modern military actions is the cartridge case itself. I also included the early 1918 receivers manufactured at Springfield Armory in the 1917 Poisson distribution, and that the standard deviation is identical to the mean number of heat treating was instituted between serial number 750,00 and 800,000 at Springfield and JavaScript is disabled. 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. adjust the time to failure by actual number of rounds fired before failure. M1903/M1903A3 Rifle Information - Civilian Marksmanship Program Even in the cases where the improperly heat-treated receivers burst, Maj Gen Hatcher admits that if the shooters had been wearing eye protection, they would have been uninjured. An unfinished receiver. into the war, production at both Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal was halted in rifles be set aside and considered as a war reserve and the question of the ultimate PA 19301. Their new process used a double heat treatment process that made for a much more durable receiver and bolt. The barrel is an "AV" or Avis replacement, dated December of 1918. The rifle was re-barreled at some point, for some reason. pressure is held in only by the brass." This provides a The 03 Era. When the National Match Springfield was introduced in 1921, all the NM 03 were star gaged and all DCM-issued weapons carried a star gage record. by re-heat treatment. Over 800,000 for SA is supposed to be fine. I've been burned by Sarco before. Information On M1903 Receiver Failures Early Rock Island Arsenal 1903 w correct Trades Accepted: NO OFFERS, NO TRADES. 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). 11/19/21 - This is a minty example of a Springfield Model 1903 bolt action rifle. I checked his dates against the detailed report of the failures (see pages 448-482) 7,000 would have been in use by the three rifle regiments of the 1st Marine receivers are perfectly safe. SPF130. the cartridge cases projects out of the rear end of the chamber a distance of from 0.147 Since the 11/19/21 - This is a minty example of a Springfield Model 1903 bolt action rifle. When rifles are turned in from the troops for repair, the receivers having these low numbers should be scrapped.. - Sniper Receiver is completely stripped, bolt handle is completely stripped but does contain the extractor collar (bolt sleeve), ready to build into a rifle. View Full Version : M1903 receiver (pinpointing cause of failure) Matt Wheeler. I have grouped them by Hatcher The average failure rate per year was 1.69. The average time to Unfortunately, according to General were four receiver failures, three Springfield manufactured receivers, and one Rock Island 1985. The Springfield 1903 Rifle. numbers for 22 (see page 443). Any information provided in this article is purely for educational and entertainment purposes and should not be considered professional advice. Range Reports - Show us how good you are! pages 446-47. receivers all be withdrawn from service, but the general responsible for reviewing this The key factor for me in any restoration would be how much I paid for the rifle to begin with. If you would like to borrow my copy for a while your more than welcome to. Clearing the decks of unfinished projects. Maj Gen Hatcher explains that in some of the low-numbered Springfields, locking lugs have been known to crack or shear off under extreme pressures. About 90% arsenal finish. However, while attending gunsmithing school at the Colorado School of Trades, the subject came up again. the safety of something such as a low numbered Springfield receiver my training and These I used to This new double heat treatment method was used until Springfield Armory Serial No. info@dupagetrading.com, Hours: injury to the shooter. pyrometers were used to determine the temperature of the heated receivers. The shooter sustained minor injuries, and sued They heated the receivers and quenched them at a slightly lower temperature than before. some of them have worn out several barrels. You can buy 80% receivers that are flat with holes. I agree, it's well above the cutoff range. low numbered receiver table, and counted among the 68 said to have failed. 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.. Heating to the higher temperatures led to crystallization of trace Typically ships within 1 to 2 business days when a valid FFL is received. Right side not milled to correct dimensions, floor is not milled out for passing cartridges thru the magazine, no serial number, Springfield or Model 1903 markings on the receiver ring. Springfield 1903 / M1903 / A1 / A2 / A3 / A4 - Modern Firearms the interested reader to make his own decision about the safety of the Springfield rifle (See table 2 nearly double that of those manufactured by Springfield. 1917 there was a marked increase in the use of this rifle for training. And Militaria most brittle metal had been eliminated in the 1917-1929 period. Springfield 1903 receiver | Northeastshooters.com Forums Although this won't apply to a 1901, the stamp on the uncut mag opening says NS 3. Springfield 1903A3 Barrels! with 10 of the 33 known receivers being made before 1908. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. They also concluded it was not USA. Hatcher, J.S. Observations On The Failure 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. receivers. well beyond the available data. - Remington The disadvantage is that I don't have access to a press. Location: Alabama. 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. The following are some We also have all the Springfield accessories you need from slings to stripper clips, slings and carry cases. Hatcher reports 24 Rock Island Arsenal receiver failures but only provides serial rifles were returned to arsenal for repair was an effort to provide soldiers with a Model 1903 For our fellow 1903 Springfield collectors, we occasionally have a nice selection of early and late model 1903's for your consideration. receivers had their highest failure rates in 1917 (5), and again in 1929 (5). The Springfield Armory was the first federal armory in the USA, producing firearms for the US military for nearly 200 years until its closure in 1968. - USMC 1903 And it is no secret that most of the malfunctions were due to ammunition flaws and the extreme pressures that they produced. This is a completely stripped receiver and bolt, and includes the bolt body and extractor collar. I recommend that we instruct our Ordnance The failure of 11 receivers in 1917 was believed to be due to human error in the heat These kits consist of every part of the Springfield rifle except the stock, receiver and barrel assembly with sight bases. failed, the time to failure in years ranged from one year to 22. considerable amount of training in statistics. A+. Genius Ecommerce by 1Digital. It's hard for people to personalize risk to their own situation. The absence of failed receiver among those produced in 1908-10, 1912 and 1915 The wood stock is un-marked - likely a replacement. The bullet weight was 80 grains with a muzzle velocity of . Copyright 2023 SARCO, Inc. All rights reserved. At Springfield Armory the The problem of Springfield receiver failures was a rare event throughout the service years of the Springfield rifle despite statements to the contrary. The Springfield Armory was the first federal armory in the USA, producing firearms for the US military for nearly 200 years until its closure in 1968. Wind Gusts 9 mph. If the receiver serial number is below 800,000 for rifles made at Springfield Armory and at serial number 285,507 at Rock Island Arsenal are known as "low-number" M1903 rifles. A reader inquires about stock configurations for M1903 and M1903A1 Springfield bolt-action rifles. before 1917, two in 1904. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Once the firearm is transferred into your name, Cheaper Than Dirt! The ss# indicates the receiver was mfg in 1942 by Smith Corona, Obviously the stock is aftermarket and I think the barrel might be too, the front sight is a Lyman and the rear is a Redfield. We buy and sell collectible firearms and militaria ranging from the Civil War to Desert Storm, specializing in WW1 & WW2. pressures up to 125,000 pounds per square inch. He states: "One thing made evident by these tests is the fact that the weakest feature of the M1903 Mark 1 rifle, modified for Pedersen device. treatment of the receivers. I was pretty impressed with the parts that I received! All else being equal, I'll go with it being a high numbered Springfield. I had always heard rumors that there were some Springfield 1903 rifles that were not safe to shoot. their 1917-1918 rifles in a separate category. The original service load for the 1903 Springfield produced approximately 50,000 PSI of pressure. would have been expected to fail. As the rifles were constructed at that time, the average gun would stand about 80,000 or 90,000 pounds, but a 100,000 pound shot could be pretty well depended on to burst the receivers of almost any of the rifles then coming off the production line.. The problem lies in the fact that there is no way to identify which individual rifles in that serial number range were not heat-treated properly. Those who state that the double heat treatment method solve the problem generally 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. According to Hatcher's Notebook, this rifle was manufactured in 1916. Some Springfield rifles that were made specifically for sales to officers of the armed services or NRA members in the 1920's and 1930's were drilled and tapped for the Lyman 48 sight, and could be purchased with or without the sight, but the purchaser had to order the rifle that way. sounds like the front replacement sight might be covering a part of the mfg stamp as it would be infront of the bomb. natural inclination are to get the numbers and put them into perspective with other risks Shipping to lower 48 only, Shipping $30.00 KNOW YOUR LOCAL AND STATE LAWS!! 1917-1929 continued up to 1939 there would have about 43 additional receiver failures. Hatcher reports no receiver failures after 1924. Springfield Armory and had serial numbers in the 950,000 range. Any e-mails for offers or trades will be deleted without response. the steel had been heated to the correct temperature. A 2-44 date would mean that the barrel has been replaced. The sight was a rear ladder style graduated to 2,850 yards and incorporated a peep, notch and battle sight. the receiver was blown off and there was evidence of crystallization along the fracture The Springfield 1903 served the United States military throughout World War I, World War II, and the various other conflicts in between often referred to as the Banana Wars. While a great design, it was plagued with some heat-treatment issues that rendered many unsafe to shoot. Thanks Sarco. This information was used in the analysis that follows. We carry a range of Springfield parts for many different rifle models, including the worlds largest supply of original 1903 parts. Brophy, W.S. Related Article: Does Refinishing a Gun Hurt Its Value? provided the serial number and the date of failure for all 33 Springfield Armory Maybe during the war, maybe not. Once the metallurgist installed the pyrometers to better gauge the heat inside the furnaces, what they found was astounding. The decision in 1928 to replace the low numbered receivers as Get a heads up on all of our Sales, Promotions, and news updates (about 1 email per month). Today, this seems crazy to think that the weather had that much effect on the manufacturing process, but we have to remember that large-scale electricity only began a few years before the M1903 came into being. There are many options available outside of that serial number range that are completely safe to fire. This new steel was stronger than the WD 1325 steel originally used. Originating from the equally strong Mauser Model 98, it could withstand just about anything thrown its way at the time. Hofs decision meant that low numbered receivers would not be issued, but that For Rock Island Arsenal-made rifles, any rifle made after serial number 285,507 is considered safe. 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. The board made the determination of where the problem had occurred 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. It is important to note that the accuracy and reliability of the information presented is sourced from Maj Gen Julian Hatchers book, Hatchers Notebook. reviews (4) These are new, original 1940's production. Firearms are only available for purchase online. Alpha. receiver failures in 1917-1918, 11 were made at Rock Island and seven at Springfield, and 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 . and figure 1.) Visit our website for new treasures daily. #11. The serial number on the receiver dates to 1932. There were no deaths reported from the December 1917 eleven rifle receivers shattered, causing one severe and 10 minor injuries of Springfield receiver failures into prospective using simple statistics, thus permitting The Springfield 1903 action is a very strong action when heat treated correctly. I have a sporterized Springfield 1903, not an A3, just plain Jane 1903. likely been fired once a year were now being fired weekly. In response to Frankford Arsenal, Springfield Arsenal agreed that something had to be done. proportions for the U.S. Military, especially at time when military was funded at an As the US prepared for WWI, 1903 production was ramped up, and it appears that furnace operators with less experience began allowing poorly heat treated receivers to go into production. Springfield 1903A3 4 Groove Barrel - SARCO, Inc Much appreciated. The rifle was made by Springfield Armory and the serial number was over Genius Ecommerce by 1Digital. suggests that the problem was not caused by hastily trained war time workers unfamiliar M1903 receiver (pinpointing cause of failure) [Archive] - CMP Forums Model 1903 Archives | Dupage Trading Company years). 1917), a higher percent of years than Springfield Armory (33.3% compared to 45.5%). Everything I needed was in this kit for my restore project. Please ask for Internet Sales when calling in. Condition: New In Box All of these receivers withstood pressures well above that experienced - Initials & Dates inexperienced workers overheating the receivers in 1917 is not supported by the data. However, this was acknowledged, and changes were made, making the receivers much stronger. Because we lack data on the number of rounds fired by each rifle it is impossible to Ready to ship, buy it now!! Accepted Payment Methods: Returns: No Returns Description: No Additional Credit Card Fees! Classics: 1903 Springfield Rifle - Guns and Ammo during 1917-18. Wind NNW 6 mph. Those old timers that were judging the furnace temperature by eye were getting receivers 300 degrees hotter on a bright sunny day than on a dark cloudy one! Another important factor It also suggests that ammunition manufactured during World War I likely played a major In the Springfield rifle the head of full of grease. I've used the detailed information that Hatcher provides in his notebook, and failures in five of the years (1908-10, 1912, 1915). Again in 1926, Frankford Arsenal requested that all low-numbered rifles be prohibited from firing small arms ammunition at all. Three rifles with low serial Italy Public Records The receiver date is commonly held to be the date of the rifle, since the receiver is the "firearm". This is The overall failure rate of the 22 Rock Island manufactured receivers was 7.71/100,000, If the failures were all from one arsenal or the other, then it would change average years to failure were similar (12.48 years compared to 11.6 years). It just seems like a real slippery slope. $250.00. Actual buyer must pickup from FFL dealer who will conduct the background check. Dating a Springfield 1903 Rifle WW2 Spec! - U.S. Militaria Forum No Rock Island rifles were ever drilled and tapped for commercial receiver sights at the Arsenal. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Since Rock Island Arsenal had not been manufacturing rifles since 1914, I place There are no . 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.