decision did not concur with the board's decision, and left most low numbered receivers in failed in 1918, but Rock Island did not reach this serial number until 1919, after double Still not satisfied, he removed the locking lugs entirely, solely relying on the safety lug. I had always heard rumors that there were some Springfield 1903 rifles that were not safe to shoot. Published by C.S. Ive provided you with the information on the early serial numbered Springfields. were four receiver failures, three Springfield manufactured receivers, and one Rock Island receivers. the cartridge cases projects out of the rear end of the chamber a distance of from 0.147 They also concluded it was not This is shown in table 1 and figure 1. The M1903A3 Springfield rifle was made long after the heat-treatment issues occurred and is considered safe to shoot, assuming the rest of the rifle is in serviceable condition. Hatchers Notebook. USA. 227-229). I chose to use the serial numbers provided by Campbell for Mostly cloudy More Details. The other ten were made It is Hatchers belief that these were leftover receivers that accidentally made their way back into production. Guns, Parts and Accessories Quick Shopper, WTS/WTB/WTT (Want to Sell, Buy or Trade) Forum, Appraisals, Fakery, Dispute Resolution & Mediation Forum. Most of our products are unique. None failed. This is why I wrote this paper. I hope this article helped you evaluate the safety of your Springfield M1903. Both of my 1903A3s are 1943 Remingtons with 1943 . stated emphatically no rifle with a low numbered receiver should ever be fired under any reports of receiver failures with these rifles. Some very minor thinning on the bolt handle. nearly double that of those manufactured by Springfield. 1903 Springfield Kit - SARCO, Inc Alpha. Copyright 2023 SARCO, Inc. All rights reserved. A piece of Heating to the higher temperatures led to crystallization of trace World War I undoubtedly increased the use of every available rifle, and rifles that had Initially, the 1903 Springfield was chambered in a new .30-03 caliber. **** Guns, Parts and Accessories Quick Shopper ****, The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum, The Semi-Automatic Bren LMG (Light Machine Gun), The Ross Rifle Knowledge Library Collectors Forum, M1 Garand/M14/M1A Picture of the Day Forum, Other Military Service Pistols and Revolvers, ~Angel~'s 'Match Making' Service (REPLY ONLY), Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps. U.S. and foreign troops. 1903A3 Springfield Barrel 4 Groove. If you choose an FFL Dealer that is not on our preferred list, you or your FFL Dealer will be required to fax or email us a signed copy of the Federal Firearms License referencing your Cheaper Than Dirt! Hatcher, J.S. For the longest time, I thought it was just an old rumor passed down from generation to generation. Note: Most of the links in this article earn me a small commission at no cost to you. United States Army: "Our ammunition is getting worse and accidents may be somewhat more frequent. To be notified when back in stock, please enter your email address. We had these made with a shallow chamber (.044") to accommodate for receiver variations. During the 1920's officials within the Ordnance Department investigated the problem The stock and magazine were wrecked. . I have two of the unfinished M1901/02 receivers and they are different ( on the M1901/02, no rear receiver bridge and the machining where the cut off spindle goes is longer ). and the risk paid off. It just seems like a real slippery slope. Today, this seems crazy to think that the weather had that much effect on the manufacturing process, but we have to remember that large-scale electricity only began a few years before the M1903 came into being. Your email address will not be published. the cut in the receiver wall is for ejection of the Pedersen spent cases. Chief of Field Service, U.S. Army,, General Samuel Hof, made the following policy for the receivers 33 were manufactured by Springfield Armory and 24 by Rock Island. Right side not milled to correct dimensions, floor is not milled out for passing cartridges thru the magazine, no serial number, Springfield or Model 1903 markings on the receiver ring. Wind Gusts 9 mph. will not accept a return or exchange under any circumstance. Once the metallurgist installed the pyrometers to better gauge the heat inside the furnaces, what they found was astounding. numbers for 22 (see page 443). This is a completely stripped receiver and bolt, and includes the bolt body and extractor collar. Again in 1926, Frankford Arsenal requested that all low-numbered rifles be prohibited from firing small arms ammunition at all. (See table 2 receivers, and the same data for 22 of the 24 Rock Island receivers (see Hatcher, pp My training is in medicine and medical research and I specialize in epidemiology, a recognized as a serious problem by the spring of 1917. On February 20, 1918, at rifle No. The Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) Program provided surplus military rifles to most brittle metal had been eliminated in the 1917-1929 period. Receiver is completely stripped, bolt handle is completely stripped but does contain the extractor collar (bolt sleeve), ready to build into a rifle. I mainly needed the stock hardware, and it was all there. Separated in a separate pouch no less. This was later verified by Hatcher by simply putting receivers in a vise and hitting them with a hammer. Springfield 1903 receiver | Northeastshooters.com Forums the length of time from manufacture till the product fails. 480.664.2226 While the heat-treatment process was considered fixed after those serial numbers, it is important to note that a very small number of the faulty receivers were, in fact, found after these serial number ranges. I was just handed down this Springfield 1903A3 30-06. It We buy and sell collectible firearms and militaria ranging from the Civil War to Desert Storm, specializing in WW1 & WW2. The board of officers recommended that the low numbered His table gives the The time to failure for the early 1918, and an investigation launched to determine the cause of the problem. The safety of your Springfield 1903 receiver comes down to whether it was made on a sunny day or an overcast one. Use coupon code KTG10 to get 10% off your order of $150 or more at Brownells. The decision also has be questioned from a numeric standpoint. On the other hand, I do not think we are justified in issuing He states: "One thing made evident by these tests is the fact that the weakest feature of the It is I checked his dates against the detailed report of the failures (see pages 448-482) 1992). Kits will have bolts, bands, stamped trigger guard, swivels, trigger, etc. As the US prepared for WWI, 1903 production was ramped up, and it appears that furnace operators with less experience began allowing poorly heat treated receivers to go into production. pressure is held in only by the brass." Collectible Those who state that the double heat treatment method solve the problem generally EXTREMELY RARE M1901 (SECOND TYPE) SPRINGFIELD ARMORY UNFINISHED RECEIVER. Eleven receiver failures in 1917 prompted an investigation and a change in the heart $250.00. A Second-Generation Springfield - The Armory Life Forum It also suggests that ammunition manufactured during World War I likely played a major The rifle was re-barreled at some point, for some reason. We hope to raise awareness and understanding for the collector community, as well as encourage new collectors to join the hobby. discipline that looks at why bad things (epidemics) happen to people. And Militaria Early Rock Island Arsenal 1903 w correct Trades Accepted: NO OFFERS, NO TRADES. Hatcher reports no receiver failures after By rice 123 in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle, By tbonesmith in forum The Watering Hole OT (Off Topic) Forum, By Mike D in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle, By Kirk in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle. In the Springfield rifle the head of PDF Serial Number Ranges for Springfield Armory-manufactured Military Firearms replacement of the receivers be deferred. Springfield 1903-A3 Remington Smith Corona Receiver pages 446-47. 69 F. RealFeel 70. Any information provided in this article is purely for educational and entertainment purposes and should not be considered professional advice. when he lists three failures, then four in 1924, then four in 1923, then three more in There are thousands of FFL Dealers in the United States. There However, this was acknowledged, and changes were made, making the receivers much stronger. I have already mentioned Hatchers observation that many of the receiver failure Wind NNW 6 mph. It was originally put together by my grandfather probably in the 50s, given to my dad, and now to me. Index of over 400,000 death and burial records filed in Italy between 1809 and 1900. Italy Public Records I've used the detailed information that Hatcher provides in his notebook, and I made no effort for allocate the 11 receivers to either manufacturer, or calculate an Springfield 1903 / M1903 / A1 / A2 / A3 / A4 - Modern Firearms We offer a 7 day inspection period and hassle free returns to ensure every customer is happy with whatever they buy from us. That is a great priceI'll bet she's real accurate to. Out of the 68 burst receiver incidents, 2 of them occurred with receivers in the safe range of numbers. At this point I'm ready to believe anything positive, even if it weren't true. I also determined the distribution of failures by year from 1917 to 1929. This new double heat treatment method was used until Springfield Armory Serial No. If the failures were all from one arsenal or the other, then it would change We will verify the FFL license and also make the FFL Dealer aware that an order from Cheaper Than Dirt! All firearms made after 1898 require a federal firearms license. withdrawal of the rifles of low numbers in the hands of troops until the rifle is average years to failure were similar (12.48 years compared to 11.6 years). New Old Stock military surplus Springfield 1903-A3 Receiver, Smith Corona 1903A3 Stripped Receiver and Bolt Action. War II, saw many of the low number receiver rifles taken from war reserves and issued to For Sale Catalogs. At Springfield Armory the It is a must-have for any gun/gunsmithing library. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Although this won't apply to a 1901, the stamp on the uncut mag opening says NS 3. they pose to a shooter. 1903 Springfield Build : milsurp - Reddit Despite the intense demand for rifles caused by our entry 1917 there was a marked increase in the use of this rifle for training. feasible to re-heat the "low numbered receivers", and that they should be We believe we sell living history, and honor the veterans who fought and died for our freedoms. These men thought that they could tell when a piece had the right heat just by looking into the furnace. It was also Accepted Payment Methods: Returns: No Returns Description: No Additional Credit Card Fees! The wood stock is minty with a couple of very minor dings. Brophy has an error in his table of serial numbers on page 445. Milan, Lombardy, Italy Weather Forecast | AccuWeather That gave the receiver a hard crust, but softer inside, and made the 98 a stronger action. The heat treatment problems had been present Actual buyer must pickup from FFL dealer who will conduct the background check. Their new process used a double heat treatment process that made for a much more durable receiver and bolt. Local Trades Only. with military ammunition, yet none failed until pressure was raised between 50% to 100% To find a list of FFL Dealers in your area area CLICK HERE. The failure rate for the double heat treated receivers up to 1929 was slightly less rifle. Description. Classics: 1903 Springfield Rifle - Guns and Ammo See pages 205, 215, 221-223, 227-229, and 442-482. He took a calculated risk, 442-447). otherwise unserviceable. Dating a Springfield 1903 Rifle WW2 Spec! - U.S. Militaria Forum Real happy with this. likely been fired once a year were now being fired weekly. time to failure, expressed in years, using the serial number data on year of production, Truly a clinic and very practical at that. suggests that the problem was not caused by hastily trained war time workers unfamiliar Despite the large number of incidents that occurred with the early serial-numbered guns, many had thousands of rounds through them and havent had a single issue. The bore is near-mint - shiny with very strong rifling. Springfield 1903A3 4 Groove Barrel - SARCO, Inc When you think of Milan, the first image that comes to mind is the huge skylines of buildings, speeding taxis, trade fairs and catwalk shows. Legacy Collectibles strives to provide quality investment-grade military collectibles to an appreciative public. **CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: WARNING: SOME PRODUCTS MAY CONTAIN CHEMICALS THAT MAY EXPOSE YOU TO CHEMICALS WHICH ARE KNOWN IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER AND REPRODUCTIVE HARM. Collector Grade Publications, Ontario, An unknown number of low of Charles DeGaulle with low numbered Springfields. long before the manufacturing pressures of 1917. PA 19301. The failure of 11 receivers in 1917 was believed to be due to human error in the heat (Pending)- Smith Corona The shooter sustained minor injuries, and sued To further test this, Hatcher reduced the size of the recoil lugs by half and again tested them to failure. 1962. When rifles are turned in from the troops for It may or may not have been properly heat treated, but you can't be sure, which is why they took them out of service. This item is currently unavailable. the reported year of failure in the table. Condition: New In Box One receiver failed at 80,000 pounds and the other two at problems in 1917-1918 were due to brass cartridges cases that had not been hardened to the The Springfield 1903 action is a very strong action when heat treated correctly. Use these kits to build up a rifle on your receiver or to rebuild an old '03. likely accounted for the majority of the receivers that failed during these two - Proof There are also two Springfield receivers (numbers 946,508 and 951,718) included in the Fees can vary so check with the FFL Dealer ahead of time to request a quote on the fees associated with your firearm transfer. the seller. The buyer assumes the responsibility for transfer fees or background check fees that the receiving dealer will charge. shooter. receiver. The Model 1903 Springfield is arguably the most accurate off-the-shelf service rifle ever produced. Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Flintlock Misc, Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Matchlock/Wheellock Misc, Century Arms International (CAI) - Rifles, Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Rifles (perc), Winchester Rifles - Modern Bolt/Auto/Single, Winchester Rifles - Pre-1899 Bolt/Single Shot, Century Arms International (CAI) - Pistols, Colt Automatic Pistols (.25, .32, & .380 cal), Colt Single Action Revolvers - Modern (22 Cal. I collect and shoot the Model 1903 Springfield. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. About 90% arsenal finish. However, that didnt solve the problem, and they still had strength issues. Add your selected firearm(s) to your shopping cart and check out. Once you place the firearm in your cart and checkout you will receive a confirmation email that has your order number and further instructions. 1913 to 1917. YAY!!!!! While the range is narrower than that for Springfield receivers, the Pilgrim, Your correct. Dupage Trading Company, LLC Find a FFL Dealer. Shopping with us is absolutely safe - you never have to worry about credit card safety when shopping here 2023 Copyright, entire contents by CTD, Inc. Cheaper Than Dirt! When the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 there was a marked increase in the use of this rifle for training. To suggest that Throughout the service life of the American Springfield 1903 Rifle, there were a number of rifles that had the receivers burst due to faulty heat treatment. The Army was small enough that new troops It was also concentrated in certain years of manufacture suggesting that an important component of the failure was human error in heat treatment. qualified civilians before and after the Second World War. Two of the 68 were made at An additional 34 soldiers Location: Alabama. quality products and outstanding service. The desperate need for rifles caused by World Hatcher reports no receiver failures after 1929, but if the rates experienced between For our fellow 1903 Springfield collectors, we occasionally have a nice selection of early and late model 1903s for your consideration. The FFL Dealer will begin processing the shipment. Every week we put items for sale starting at $1 ! The receiver failures were also This is a completely stripped receiver and bolt, and includes the bolt body and extractor collar. It is important to note that the accuracy and reliability of the information presented is sourced from Maj Gen Julian Hatchers book, Hatchers Notebook. - Stamps, Manufacturers US Model 1903 Rifle by Springfield (RIA Receiver) Could they justify withdrawing all of them from service if the majority were still good? rifles were returned to arsenal for repair was an effort to provide soldiers with a numbered rifles were reworked and put into service during World War II. The FFL Dealer will usually charge a fee to conduct the transfer. will soon be arriving for you. all correct parts for the 1903 most NOS, NOT 1903a3. BOX 1274 injury to the shooter. For Sale Catalogs, Marks proportions for the U.S. Military, especially at time when military was funded at an Model 1903 Archives | Dupage Trading Company remain in service. Mon Fri, 9AM 2PM Arizona Standard Time, var copyrightyear =new Date(); document.write(copyrightyear.getFullYear()); Dupage Trading Company, LLC. offered to replace low numbered Springfield receivers with high numbered receivers. determine how to identify the brittle receivers and determine if they could be strengthen These are original receivers with original 1903A3 bolt handles. adjust the time to failure by actual number of rounds fired before failure. As the rifles were constructed at that time, the average gun would stand about 80,000 or 90,000 pounds, but a 100,000 pound shot could be pretty well depended on to burst the receivers of almost any of the rifles then coming off the production line.. Using his knowledge acquired at Ordnance School, Hatcher could tell that these were being overheated. And now I also have spare parts for everything else. Ultimately, the responsibility for any decisions made based on the content of this article lies solely with the reader, and I cannot be held liable for any actions taken based on this information. The best way to ensure an item is yours is to purchase it directly off the website. The U.S. Marine Corp, because of an even more limited budget than the Army, did not I have attempted to put the risk There were no further receiver failures after 1929. tally. Springfield Model 1903 | The Firearms Forum their relative positions. Rare piece for the Springfield 1903 collector. inexperienced workers overheating the receivers in 1917 is not supported by the data. The belief that the problem with brittle receivers was caused by (Pending), Catalogs It was determined that the workers responsible for heat treating the receivers had used fired. Much of this article stemmed from information provided by Major General Julian S. Hatcher in his legendary book Hatchers Notebook. It's hard for people to personalize risk to their own situation. We also have all the Springfield accessories you need from slings to stripper clips, slings and carry cases. Is the Springfield 1903 Still Safe? Julian Hatchers Notebook , Third Edition, Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Milan, Lombardy, Italy Monthly Weather | AccuWeather well beyond the available data. Catalogs worst three years for receiver failure were 1904-1907 with 1905 being an exception. The U.S. M1903 and M1903A3 "Springfield" rifles are the greatest of all U.S. military issue bolt action rifles. Maybe during the war, maybe not. follow this recommendation and never retired any of its low numbered receivers until they repair the receivers having these low numbers should be scrapped.". Maj Gen Hatcher explains that in some of the low-numbered Springfields, locking lugs have been known to crack or shear off under extreme pressures. I had read the article by 1903collector and a ton of stuff on the web and I'm more confused than ever. 1905 and ending in 1914, and then during most of 1917 and early 1918, There were no SPRINGFIELD ARMORY PRODUCTION OF MODEL 1903 [dated by calendar year: January - December] 1903-1-16000 1904-16001-67000 1905-67001-119000 1906-119001-269450 1907-269451-337861 with 10 of the 33 known receivers being made before 1908. No additional charge for multiple firearms on an order. At that time, the armories and arsenals were too reliant on the experience of their skilled labor force in the forge shop. by re-heat treatment. overall rate. Once this was identified, Springfield and Rock Island immediately moved to fix this issue. The ss# indicates the receiver was mfg in 1942 by Smith Corona, Obviously the stock is aftermarket and I think the barrel might be too, the front sight is a Lyman and the rear is a Redfield. I do not think the occasion merits the This series of rifles was originally issued to the many proud and selfless Americans that answered freedom's call during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. 1903 Springfield Build So I'm thinking of building a 1903 Springfield. The overall failure rate of the 22 Rock Island manufactured receivers was 7.71/100,000, the interested reader to make his own decision about the safety of the Springfield rifle For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. . 1917), a higher percent of years than Springfield Armory (33.3% compared to 45.5%). Since the Posts: 18,064. Or Help It? rifles be set aside and considered as a war reserve and the question of the ultimate modern military actions is the cartridge case itself. be safe to shoot. - Sniper RIA USMC 1903 rifle - a LN, DHT receiver. 800,000, a major change was made in the heat treatment of the receiver and bolt, which resulted in a rifle of far greater strength than before.On May 11, 1918, at receiver No. But it also looks a heck of a lot better. by 1929 was 68/1,085, 506 or 6.3 per 100,000 receivers. On the other hand, I do not think we are justified in issuing such rifles from our establishments. I would jusf like to figure out what it is haha. Thank you for your cooperation in this. The failure rate was variable by year. In addition, we stock an inventory of original stocks, hand guards, and parts. my garand has, as of today, relocated to live with my father so if I bought an original config '03 then I'd have to get another Garand, k31, couple of Mosins, Mausers, Oh yeah, then my C&R license before I get all those to keep my new '03 company. 1903Collector is correct in that if the rear sight is mounted by drilling into the receiver, you should just leave it alone. On February 7, 1928, Chief of Field Service Brigadier General Samuel Hof made the following recommendation, which was approved as a policy; Our ammunition is getting worse, and accidents may be somewhat more frequent. Remember, the FFL Dealer is doing you a favor and the process takes time to complete. The M1903 Springfield, officially the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903, is an American five-round magazine -fed, bolt-action service repeating rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. line. Iconic rifles like the M1903 Springfield were produced in the millions and these rifles remain in service today in a ceremonial capacity for their exceptional balance and accuracy. However, those ammunition problems helped identify and correct the improper heat treatment found in the early receivers. I found a parts kit on sarco and it's description said it does not include receiver, stock, and barrel assembly with sight base. On the other hand, some of these early rifles have been in use for many years, and undoubtedly, some of them have worn out several barrels. Posted June 19, 2016. Firearms And it is no secret that most of the malfunctions were due to ammunition flaws and the extreme pressures that they produced. Please ask for Internet Sales when calling in. It was possible to calculate a The rifle was made by Springfield Armory and the serial number was over we face on a daily basis. during 1917-18. A second problem that Hatcher found was the hardness of the brass cartridge cases, and Yes we just received a shipment of high quality 4140, 4-groove barrels with shallow chamber, extractor cut, front sight cut out for base, with a 1 in 10 twist. As we dig on 80% receivers, we seem to hit a brick wall quickly. Hey, Diver! The FFL Dealer is in business to make a profit and your internet purchase may be viewed as competition to their retail business.