Did You Know? Springfield Model 1922
U. S. Springfield, Model 1922, Calibre .22
The "U.S. Springfield, Model 1922, Calibre .22" went into production in 1922. It was to meet the need of rifleman who wanted a "twenty-two" of service type, sufficiently accurate to compete with strictly match weapons, sighted to facilitate the placing of groups, possessing the full bolt throw of the .30 calibre and other close mechanical parallels, such as direct and sure functioning magazine feed. Prototypes of such a rifle had been built at Springfield Armory in 1919 and had come to the attention of General Phillips, Secretary of the National Rifle Association. Gen. Phillips wanted the rifle produced for issue to gun clubs and was determined that the NRA should have it. He had the National Board For The Promotion Of Rifle Practice go to the Ordnance Department and request production of several thousand of the rifles for sale to NRA members at cost, the proceeds of the sales being used to reimburse the department for the expense of manufacture. For whatever reason, there were only 2,020 of these rifle produced. Apparently not all of these were sold, or if sold to the NRA were repurchased by the US as many are seen showing evidence of long term government ownership such as rebuild and/or modification. The 1922 model was produced in 1922, 1923 and 1924
As originally produced the features of the rifle were as follows:
The Stock: Length over all 31 1/2 inches. From the center of the buttplate to trigger, 13 1/2 inches. The stock forearm, except for the first few that were grooved, was smooth to permit checkering. There was no upper hand guard and there was a single barrel band that went around the stock and followed the contour of the barrel. The buttplate was a thick shotgun type with a straight back. The straight back was to enable the owner to remove the buttplate saw off the stock to shorten it and reattach the buttplate. These stocks were a little oversized and it was intended that they be shortened and/or slimmed down to fit the owner's preference. The walnut stock blanks were selected for strength and are straight grained with very few being seen with fiddleback or other grain pattern. It will not have crossbolts, is not inletted for a turn down bolt handle and has no relieved place on the left side for the cutoff. This stock is known to collectors as the NRA or 1922 stock.
The Barrel: Length is a full 24 inches long, symmetrically tapered from the muzzle to a point one inch forward of the receiver. The barrel is a little thicker than the 1903 barrel. Barrels will be dated behind the front sight. The early .22 Long Rifle ammunition was hard on barrels. Barrel replacement was not uncommon and a barrel date after 1924 can be taken as evidence the barrel is a replacement.
The Sights: Front sight has a simple blade as is found on the 1903 service rifle. The rear sight is a Lyman 48B with the elevation scale numbered to 125. Many 1922 series rifles will be found with the Lyman 17A or similar globe front sights but these are not original equipment from Springfield Armory.
The Bolt: The bolt has a headless cocking piece to give it quicker lock time. The bolt body looks like the 1903 but is in two pieces. The locking lug looks quite similar to the safety lug on a 1903 bolt. The front half of the bolt has a double firing pin. It was thought that the double firing pin would achieve more reliable ignition. Experience showed there was no advantage to the double firing pin and most 1922 rifles seen will have 1922M1 or M2 bolts with the conventional single firing pin.
The Trigger: The trigger is ribbed, two stage and adjusted to have no creep.
The Receiver: It will be similar to the 1903 receiver in appearance. The cutoff lever is retained but its only function is a release to permit removing the bolt. The receiver will be marked
U. S.
SPRINGFIELD
ARMORY
MODEL OF 1922
CAL. .22
The bolt well was reamed after the receiver was nitre blackened to achieve a smooth bolt throw. Blue in the bolt well can generally be taken as evidence the rifle has been refinished.
The Magazine: The magazine is a detachable box type and will protrude approx. 1/2 inch below the stock. Most 1922 rifles will not have the long, original type, magazine.
The metal parts of the rifle will be rust blued or nitre blackened except for the bolt which will be in the white and polished. Many 1922 rifles are seen with parkerized finish but it is not original.
The 1922 is the first of the three variations of the "1922 Series Springfield Gallery Practice Rifles". The 1922M1 and the M2 will be the subject of other "Did you know?" articles.
References:
Trask, Stephen, "The U. S. Springfield, Model 1922, Calibre .22", ARMS AND THE MAN, June 1, 1922
Hatcher, Julian, Designing a New Rifle--The New Government .22 Springfield, Guns & Ammunition, Aug. 1922
Brophy, William, THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLES, Stackkpole Books, 1985
Herschel
The "U.S. Springfield, Model 1922, Calibre .22" went into production in 1922. It was to meet the need of rifleman who wanted a "twenty-two" of service type, sufficiently accurate to compete with strictly match weapons, sighted to facilitate the placing of groups, possessing the full bolt throw of the .30 calibre and other close mechanical parallels, such as direct and sure functioning magazine feed. Prototypes of such a rifle had been built at Springfield Armory in 1919 and had come to the attention of General Phillips, Secretary of the National Rifle Association. Gen. Phillips wanted the rifle produced for issue to gun clubs and was determined that the NRA should have it. He had the National Board For The Promotion Of Rifle Practice go to the Ordnance Department and request production of several thousand of the rifles for sale to NRA members at cost, the proceeds of the sales being used to reimburse the department for the expense of manufacture. For whatever reason, there were only 2,020 of these rifle produced. Apparently not all of these were sold, or if sold to the NRA were repurchased by the US as many are seen showing evidence of long term government ownership such as rebuild and/or modification. The 1922 model was produced in 1922, 1923 and 1924
As originally produced the features of the rifle were as follows:
The Stock: Length over all 31 1/2 inches. From the center of the buttplate to trigger, 13 1/2 inches. The stock forearm, except for the first few that were grooved, was smooth to permit checkering. There was no upper hand guard and there was a single barrel band that went around the stock and followed the contour of the barrel. The buttplate was a thick shotgun type with a straight back. The straight back was to enable the owner to remove the buttplate saw off the stock to shorten it and reattach the buttplate. These stocks were a little oversized and it was intended that they be shortened and/or slimmed down to fit the owner's preference. The walnut stock blanks were selected for strength and are straight grained with very few being seen with fiddleback or other grain pattern. It will not have crossbolts, is not inletted for a turn down bolt handle and has no relieved place on the left side for the cutoff. This stock is known to collectors as the NRA or 1922 stock.
The Barrel: Length is a full 24 inches long, symmetrically tapered from the muzzle to a point one inch forward of the receiver. The barrel is a little thicker than the 1903 barrel. Barrels will be dated behind the front sight. The early .22 Long Rifle ammunition was hard on barrels. Barrel replacement was not uncommon and a barrel date after 1924 can be taken as evidence the barrel is a replacement.
The Sights: Front sight has a simple blade as is found on the 1903 service rifle. The rear sight is a Lyman 48B with the elevation scale numbered to 125. Many 1922 series rifles will be found with the Lyman 17A or similar globe front sights but these are not original equipment from Springfield Armory.
The Bolt: The bolt has a headless cocking piece to give it quicker lock time. The bolt body looks like the 1903 but is in two pieces. The locking lug looks quite similar to the safety lug on a 1903 bolt. The front half of the bolt has a double firing pin. It was thought that the double firing pin would achieve more reliable ignition. Experience showed there was no advantage to the double firing pin and most 1922 rifles seen will have 1922M1 or M2 bolts with the conventional single firing pin.
The Trigger: The trigger is ribbed, two stage and adjusted to have no creep.
The Receiver: It will be similar to the 1903 receiver in appearance. The cutoff lever is retained but its only function is a release to permit removing the bolt. The receiver will be marked
U. S.
SPRINGFIELD
ARMORY
MODEL OF 1922
CAL. .22
The bolt well was reamed after the receiver was nitre blackened to achieve a smooth bolt throw. Blue in the bolt well can generally be taken as evidence the rifle has been refinished.
The Magazine: The magazine is a detachable box type and will protrude approx. 1/2 inch below the stock. Most 1922 rifles will not have the long, original type, magazine.
The metal parts of the rifle will be rust blued or nitre blackened except for the bolt which will be in the white and polished. Many 1922 rifles are seen with parkerized finish but it is not original.
The 1922 is the first of the three variations of the "1922 Series Springfield Gallery Practice Rifles". The 1922M1 and the M2 will be the subject of other "Did you know?" articles.
References:
Trask, Stephen, "The U. S. Springfield, Model 1922, Calibre .22", ARMS AND THE MAN, June 1, 1922
Hatcher, Julian, Designing a New Rifle--The New Government .22 Springfield, Guns & Ammunition, Aug. 1922
Brophy, William, THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLES, Stackkpole Books, 1985
Herschel
0
-
Good item. About 40 years ago I learned that a small number of 22M2s had been found at the Raritan Arsenal in NJ and a letter to DCM could produce a purchase. Guns were said to be "unserviceable". I got one for $24 as I recall. It came wrapped in a green waxed paper and apparently dipped in more wax. It turned out that my "unserviceable" rifle was factory new. I kept it till recently, still like new, having fired maybe 100 rounds, then gave it to my son-in-law. All of which goes to prove that the old saying is true, a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while. 0 -
Good write-Dale
1010
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
2 comments