Art
08-21-2010, 02:12
Having finished with "1 Down" on my little crossword puzzle method of collecting which was the last version of the bolt action rifles most used by the winners of World War II its time to start with one across which would be the .30 caliber general issue rifles used by the United States in World War II.
This would start with Remington M1903A3 rifle that I have already posted on. I'll start with the oldest and work forward. So today it'll be my Springfield Armory M1903 rifle with Marine Corps modifications. It is also the only one of my milsurps I've done anything too other than replacing a defective part.
This rifle was a CMP Greek return rifle I bought with the idea that I might want to incorporate my USMC parts I had accumulated over the years. It's a 1921 rifle with the original barrel which, fortuitously, has a "Hatcher Hole. I think it may have been part of more than one MAP program as the last four numbers of the serial number are electro penciled into the root of the bolt handle and stamped into the bolt handle knob. I got the front sight hood from Scott Duff. I had planned to put it on My 1903A3 but for a lot of reasons decided against it. When I bought the rifle I got with Joe DeChristopher for the USMC rear slide and front sight. The stippled buttplate I owe to the old CSP. A soldier who was between deployments to Iraq had recieved a CMP M1903A3 Greek return rifle with an M1903 stippled buttplate. I swapped him a correct buttplate and kicked in a few bucks extra and he sent me the buttplate that is now on the rifle. The stippling is very faint as the buttplate has normal wear and has porbably been refinished many times.
When I first got this rifle from the CMP the rifle had not been fired since its last overhaul but the problem was the scant stock on it was the first I'd seen that truly met the definition of "firewood" It was warped and had "biscuit" repairs all over it. I told the CMP of the project I was working on and they swapped the Mk I stock the rifle wears now for the scant stock on the rifle. They also sent an unissued USGI handguard. The stock had been sanded down so many times that refinishing it again wouldn't hurt it. It was stripped and sanded and both it and the handguard refinished with boiled linseed oil. There is a nickle plated brass oiler and thong kit in the buttstock. The sling is from Deans Gun Restorations.
The thought has crossed my mind of getting a CMP "S" stock with the CMP cartouch to minimize the chance of anyone trying to sell it as a true USMC modified rifle at some future distant date. I mean what the heck, I already have more money in the gun than its worth, what's $150.00 more and it'll look "purtier."
So here it is, my restoration/replica/ whatever you want to call it Greek Return Model 1903 with the USMC modifications.
57875788578957905791
This would start with Remington M1903A3 rifle that I have already posted on. I'll start with the oldest and work forward. So today it'll be my Springfield Armory M1903 rifle with Marine Corps modifications. It is also the only one of my milsurps I've done anything too other than replacing a defective part.
This rifle was a CMP Greek return rifle I bought with the idea that I might want to incorporate my USMC parts I had accumulated over the years. It's a 1921 rifle with the original barrel which, fortuitously, has a "Hatcher Hole. I think it may have been part of more than one MAP program as the last four numbers of the serial number are electro penciled into the root of the bolt handle and stamped into the bolt handle knob. I got the front sight hood from Scott Duff. I had planned to put it on My 1903A3 but for a lot of reasons decided against it. When I bought the rifle I got with Joe DeChristopher for the USMC rear slide and front sight. The stippled buttplate I owe to the old CSP. A soldier who was between deployments to Iraq had recieved a CMP M1903A3 Greek return rifle with an M1903 stippled buttplate. I swapped him a correct buttplate and kicked in a few bucks extra and he sent me the buttplate that is now on the rifle. The stippling is very faint as the buttplate has normal wear and has porbably been refinished many times.
When I first got this rifle from the CMP the rifle had not been fired since its last overhaul but the problem was the scant stock on it was the first I'd seen that truly met the definition of "firewood" It was warped and had "biscuit" repairs all over it. I told the CMP of the project I was working on and they swapped the Mk I stock the rifle wears now for the scant stock on the rifle. They also sent an unissued USGI handguard. The stock had been sanded down so many times that refinishing it again wouldn't hurt it. It was stripped and sanded and both it and the handguard refinished with boiled linseed oil. There is a nickle plated brass oiler and thong kit in the buttstock. The sling is from Deans Gun Restorations.
The thought has crossed my mind of getting a CMP "S" stock with the CMP cartouch to minimize the chance of anyone trying to sell it as a true USMC modified rifle at some future distant date. I mean what the heck, I already have more money in the gun than its worth, what's $150.00 more and it'll look "purtier."
So here it is, my restoration/replica/ whatever you want to call it Greek Return Model 1903 with the USMC modifications.
57875788578957905791