Another Springfield 1922 M2

[lawndart]

Hello all. I've inherited my father's 1922 M2. Over the years its lost its rear Lyman sight and magazine. I've talked to Gary Feller about the rear sight. Any company make a repro mag better than another? I know of SARCO and Numrich.

A lil about the rifle. It's receiver is blued, not parkarized, but there aren't any re-armorer(?) prefixes or suffixes. The stock is lacquered. My grandfather supposedly got it for my dad. He served in WWII and Korea. He and my dad lived in Occupied Germany for a bit as well as the Mainland (Paterson NJ) and Hawaii. Where he actually got the M2 I have no idea.

There are two pairs of drilled and tapped holes one pair forward and aft of the action. Forward of the action states: US Springfield Armory CAL.22 M2 2XXX.

Bottom of the bolt is hand engraved 2XXX, number matching the number on top of the receiver.

No armory markings on the stock. Its lacquered and the receiver and barrel are blued. Markings in front of the front blade sight is 3-33.

I'd love to get this rifle up and shooting. My dad would be proud.

Thank you for your help.

[JimF]

About the holes " . . . . forward and aft of the action. . . ."

Is one pair on the front of the receiver . . . where the lettering is . . . while the other pair are further forward, out on the barrel?

Is the trough that the bolt rides fore-and-aft in blued or bright (in the white)?

Is the butt plate "heavy" looking, or thin with an over-hanging tang on top of the heel of the butt?

Are there grasping grooves in the sides of the forend? --Jim

[lawndart]

One pair is where the lettering is and the second pair is back where the bold stem/root is. The forestock has grasping grooves and the butt plate is thin with an over hang. The trough i believe is blued.

[JimF]

OK . . . .

It sounds like a "Service" model that was "civilian" drilled-and-tapped for a scope and then re-blued.

My money is on it being a "service" model--- heavily "civilianised".

Too bad, as it was once a valuable rifle! --Jim

[lawndart]

too bad, i really have no plans on selling it, since it was my father's i consider it priceless.

[Jeff L]

Welcome to the Model 1922 club, it is very small as not many were made. I'm sure Herschel could tell you which sight you need. Then you could post an ad on the For Sale/ Wanted board. You can search places like Gunbroker.com which might give you a rough sense of how much they will cost. Pay attention to what actual bids are, not the starting price as sometimes they are too high (no bids). You'll have fun shooting it. Nice to know it's staying in the family.

cheers

-Jeff L

[jansan]

Lawndart,

You still do have a valuable rifle! I've been recording barrel dates and serial numbers for M2 rifles and your S/N 2XXX rifle with a 3-33 dated barrel is close to S/N 2092 also with a 3-33 date, which is an Issue (military style) rifle. I think it's the original barrel.

The sight you need is a 125 pt. Lyman 48 C, sometimes referred to as a "short slide" sight. They came in two forms, with and without a slot milled into the base to accommodate the stripper clip needed for 1903 .30 cal. Springfield National Match and other target rifles. Either form is correct for an M2 .22 cal. Springfield rifle as it is magazine fed.

I have no direct experience with SARCO and Numrich reproduction magazines, but from what I've read, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. The better bet is to look for an original Springfield Armory magazine stamped "M2."

Check this board for a Private Message I'm going to send to you. I may have a single source solution.




Joe

[Herschel]

Lawndart, I agree with what Jansan has said about your rifle and the parts needed. The Lyman 48C sights show up frequently on ebay and gunbroker. You can expect to pay $125 to $150 for a decent one. Be sure and get the one with the elevation slide numbered to 125. Later Lyman 48 sights have the elevation slide numbered to 60. These will have a smaller base. To mount one on your rifle would leave an ugly gap beneath the base. I have heard nothing good about the aftermarket M2 magazines. The M2 magazines show up frequently on the internet auctions mentioned above. Be sure to get one marked M2 on the upper left side. Those without the M2 stamp are for the 1922M1 and may or may not feed reliably in an M2. The 1922M1 and the M2 magazines look exactly alike so look for the M2 stamp. You can expect to pay $100 or so for one.

Since the receiver has been drilled and tapped for modern scope mount bases, there is a possibility that the bolt has been altered to clear a scope ocular bell. These were sometimes modified by grinding away part of the bolt and sometimes by bending the bolt. Since your rifle has a correctly numbered bolt I hope the handle has not been modified.

Your rifle would have originally been equipped with the early M2 type bolt. It is easily recognized by the locking lug. It will look exactly like the safety lug on a 1903. Most bolts in the 1922M1 and early M2 rifles were replaced with the later type M2 bolt which will have a rectangular locking lug with a round bearing surface on the back where it fits against the receiver when the bolt is closed.

[stars-n-bars]

Here is another one to critique!!!!:icon_scratch::icon_salut:

[Weasel]

Here is another one to critique!!!!:icon_scratch::icon_salut:

OUCH!!!!!!!:eek:

[Herschel]

Well, this one seems destined to be a sporting rifle. With the modified stock, modified bolt, modified barrel and refinished metal it is not a candidate for restoration. Since the bolt handle is modified I would say that was to allow for scope clearance so it must be drilled and tapped for a modern scope. That could be made into a really classy sporting rifle by putting it into a nice stock.

[stars-n-bars]

If I decide to keep it, What type of stock should I look for and who makes one that would fit it?:icon_salut::sign13:

[Herschel]

stars-n-bars, Check your email.

[stars-n-bars]

Herschel, I got your message and appreciate all the info. I tried to respond but apparently I don't know how. Anyway this rifle has not been taped for a scope on the rec. or the barrel. The barrel is stamped LONG RIFLE CART'GE ONLY where the originals are stamped. The barrel is a two groove with and excellent bore. The barrel appears to be a heavy tapered barrel approx. 18 1/2" long. The front sight appears to be a Lyman ramp sight. The rear sight is a Lyman grad. to 125 but has no model # that I can see on it. It has the knurled adjustment knobs. The bolt is in the white and jeweled. The bolt has NS on the handle and on the bolt body 112 and M2 stamped on the extractor is the number C3995 and it also appears on the cocking knob. The finish on this rifle is blued with a coppery appearing tint, and other than the bolt appears to be evenly patined. The buttplate is a ribbed flat plate. This rifle weighs approx. 10 lbs. The pistol grip is flat on the bottom like an NB model. I've handled other M2's and this one appears heavier with a bigger dia. to the barrel.The over all length is 38 3/8". It is a very well done anomaly to me.:icon_salut:

[Herschel]

stars-n-bars, I would have bet the receiver was drilled and tapped. Why else would the bolt handle have been modified? Maybe they just wanted a different look to the handle. The rifle has the proper early M2 without the adjustable headspace feature. It should have the rifle's sn hand etched with electric pencil on the bottom. If it is not there it must have been polished off when the bolt was jeweled.

The rear sight is a correct Lyman 48C. The model number was sometimes stamped on the front of the base.

I never heard of a two groove barrel on the Springfield .22's. Are you sure about that? I can't imagine someone coming up with a special barrel then stamping the cal marking like all the original M2 barrels were marked.

If the rifle was restocked and reblued it could made into a real classy sporter. Clayton Nelson is a custom gunsmith who makes beautiful sporters from the 1922 series rifles. He did live in Colorado and a google search might find a photo of some of his work.

It is a neat rifle in it's present configuration. The stock, as is, would very usable but I would have to have a checkered stock to make a sporter I would be proud to own. The grasping grooves would prevent this one to be properly checkered.

It is an interesting rifle. Thanks for sharing the photos.

[stars-n-bars]

Herschel, Again thanks for the info. I rechecked the grooves after running a patch thru the barrel and it is a 6 groove barrel. I also inspected the bottom of the bolt and could make out numbers 34 that looked like they had been pin pricked into the metal. There was some additional scrolling in front of the 34 but it is not readable. Apparently a mismatched bolt. I found a patent date on the rear sight of 11-1911. Do you know whether there were any heavy barreled M2's produced? This barrel mikes at .70" at the muzzle and tapers back to the receiver at 1.128. This rifle appears to weigh more than most full sized M2's I've handled.:icon_salut:

[stars-n-bars]

Does anyone know what an M2 is suppose to weigh in full configuration? Also does anyone know if any M2's were heavy barreled?:icon_scratch::icon_scratch::icon_scratch :

[Chaz]

I ordered a magazine from Numrich two years ago so I would have a spare. It was a piece of junk. Whether the fault was with the follower or the spring, it could only be loaded with 5 cartridges in the VERTICAL position so I returned it. The only positive regarding that order was that they gladly credited my credit card. B

[Herschel]

stars-n-bars, TM 9-280, Caliber .22 rifles, All types dated 16 March 1944 lists the weight of the M2 rifle as 8.9 lbs.

I have not heard of any heavier than normal barrels being used on the M2.

[stars-n-bars]

Thanks Hershel, Did you get my PM?

[stars-n-bars]

Hershel, The serial number on my rifle is 1280. Does it show up on your SRS. list and can you tell me what barrel date would be correct if I should decide to rebarrel it? Thanks, Bob:icon_salut:

[Herschel]

Bob, M2 Rifle #1280 is not on my SRS info. According to The Springfield 1903 Rifles by Brophy, M2 #1280 would have been made in FY 1933. My M2 #4254 has a 7-34 barrel. I think a 1932 or 1933 barrel would be correct for your rifle. Nearly all the Springfield .22 barrels I see for sale are dated '42. You might find a '32 or '33 dated one but it will surely be priced high.

[stars-n-bars]

Hershel, did you get the p.m I sent you about this rifle. I'm not inclined at this time to go to the added expense of restoring it to original. I'm inclined at this time to sell it?

[Herschel]

stars-n-bars, I did read your pm and responded by pm.

[Peconga]

Do you know whether there were any heavy barreled M2's produced? This barrel mikes at .70" at the muzzle and tapers back to the receiver at 1.128. This rifle appears to weigh more than most full sized M2's I've handled.:icon_salut:

Dimensions are the same as an original issue M1922 barrel at those two points. The barrel on yours probably just feels heavier than a standard M2 due to the shortened forend and resultant change in center of balance.

[stars-n-bars]

Thanks, Peconga.