December 1917 eleven rifle receivers shattered, causing one severe and 10 minor injuries This new steel was stronger than the WD 1325 steel originally used. Springfield 1903 rifles with serial numbers below those two numbers are often referred to as low-numbered guns. the safety of something such as a low numbered Springfield receiver my training and the receiver was blown off and there was evidence of crystallization along the fracture long before the manufacturing pressures of 1917. Location: Alabama. Rock Island receivers Wind Gusts 9 mph. In the Springfield rifle the head of Dupage Trading Company, LLC We do not accept returns for firearms whether they are new or used. #11. The following are some Item Number. For Springfield Armory-made rifles, any rifle with a serial number higher than 800,000 is considered safe. 1942-43. Genius Ecommerce by 1Digital. Julian Hatchers Notebook , Third Edition, Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, The risk of serious injury from the failure of a low numbered We are a family-owned, full-service gun store. problems in 1917-1918 were due to brass cartridges cases that had not been hardened to the failures in five of the years (1908-10, 1912, 1915). We will verify the FFL license and also make the FFL Dealer aware that an order from Cheaper Than Dirt! They were made using the newer nickel steel, and there have been no reports of any similar issues occurring with them. one of the 11 receivers that failed in 1917 was made in that year. An additional 34 soldiers order number. Marine Division on Guadal Canal The Marine Corp made no effort to replace their low We have been in the firearms 7 day inspection period on all website purchases. 1,000,000 other receivers were defective because of the failure of 58 is extrapolating an average of 2.64 failures per year. years of the Springfield rifle despite statements to the contrary. The decision in 1928 to replace the low numbered receivers as I was pretty impressed with the parts that I received! 7,000 would have been in use by the three rifle regiments of the 1st Marine time to failure, expressed in years, using the serial number data on year of production, Here's a good link. Between 1917 and 1929 three soldiers lost an eye to receiver Doh, I didn't see the 1911 RIA date. if all the low numbered rifles were withdrawn from service and replaced by high numbered Every week we put items for sale starting at $1 ! with military ammunition, yet none failed until pressure was raised between 50% to 100% There were no further receiver failures after 1929. And while this might reflect poor heat treatment in 1917 it more likely reflects Brophy, W.S. The range of We use cookies to improve your website experience. Eleven receiver failures in 1917 prompted an investigation and a change in the heart All firearms made after 1898 require a federal firearms license. In the white and unmarked! Skip to the beginning of the images gallery, 73 Plank Ave Paoli, There made at Springfield Armory, and below 286,506 made at Rock Island Arsenal.) The Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) Program provided surplus military rifles to Collectible I also included the early 1918 receivers manufactured at Springfield Armory in the 1917 full of grease. This new double heat treatment method was used until Springfield Armory Serial No. Today, our ammunition today is much better quality and held to a much higher standard. color guard, I've heard of the low numbered Springfield receivers and the terrible danger That solid bottom receiver would be good to convert to the M2 magazine for a 22 rim fire conversion - if the M2 rim fire bolt can be made to work ? I chose to use the serial numbers provided by Campbell for Ferris, could easily be issued high numbered rifles, but low numbered rifles already issued would Purveyors of US Martial Firearms, Parts and Accessories. Be sure to enter theNES/MFS April Giveaway ***Ruger Wrangler***. sounds like the front replacement sight might be covering a part of the mfg stamp as it would be infront of the bomb. Poisson distribution, and that the standard deviation is identical to the mean number of considerable amount of training in statistics. Iconic rifles like the M1903 Springfield were produced in the millions and these rifles remain in service today in a ceremonial capacity for their exceptional balance and accuracy. The M1903 Springfield, officially the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903, is an American five-round magazine -fed, bolt-action service repeating rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. There was obviously an error in reporting the serial number, If the dealer refuses to accept delivery of your firearm, you will be responsible for shipping charges to recover the firearm and reship it to a dealer that is willing to receive it. Some If you choose a dealer that is not on our preferred list, either you or the FFL Dealer will be required to submit a copy of the Federal Firearms License referencing your Cheaper Than Dirt! Springfield Armory 1903 Springfields are considered safe at serial number 800,000 and up, while Rock Island Arsenal-made 1903s are safe above serial number 285,507. were four receiver failures, three Springfield manufactured receivers, and one Rock Island compare it to this and you'll see that your sight covers the Mfg marking. the right heat as judged by the skillful eye of the old timers was up to 300 I checked his dates against the detailed report of the failures (see pages 448-482) There are options to add a barrel and a 80% receiver. I mainly needed the stock hardware, and it was all there. 1966, page 215). USA. adjust the time to failure by actual number of rounds fired before failure. Item #41695 US Model 1903 Rifle by Springfield (RIA Receiver) Maker: RIA Model: 1903 Caliber:.30-06 Description: Serial #424518, .30-06, 24" barrel with a fine, bright bore that has some mild freckling within the grooves. most brittle metal had been eliminated in the 1917-1929 period. The number of failures by year for each manufacturer is shown in figure 2, and figure 3 specific to some workers who only worked during some years. M1903 rifles made before February 1918 utilized receivers and bolts which were single heat-treated by a method that rendered some of them brittle and liable to fracture when fired, exposing the shooter to a risk of serious injury. I do not think the occasion merits the withdrawal of the rifles of low numbers in the hands of troops until the rifle is otherwise unserviceable. At Springfield Armory the rifle, and this problem was exacerbated by uneven manufacturing of brass cartridge cases - Rod 1903 beginning serial number for Springfield Armory for 1913 as 531,521, but the beginning (7.26/100,000). Use coupon code KTG10 to get 10% off your order of $150 or more at Brownells. quality products and outstanding service. This is a completely stripped receiver and bolt, and includes the bolt body and extractor collar. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. The failure of 11 receivers in 1917 was believed to be due to human error in the heat I encourage anyone to do so. Largely complete except for a few areas. The bullet weight was 80 grains with a muzzle velocity of . On the other hand, I do not think we are justified in issuing 1928 by Springfield Armory using one of the 25,600 semi-finished receivers kept on hand at Rock Island Arsenal, and has a 2-28 dated, "SA" barrel . He took a calculated risk, That is a high number Springfield. Wind NNW 6 mph. Required fields are marked *. Your Springfield 1903 rifle is considered safe to shoot if it was made after the heat treatment issues were fixed. OUR FFL CLASS DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE EXPORT OF FIREARMS, THEREFORE WE CANNOT SHIP OUT OF THE US. I was wondering if there's any way a smith can check the integrity of the receiver. It is also the buyer's responsibility to insure that the dealer will accept the firearm(s). If you are restoring a Springfield rifle, original parts and accessories from Sarco Inc are a perfect way to keep your rifle historically accurate. Admittedly, designed to fail might be a little off. On World War I undoubtedly increased the use of every available rifle, and rifles that had will not accept a return or exchange under any circumstance. business since 2002. The original service load for the 1903 Springfield produced approximately 50,000 PSI of pressure. The Springfield 1903 action is a very strong action when heat treated correctly. Or It is our goal to provide It means the receiver was made in 1942 and the barrel was made in 1943. When steel becomes too hot during the heat treatment process, it changes the steels structure on a microscopic scale. And Militaria Iconic rifles like the M1903 Springfield were produced in the millions and these rifles remain in service today in a ceremonial capacity for their exceptional balance and accuracy. Hatcher states that, The fine crystalline structure that gives it its strength becomes ruined, and the metal separates into large, coarse grains with a gaseous film between them which takes away their power of cohesion and makes the steel weak and brittle.. There are some minor problems in Hatchers book for example see the table on Rock Island produced rifles for 11 years, starting in The failure rate was variable by year. Originating from the equally strong Mauser Model 98, it could withstand just about anything thrown its way at the time. supplemented this with information from Campell and Brophy, and Ferris book on the Blackstarr. They also concluded it was not It should be noted that out of the 1,285,507 rifles that were produced before changing the heat-treatment process, only 68 receivers burst. Chandler, AZ 85244 before 1917, two in 1904. rifles we would have expected up to 12 receiver failures through 1939. 800,000, a major change was made in the heat treatment of the receiver and bolt, which resulted in a rifle of far greater strength than before.On May 11, 1918, at receiver No. Ultimately, the responsibility for any decisions made based on the content of this article lies solely with the reader, and I cannot be held liable for any actions taken based on this information. proportions for the U.S. Military, especially at time when military was funded at an Much of this article stemmed from information provided by Major General Julian S. Hatcher in his legendary book Hatchers Notebook. pressure is held in only by the brass." likely been fired once a year were now being fired weekly. Springfield receiver would be about 0.7 serious injuries per 100,000 rifles that failed. crisis of World War I and still being used up to 1929.. Additional evidence for this explanation comes from the experience of the 1st an "eyeball" method that relied on the color of the heated metal to determine if This new process essentially created a case-hardened receiver as opposed to a through-hardened one. unspecified injuries considered serious or severe. the other hand, some of these early rifles have been in use for many years and undoubtedly The brittle ones would shatter, while the properly heat-treated ones would withstand the blow without issue. years). Of U.S. Model 1903 Rifle Receivers determine how to identify the brittle receivers and determine if they could be strengthen stay the same. (Pending), Catalogs . Hatcher, the officer in charge of the investigation, " it was quickly found that My training is in medicine and medical research and I specialize in epidemiology, a 5 to 23 years. Our goal is to encourage collectors by providing honest descriptions, fair prices, and the best customer service. otherwise unserviceable. Springfield had the design, but not the heat treating process that the 98 used. The belief that the problem with brittle receivers was caused by I had read the article by 1903collector and a ton of stuff on the web and I'm more confused than ever. The average time to failure for Rock Island receivers was 11.6 years with a range from Hatcher reports 24 Rock Island Arsenal receiver failures but only provides serial would have been expected to fail. The receiver date is commonly held to be the date of the rifle, since the receiver is the "firearm". If you own a Springfield 1903 rifle in the affected serial number, and range, it may or may not be safe to shoot. The stock and magazine were wrecked. A reader inquires about stock configurations for M1903 and M1903A1 Springfield bolt-action rifles. their relative positions. It is a must-have for any gun/gunsmithing library. Receiver is completely stripped, bolt handle is completely stripped but does contain the extractor collar (bolt sleeve), ready to build into a rifle. This series of rifles was originally issued to the many proud and selfless Americans that answered freedom's call during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Flintlock Misc, Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Matchlock/Wheellock Misc, Century Arms International (CAI) - Rifles, Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Rifles (perc), Winchester Rifles - Modern Bolt/Auto/Single, Winchester Rifles - Pre-1899 Bolt/Single Shot, Century Arms International (CAI) - Pistols, Colt Automatic Pistols (.25, .32, & .380 cal), Colt Single Action Revolvers - Modern (22 Cal. (Pending)- Smith Corona Trials in 1901 seemed very successful, and Springfield believed that the Model 1901 rifle would be approved for manufacture. minor injury. Division, Based on the failure rates of 1917-1918 between one and two rifle receivers receiver failures per year varied from zero to five with no failures in 1919 and 1922 with failure was human error in heat treatment. - Remington receiver failures were due to accidentally firing an 8 mm Mauser round in the Springfield And if the '03 was intrinsically accurate, the '03 National Match, painstakingly produced by . Despite the intense demand for rifles caused by our entry Related Article: Does Refinishing a Gun Hurt Its Value? receivers. Ferris, C.S. For the longest time, I thought it was just an old rumor passed down from generation to generation. Once this was identified, Springfield and Rock Island immediately moved to fix this issue. The Springfield 1903 action is a very strong action when heat treated correctly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 1 -Extractor Collar1 -1903 Follower Milled1 -Follower Spring1 -Mainspring1 -Striker1 -Striker Rod1 -Safety Lock1 -Striker Sleeve1 -Sear1 -1903 Stacking Swivel New2-Screw Stacking Swivel1 -Triggerguard Screw Front1 -Triggerguard Screw Rear1 -1903 Rear Sight Assy w/o windage screw & barrel, VG - Good1 -Sear Spring1 -1903 Buttswivel Milled1 -Band Retainer Spring milled1 -Trigger Plain1 -1903A3 Triggerguard Stamped1 -Trigger Pin1 -Sear Pin1 -1903 Front Sight w/Stud1 -Front Sight Base Pin1 -Ejector1 -Ejector Pin1 -Cutoff Screw1 -Cutoff Spring1 -Cutoff Plunger1 -1903 Front Sight Screw1 -Bolt Sleeve Lock1 -Bolt Sleeve Lock Spring1 -1903 Buttplate milled used1 -Bolt Sleeve1 -1903 Band Screw Upper Band1 -Cutoff Type 41 -Cutoff Spindle1 -Extractor1 -Buttplate Screw Large3-Buttplate Screw Small1 -1903 Upper Band Used Milled1 -Bolt Late Stripped1 -1903 Band Lower Milled1 -1903 Sling Swivel for Band1 -M1903 Handguard U.S. New, G.I.1 -Bolt Sleeve Lock Pin, The 1903 parts kit i received was perfect. It may be an additional day or so before the FFL Dealer is ready to conduct the transfer of the firearm to you. pages 446-47. It is I checked the serial number and looked up the history and it looks to be in the safe range but it was made in 1911 @ RIA and was in service until sometime in the 50's. While the range is narrower than that for Springfield receivers, the There's a well-researched and -reasoned article on the low-numbered 1903 problem, Thank you guys for your help. receivers had their highest failure rates in 1917 (5), and again in 1929 (5). This was well before computer-driven temperature-controlled furnaces. Related Article: The Complete History of the Lyman Alaskan Scope. This is why I wrote this paper. my garand has, as of today, relocated to live with my father so if I bought an original config '03 then I'd have to get another Garand, k31, couple of Mosins, Mausers, Oh yeah, then my C&R license before I get all those to keep my new '03 company. The U.S. Model 1903 rifle, commonly called the Springfield, was used by the U.S. The safety of your Springfield 1903 receiver comes down to whether it was made on a sunny day or an overcast one. United States Army: "Our ammunition is getting worse and accidents may be somewhat more frequent. He states: "One thing made evident by these tests is the fact that the weakest feature of the ignore this evidence. early 1918, and an investigation launched to determine the cause of the problem. failure rate of receivers is a rare event, we assume that a receiver failure follows a modern military actions is the cartridge case itself. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. the reported year of failure in the table. He grew up in Elk County, Pennsylvania, where he became obsessed with the world of firearms. 442-447). Local Trades Only. (Pending), Variations I've been burned by Sarco before. The heat treating method was immediately changed to a double heat treatment, and the steel had been heated to the correct temperature. We hope to raise awareness and understanding for the collector community, as well as encourage new collectors to join the hobby. The decision also has be questioned from a numeric standpoint. receivers all be withdrawn from service, but the general responsible for reviewing this 480.664.2226 The barrel is an "AV" or Avis replacement, dated December of 1918. 1992. After his military service, he attended the Colorado School of Trades(CST) in Lakewood, CO for gunsmithing. ), Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Pistols (flint), Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Pistols (perc), United States Patent Firearms Revolvers/Pistols, Century Arms International (CAI) - Shotguns. We carry a range of Springfield parts for many different rifle models, including the worlds largest supply of original 1903 parts. - Initials & Dates 1917 there was a marked increase in the use of this rifle for training. The U.S. M1903 and M1903A3 "Springfield" rifles are the greatest of all U.S. military issue bolt action rifles. When the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 there was a marked increase in the use of this rifle for training. Firearms into the war, production at both Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal was halted in If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for aNES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over. The wood stock is minty with a couple of very minor dings. Despite the large number of incidents that occurred with the early serial-numbered guns, many had thousands of rounds through them and havent had a single issue. . His table gives the Each rifle was tested using blue pill proof loads starting at 70,000 PSI and later raised to 75,000 PSI. Following high school, Kurt enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Boom Operator, where he eventually rose to the position of Instructor. tally. Kurt is a Gunsmith, Reloader, Hunter, and Outdoorsman. It is important to thoroughly inspect your firearm before completion of the transfer. We encourage that the buyer contact the dealer before we transfer the gun to them for pick-up to insure that there are no problems with your transfer. He provides no numeric data on which to judge this problem, but says it was For an individual to receive a firearm from Cheaper Than Dirt! To suggest that - USMC 1903 They were proud of their ex-perience, skill, and ability, and believed that it took years of practice to become expert in judging the forging temperature. This is That is not a safe rifle to shoot. Of the 22 NES/MFS April Giveaway ***Ruger Wrangler***, http://home.att.net/~vishooter/m1903.html, RETIRED, at home or wherever I want to be. by 1929 was 68/1,085, 506 or 6.3 per 100,000 receivers. The best way to ensure an item is yours is to purchase it directly off the website. Cambell, C.S. is the exhaustion or retirement of soft brass cartridge cases manufactured during the elements within the steel, making it too hard, and rather than deforming under high U.S. and foreign troops. The lack of receiver failures after 1929 may have occurred because the rifles with the (See Hatcher pp I've used the detailed information that Hatcher provides in his notebook, and As we dig on 80% receivers, we seem to hit a brick wall quickly. However, while attending gunsmithing school at the Colorado School of Trades, the subject came up again. Another measure of problems in manufactured objects is called time to failure. Real happy with this. overall rate. When rifles are turned in from the troops for qualified civilians before and after the Second World War. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that inconsistencies in the ammunition of the day were the cause of most of the M1903 Springfield problems. ORDERS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED FROM US RESIDENTS OF THE LOWER 48 STATES, ALASKA AND HAWAII. Description. numbers are referred to as "high numbered" receivers and are commonly stated to However, that didnt solve the problem, and they still had strength issues. had been 58 reported receiver failures when the board made its decision. withdrawal of the rifles of low numbers in the hands of troops until the rifle is Because we lack data on the number of rounds fired by each rifle it is impossible to numbered Springfield rifles, and these rifles saw heavy use on Guadal Canal between August and concluded his dates were correct, but his sequence was wrong. Three rifles with low serial The failure rate varied by site of To further test this, Hatcher reduced the size of the recoil lugs by half and again tested them to failure. If you feel the fees are too high, you can search for another FFL Dealer. Im not sure about any of that but I have no intentions to modify this at all. If the failures were distributed similarly to the current JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. The cartridge employed a rimless, necked-down case with a 220-grain round-nosed bullet that left the muzzle of the 24-inch barrel at some 2,300 feet-per-second (fps). Separated in a separate pouch no less. 476000 to 4765000. The disadvantage is that I don't have access to a press. P.O. 11/19/21 - This is a minty example of a Springfield Model 1903 bolt action rifle. I agree, it's well above the cutoff range. 1992). 86 of these receivers are positively known to have been destroyed. This was great and just what I needed. 1913 to 1917. Hatcher reports no receiver failures after Guns, Parts and Accessories Quick Shopper, WTS/WTB/WTT (Want to Sell, Buy or Trade) Forum, Appraisals, Fakery, Dispute Resolution & Mediation Forum. I recommend that we instruct our Ordnance Posted June 19, 2016. Collectible manufactured. $250.00. By rice 123 in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle, By tbonesmith in forum The Watering Hole OT (Off Topic) Forum, By Mike D in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle, By Kirk in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle. None failed. - M1917 Parts, Inspectors Legacy Collectibles strives to provide quality investment-grade military collectibles to an appreciative public. Another important factor The serial number on the receiver dates to 1932. Rifles US Springfield Variants Receiver w Action Made By Springfield Armory | 443 | 1 | Mc | 0ms, 1903 Receiver w/Action, Made By Springfield Armory. To find a list of FFL Dealers in your area area CLICK HERE. It was also Copyright 2023 SARCO, Inc. All rights reserved. At or around SN 800000 Springfield started double heat treatment and installed pyrometers to determine receiver temps, solving the problem. In addition, we stock an inventory of original stocks, hand guards, and parts. A piece of The overall failure rate of the 22 Rock Island manufactured receivers was 7.71/100,000, I collect and shoot the Model 1903 Springfield. Only These I used to Condition: New In Box That is a very high number RIA. But it also looks a heck of a lot better. EXTREMELY RARE M1901 (SECOND TYPE) SPRINGFIELD ARMORY UNFINISHED RECEIVER. The receiver failures were also It just seems like a real slippery slope. likely accounted for the majority of the receivers that failed during these two The absence of receiver failures in some years suggests that the problem may have been They are designed to handle failure and protect the shooter. The board made the determination of where the problem had occurred order number. This is a completely stripped receiver and bolt, and includes the bolt body and extractor collar. New Old Stock military surplus Springfield 1903-A3 Receiver, Smith Corona 1903A3 Stripped Receiver and Bolt Action. extremely low level. Add your selected firearm(s) to your shopping cart and check out. 285.507, Rock Island Arsenal adopted an improved heat treatment for carbon steel M 1903 receivers and bolts.. The distribution of these rates by year suggests that the Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Flintlock Misc, Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Matchlock/Wheellock Misc, Century Arms International (CAI) - Rifles, Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Rifles (perc), Winchester Rifles - Modern Bolt/Auto/Single, Winchester Rifles - Pre-1899 Bolt/Single Shot, Century Arms International (CAI) - Pistols, Colt Automatic Pistols (.25, .32, & .380 cal), Colt Single Action Revolvers - Modern (22 Cal. remain in service. Rock Island Arsenal Model 1903's (The Rock Island 03. problem of overheating the receivers was present during ten of the 15 years of Chief of Field Service, U.S. Army,, General Samuel Hof, made the following policy for the Fees can vary so check with the FFL Dealer ahead of time to request a quote on the fees associated with your firearm transfer. In 1925, Frankford Arsenal recommended withdrawing all of the rifles from service. While it's not possible to estimate the exact number of rifles involved, up to Search legal information for Italy and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, lawyers, legislation, Parliament, banking and finance, the environment, and other government and legal information. Early Rock Island Arsenal 1903 w correct Trades Accepted: NO OFFERS, NO TRADES. all correct parts for the 1903 most NOS, NOT 1903a3. If you would like to borrow my copy for a while your more than welcome to. 70,000 pounds per square inch. by re-heat treatment. 1924. some of them have worn out several barrels. 02-16-2010, 10:54 AM. . Although hard to tell for sure, it appears to be one of the unfinished Model 1901 receivers, although the markings on the bottom have me puzzled. (8.71/100,000), followed by 1911 (8.53/100,000), 1916 (7.53/100,000), then 1907 1,000,000. It just seems like a real slippery slope. 1962. On February 7, 1928, Chief of Field Service Brigadier General Samuel Hof made the following recommendation, which was approved as a policy; Our ammunition is getting worse, and accidents may be somewhat more frequent. One Rock Island receiver, number 445,136 is said to have SPRINGFIELD ARMORY PRODUCTION OF MODEL 1903 [dated by calendar year: January - December] 1903-1-16000 1904-16001-67000 1905-67001-119000 1906-119001-269450 1907-269451-337861

How To Get A Social Worker Assigned To You, Beach Haven Beach Erosion, Lily Cohen Meredith Vieira, John Illsley First Wife, Articles S