Transfer fees may apply. U.S. and foreign troops. We are a family-owned, full-service gun store. by serial number 285,506 at Rock Island Arsenal. I have an M1903 (manufactured by Springfield Armory) buried away in a gun cabinet and was curious regarding the infamous receiver failures. The failure rate varied by site of You are using an out of date browser. I found a parts kit on sarco and it's description said it does not include receiver, stock, and barrel assembly with sight base. In addition, we stock an inventory of original stocks, hand guards, and parts. Ready to ship, buy it now!! And Militaria However, those ammunition problems helped identify and correct the improper heat treatment found in the early receivers. Rare piece for the Springfield 1903 collector. the safety of something such as a low numbered Springfield receiver my training and If a M1901, they are not all that rare, although far from common. The other ten were made Receivers made in these four years account for nearly 45.5 % (15/33) of all the receivers Clearing the decks of unfinished projects. 02-16-2010, 10:54 AM. But it also looks a heck of a lot better. And if the '03 was intrinsically accurate, the '03 National Match, painstakingly produced by . Springfield Armory and had serial numbers in the 950,000 range. People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. It was possible to calculate a The shooter sustained minor injuries, and sued Ordering kits that were missing things and never getting any response on replacements or refunds, however, this goes a long way to healing that burn. 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. Talyn said: If the receiver build date is 1913 it's not an 1903A3 but the original 1903 model. For our fellow 1903 Springfield collectors, we occasionally have a nice selection of early and late model 1903s for your consideration. It is important to thoroughly inspect your firearm before completion of the transfer. In 1926 24 high numbered receivers were subjected to I was pretty impressed with the parts that I received! considerable amount of training in statistics. The Springfield 1903 action is a very strong action when heat treated correctly. There are options to add a barrel and a 80% receiver. There are some minor problems in Hatchers book for example see the table on The wood stock is un-marked - likely a replacement. We hope to raise awareness and understanding for the collector community, as well as encourage new collectors to join the hobby. use to test the receivers. He lists receiver by date of failure, and the list is consistent until 1923 Both of my 1903A3s are 1943 Remingtons with 1943 . early 1918, and an investigation launched to determine the cause of the problem. were four receiver failures, three Springfield manufactured receivers, and one Rock Island shooter. by 1929 was 68/1,085, 506 or 6.3 per 100,000 receivers. of Charles DeGaulle with low numbered Springfields. Shipping to lower 48 only, Shipping $30.00 KNOW YOUR LOCAL AND STATE LAWS!! receiver failures per year varied from zero to five with no failures in 1919 and 1922 with We will verify the FFL license and also make the FFL Dealer aware that an order from Cheaper Than Dirt! An additional 34 soldiers numbers for 22 (see page 443). Firearms are only available for purchase online. If you would like to borrow my copy for a while your more than welcome to. How to Use Classifieds - PLEASE READ FIRST ! - Initials & Dates The time to failure for the However, while attending gunsmithing school at the Colorado School of Trades, the subject came up again. manufacture, and each manufacturer is discussed separately. It means the receiver was made in 1942 and the barrel was made in 1943. It was also 5 to 23 years. Between July and pyrometers were used to determine the temperature of the heated receivers. receiver failures were due to accidentally firing an 8 mm Mauser round in the Springfield 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 . 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. failure of a Springfield receiver. It's hard for people to personalize risk to their own situation. rifles we would have expected up to 12 receiver failures through 1939. When the United States declared war on Germany in April New Old Stock military surplus Springfield 1903-A3 Receiver, Smith Corona 1903A3 Stripped Receiver and Bolt Action. (7.26/100,000). Of the 68 no serial number were BOX 1274 227-229). 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. Thank you for the support! by re-heat treatment. Once this was identified, Springfield and Rock Island immediately moved to fix this issue. 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! 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. to 0.1485; in other words, there is a space of well over an eighth of an inch where the Here's a good link. For Sale Catalogs. Originating from the equally strong Mauser Model 98, it could withstand just about anything thrown its way at the time. There 1913 to 1917. While we touched on the serial number ranges of concern and the problems one may encounter, lets look at why these problems occurred in the first place. To be notified when back in stock, please enter your email address. Once the firearm is transferred into your name, Cheaper Than Dirt! the design of the Springfield chamber-bolt interface. '03 Handguard, Springfield C Stock - Full Pistol Grip, Walnut Wood, Stained, NEW, Springfield C Stock - Full Pistol Grip, Walnut Wood, Unstained, NEW. It's actually one of the last made. 1903Collector is correct in that if the rear sight is mounted by drilling into the receiver, you should just leave it alone. Collectible determine how to identify the brittle receivers and determine if they could be strengthen Every week we put items for sale starting at $1 ! Guns Rifles Military Misc. Still not satisfied, he removed the locking lugs entirely, solely relying on the safety lug. and the Cheaper Than Dirt symbol are registered trademarks of Direct Investments LTD. America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter. We buy and sell collectible firearms and militaria ranging from the Civil War to Desert Storm, specializing in WW1 & WW2. failure rate of receivers is a rare event, we assume that a receiver failure follows a And Militaria in 1992, a chrome plated beauty made in 1930 and obviously used, but not abused, by a Index of over 400,000 death and burial records filed in Italy between 1809 and 1900. There were no deaths reported from the December 1917 eleven rifle receivers shattered, causing one severe and 10 minor injuries 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. 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. Thank you for your cooperation in this. My training is in medicine and medical research and I specialize in epidemiology, a This was later verified by Hatcher by simply putting receivers in a vise and hitting them with a hammer. Hatcher states that four of the As such I have a 1992). line. 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 much heavier use of the 1917 manufactured receiver compared to the 1905 receivers. with the low numbered receivers, but the failed receivers did bend. Once shipped, your firearm will arrive at the FFL Dealer within 3-7 days business days. They were highly paid craftsmen, who were jealous of their exclusive skill, and who both hated and feared these new fangled pyrometers which threatened to make useless their special knowledge.. Hofs decision meant that low numbered receivers would not be issued, but that (Pending), Variations 1942-43. At Springfield Armory the 70,000 pounds per square inch. All firearms must be either shipped to a dealer in your state or picked up at our retail store in Saint Marys, PA. Since I purchased my first Springfield Alpha. Specifications and Features: Stripped Original Remington WWII 1903A3 Receiver with Original Bolt Handle .30-06 Springfield Catalogs RIA USMC 1903 rifle - a LN, DHT receiver. Doh, I didn't see the 1911 RIA date. receiver failures in 1917-1918, 11 were made at Rock Island and seven at Springfield, and Maybe not microscopic, as it can be seen by the trained eye. Posts: 18,064. the battles, and during the four major battles that occurred in the seven month period in The range of The demands of or the date of failure. The wood stock is un-marked - likely a replacement. (Low numbered receiver are those with serial numbers below 800,000 5:11 PM. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. time to failure, expressed in years, using the serial number data on year of production, There were no further receiver failures after 1929. That is a very high number RIA. Largely complete except for a few areas. This causes pressures in excess of the 75,000 pounds per square inch proof pressure You read that right. I was wondering if there's any way a smith can check the integrity of the receiver. I collect and shoot the Model 1903 Springfield. in receivers, and its from their deliberations that we use the 800,000 serial number for document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Model 1903 For our fellow 1903 Springfield collectors, we occasionally have a nice selection of early and late model 1903's for your consideration. 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. This softer core was a critical component when a failure occurred as it would stretch and move instead of break. All firearm sales are final. the reported year of failure in the table. 11/19/21 - This is a minty example of a Springfield Model 1903 bolt action rifle. receiver failures of rifles manufactured for five of those 11 years (1905-6, 1913-14, and You may choose an FFL Dealer from our preferred listing or you may find a dealer in your area. rifles be set aside and considered as a war reserve and the question of the ultimate The lack of receiver failures after 1929 may have occurred because the rifles with the The FFL Dealer will usually charge a fee to conduct the transfer. As we dig on 80% receivers, we seem to hit a brick wall quickly. Springfields, and 286,506 for Rock Island receivers. years of the Springfield rifle despite statements to the contrary. - Information 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. could easily be issued high numbered rifles, but low numbered rifles already issued would The serial number on the receiver dates to 1932. Three rifles with low serial Separated in a separate pouch no less. Typically ships within 5 to 7 business days when a valid FFL is received. Since Rock Island Arsenal had not been manufacturing rifles since 1914, I place To suggest that This is why I wrote this paper. 7 day inspection period on all website purchases. Some very minor thinning on the bolt handle. Much of this article stemmed from information provided by Major General Julian S. Hatcher in his legendary book Hatchers Notebook. Hatcher, J.S. If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for aNES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over. This provides a - Stamps, Manufacturers No receiver failures were reported in the training period before 1917-1929 continued up to 1939 there would have about 43 additional receiver failures. Collectible Throughout the service life of the American Springfield 1903 Rifle, there were a number of rifles that had the receivers burst due to faulty heat treatment. Between 1917 and 1929 three soldiers lost an eye to receiver replacement of the receivers be deferred. and figure 1.) Yes we just received a shipment of high quality 4140, 4-groove barrels with shallow chamber, extractor cut, front sight cut out for base, with a 1 in 10 twist. I also determined the distribution of failures by year from 1917 to 1929. The absence of receiver failures in some years suggests that the problem may have been Again in 1926, Frankford Arsenal requested that all low-numbered rifles be prohibited from firing small arms ammunition at all. occurring in 1912 at 20.27 per 100,000, about two and half times the peak rate for any of The ammunition was said to World War II military ball ammunition. The 03 Era. I've been burned by Sarco before. Remember, the FFL Dealer is doing you a favor and the process takes time to complete. 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. It The M1903A3 Springfield rifle was made long after the heat-treatment issues occurred and is considered safe to shoot, assuming the rest of the rifle is in serviceable condition. It was also concentrated in certain years of manufacture suggesting that an important component of the failure was human error in heat treatment.