Sedgley M1903 ersatz rifle

[wsfbernie]

I don't dare shoot it, but as a collectable my Sedgley is fun to have. Brophy has a good
discussion of these, and they are strange beasts. The barrel is unmarked, but the receiver
is an early Springfield. The upper portion of the receiver is beautifully blued, while the lower
part (stock covered) is heavily pitted. The sight base has the Sedgley mark with the spacer.
Now, for the weird part. This weapon was in US inventory until about 2001 when I bought
it from CMP. I retained the certificate and documentation. Soooooooooo, as far as I can
tell, this weapon may have been sent on lend/lease, but at least was a US inventoried receiver
until about 2001. This receiver was army used prior to WWI,
originally sold as condemned, re-entered the supply line, and then stayed in the inventory for about 50 years before being re-sold by a government entity. Weird.

[rebound]

To the best of my knowledge (which is subject to correction) Sedgleys where purchased
by the goverment to be used for training and security proposes such as plant guards etc.during WW2.This would acount for it's goverment ownership.
FWIW

[wsfbernie]

Interesting. A well used and condemned receiver unit is repurchased for WWII, and thence remains in the system for another
sixty years. What else is lurking out there?

[dave]

Allot of sedgley sporters were made on low number recievers as well. Rec. scrubbed and new serial stamped in tang groove.

[rebound]

Interesting. A well used and condemned receiver unit is repurchased for WWII, and thence remains in the system for another
sixty years. What else is lurking out there?

Only the Shadow knows...

[Calif Steve]

Several years back CMP dumped off a pile of '03 barrels. I bought 10, I think. There was a Sedgley barrel in my pile and it was unmarked. Also was in poor condition. Sedgley used to buy low number receivers and discard barrels for "Guard Guns". Made a lot of money. They had acquired the Avis barrel machinery from WWI and could make a nice '03 barrel when they wanted. Also in my pile was a US Army WWII Sedgely '03 barrel. I still have it, another "project' gone missing.

[jon_norstog]

A few years ago I took a pass on a beautiful iron-sighted Sedgely at Ron Peterson's shop in Albuquerque. $375. I'm still kicking myself. It was a low number, so I asked The shop rats there about it. Their line at the time was the Sedgelys are safe to shoot.

Well, I've been doing just fine hunting with an iron-sighted Krag so was not in a big hurry to get more of the same, just a little stronger medicine.

WTH, if I see something like that again I'm gonna buy it.

jn

[Gus Fisher]

The Marine Corps also bought a lot of Sedgely 03 barrels after Springfield refused to supply them from Mid to late WWII, then installed them on Marine Corps Rifles.

[Calif Steve]

I think Sedgley was selling the USMC barrels before WWII. The Sedgley pre-war barrels had an excellent reputation.

[John Beard]

I don't dare shoot it, but as a collectable my Sedgley is fun to have. Brophy has a good
discussion of these, and they are strange beasts. The barrel is unmarked, but the receiver
is an early Springfield. The upper portion of the receiver is beautifully blued, while the lower
part (stock covered) is heavily pitted. The sight base has the Sedgley mark with the spacer.
Now, for the weird part. This weapon was in US inventory until about 2001 when I bought
it from CMP. I retained the certificate and documentation. Soooooooooo, as far as I can
tell, this weapon may have been sent on lend/lease, but at least was a US inventoried receiver
until about 2001. This receiver was army used prior to WWI,
originally sold as condemned, re-entered the supply line, and then stayed in the inventory for about 50 years before being re-sold by a government entity. Weird.

Your rifle is actually a Sedgley cadet rifle. Documentation in the National Archives uncovered by Frank Mallory disclosed the original purpose for the rifles.

When the U.S. entered WWII, rifles were in desperately short supply. Most of our spare rifles had been given to nations of the British Commonwealth. Army Ordnance determined that a sizable supply of serviceable rifles could be quickly acquired by replacing the rifles currently on loan to military academies and ROTC groups. So, the Army contracted with Sedgley to supply cadet rifles for the aforementioned purpose, furnishing the receivers from scrap inventory at Springfield Armory. The cadet rifles, of course, were still government property.

In due time, the Sedgley cadet rifles were returned to the Army and somehow got mixed in with the rifles sent to Greece. Working as a volunteer at the CMP processing Greek rifles, I saw a number of Sedgley cadet rifles or parts thereof. The rifles are an interesting variant of the M1903 rifle and no comprehensive M1903 collection would be complete without one.

Hope this helps.

J.B.