927 with receiver 1,275,767.' - Mott
'Receivers made at Rock Island Arsenal as well as at Springfield Armory had been involved in the accidents occurring in 1917 and 1918 which caused the revision of heat treatment. Rock Island was using the same steel that Springfield specified, and they made some experiments that verified the Springfield results. Accordingly on May 11, 1918, beginning with receiver No. 285,507 they adopted an improved heat treatment...for the carbon manganese steel receivers and bolts. In addition, on August 1, 1918, with receiver No. 319,921, they adopted a nickel steel similar to that being used at the time for the 1917 rifles under manufacture by Winchester, Remington and Eddystone.' - Hatcher
'1918: From about 1 Aug. 1918, after receiver No. 319921, production was with nickel steel concurrently with double heat treated Class C steel. No separation of serial numbers was made. Total World War I production was 47,251.' - Campbell
References:
Brophy, William S. THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLES. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pa. 1985.
Campbell, Clark S. THE '03 ERA: WHEN SMOKELESS REVOLUTIONIZED U.S. RIFLERY. Collector Grade Publications Inc. Cobourg, Ontario Canada. 1994.
Canfield, Bruce N. A COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO THE '03 SPRINGFIELD. Andrew Mowbray Publishers. Lincoln, R.I. 1989.
Ferris, C.S. ROCK ISLAND RIFLE MODEL 1903. Scott Duff Publications. Export, Pa. 2001.
Ford, Roger. THE WORLD'S GREAT RIFLES. Barnes & Nobles Books. N.Y., N.Y. 1998.
Hatcher, Julian S. HATCHER'S NOTEBOOK. 3rd. Ed. Stackpole Company. Harrisburg, Pa. 1966.
Johnson, George B. & Hans Bert Johnson. INTERNATIONAL ARMAMENT. Volume I. International Small Arms Publishers. Cologne, Germany. 1965.
MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLES. American Rifleman Reprint. National Rifle Association. Fairfax, Va. 1989.
Poyer, Joe. THE MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE AND ITS VARIATIONS. North Cape Publications, Inc. Tustin, Ca. 2001.
Searching provided by:
I know the Rock Island Arsenal (forgive me if I have the wrong number) ended production with serial number 348414, after that number (I may have the wrong end date so I apologize outright if I do. But I am sure someone else more knowledgeable than me will easily correct me) it was a blank receiver sent to Springfield Armory.
If I remember correctly RIA sent blank receivers to Springfield to have them finished. So SA continued the serialization (if that's even a real word) of the RIA receivers past the number that RIA suspended production of 1903s. (My english teachers are beating their heads looking at my syntax, so again my apologies).
So my question is, what is the last known serial number associated with a RIA receiver (which would have been finished at Springfield Armory and not necessarily RIA even though it bares the name on the crest)?
Thanks,
Andrew
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