Custom 1903 Springfield questions!

rslscobra

February 07, 2015 10:25

Hello,

Looking to find out the approx value of this rifle 1903 Springfield serial #313877. Also, is there anyway to find out who did the scroll work on this rifle? I cant find any markings anywhere on the rifle or stock. It is of excellent quality and appears to have not been fired since customized. Thx

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  charliemeyer007

  February 07, 2015 10:51

  All I get are a box with a black X in it.
  
  added Nice work.

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  nmyers

  February 07, 2015 10:57

  We can't see your pictures; you need to post them on a photo posting website in order to show them to us. The procedure:
  
  http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=259294
  
  Before you post anything, press the PREVIEW button; if your photos don't show there, they won't show when you actually post.
  
  But, we probably don't need to see your pictures to answer your questions. Unless the person who worked on the rifle left his name or initials somewhere, there's no way to tell who did the work.
  
  As for value, Springfield Armory M1903 rifles with SN < 800,000 have a Single Heat Treat (SHT) receiver that experts consider unsafe to shoot. So, your rifle, no matter how beautiful, is unlikely to sell for more than $100.
  
  Neal
  
  EDIT: It would really be nice to know if it is a SA or RIA. Maybe the folks on the milsurps forum can advise some way to tell which it is:
  http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=112

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  rslscobra

  February 07, 2015 11:06

  I downloaded from image shack and when I hit preview I see the pictures.

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  Ray Boone

  February 07, 2015 18:17

  You may be able to see them, but I click on the box and even try copy and paste elsewhere, but nothing I'm able to do opens the picture. Any engraving on the action would cause a potential buyer to be very suspect- the reason being the single heat treatment resulted in metal that is very hard- too hard to be engraved by normal means. So to soften the metal sufficient to engrave it, the action would have been heated, then reheated to harden it. doing all of this has very tight margins of error- which result in potential buyers being very suspect.

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  thorhammer

  February 07, 2015 18:51

  What Ray B said...Springfield receivers below 800,000 were improperly heat treated causing the receivers to be brittle. Once the receivers shattered the bolts would fly back into the shooters face and lose an eye. The low serial number rifles are considered unsafe to shoot and have a value of it's parts....bolt, stock, sights, internals.
  
  You can google unsafe springfield 1903 and learn more.
  
  thor

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  rufe-snow

  February 07, 2015 20:00

  The OP's photos don't show any engraving, on the receiver. Barrel, trigger guard, floorplate only etc. Unfortunately the photos aren't close-ups, so they don't show the fine detail of the engraving.
  
  The stock has been ornately carved also. Much more visible than the engraving on the metal.
  
  It appears with the oak leaf motif on the stock, that it might perhaps have been done in Europe. In the years after the war, 1945/1955? Not uncommon for G.I.'s to have their personal firearms reworked by skilled German gunsmiths.
  
  No matter how nice it looks. It being a low number Springfield would have a negative affect on value.

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  babun

  February 07, 2015 21:09

  If that was made by Rock Island, it is good to use.
  It would be soft only if it was a Springfield make.
  See this...
  
  http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/

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  rslscobra

  February 08, 2015 08:19

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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  rslscobra

  February 08, 2015 08:20

  Also, there is no engraving on the receiver.

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  Ray Boone

  February 08, 2015 11:55

  That looks like very skilled work. Sad that it gets brushed with the broad stroke spread on all older Springfields by a few that got burnt. Considering the thousands that were made and the trench warfare conditions in which they were used, and the actual percentage of failures, they actually are a good action. It's just that we only have one dominant eye to aim with and even if it's a one in 10,000 possibility, it's something that we generally decline to do.

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  rslscobra

  February 08, 2015 12:04

  Ray B.....Thanks for the reply.
  
  Yeah, I got this rifle off a friends father that passed away. It appears unfired since being customized and I think it is a great looking rifle and conversation piece. I do not plan on shooting it even if it was a high serial number. When they refinished the receiver they ground off the name of the manufacturer, so I don't know who made the action. If it was Rock Island then it would be OK.

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