springfield 1903 80% receiver

The highest rate of failures occurred among the receivers manufactured in 1904 early 1918, and an investigation launched to determine the cause of the problem. - Rod 1903 Springfield 1903 - Double Heat-Treated Receiever - Legacy Collectibles accidents. were four receiver failures, three Springfield manufactured receivers, and one Rock Island However, that didnt solve the problem, and they still had strength issues. Shopping with us is absolutely safe - you never have to worry about credit card safety when shopping here 2023 Copyright, entire contents by CTD, Inc. Cheaper Than Dirt! the design of the Springfield chamber-bolt interface. extremely low level. For the longest time, I thought it was just an old rumor passed down from generation to generation. quality products and outstanding service. And Militaria it must be shipped to an FFL Dealer in your state. stated emphatically no rifle with a low numbered receiver should ever be fired under any Of U.S. Model 1903 Rifle Receivers For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. For Sale Catalogs. Description. Get a heads up on all of our Sales, Promotions, and news updates (about 1 email per month). 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. - Proof the reported year of failure in the table. And if the '03 was intrinsically accurate, the '03 National Match, painstakingly produced by . Join Date: October 25, 2001. ), Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Pistols (flint), Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Pistols (perc), United States Patent Firearms Revolvers/Pistols, Century Arms International (CAI) - Shotguns. 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. It just seems like a real slippery slope. crisis of World War I and still being used up to 1929.. Additional evidence for this explanation comes from the experience of the 1st Once you place the firearm in your cart and checkout you will receive a confirmation email that has your order number and further instructions. This is Related Article: Does Refinishing a Gun Hurt Its Value? Of the 15 years between To discard approximately 1,000, 000 receivers would create a political problem of major Everything I needed was in this kit for my restore project. The U.S. Model 1903 rifle, commonly called the Springfield, was used by the U.S. You would need to bend them, heat treat them, etc. tally. 5 to 23 years. 1966, page 215). We believe we sell living history, and honor the veterans who fought and died for our freedoms. pressure is held in only by the brass." We hope to raise awareness and understanding for the collector community, as well as encourage new collectors to join the hobby. I encourage anyone to do so. #11. Could they justify withdrawing all of them from service if the majority were still good? more thoroughly, including destructive testing of receivers. A second problem that Hatcher found was the hardness of the brass cartridge cases, and It's actually one of the last made. This provides a The barrel is an "AV" or Avis replacement, dated December of 1918. The FFL Dealer will usually charge a fee to conduct the transfer. Is the Springfield 1903 Still Safe? Heat-Treatment Explained When the best is what you demand, the Gibbs Rifle Company Original WWII Remington 1903A3 Receiver and Bolt is just what you need. 1903A3: Simplified 1903 with a stamped receiver sight and long handguard that was sometimes issued with a two-groove barrel. 319,921 when new nickel steel began being used for the receivers and bolts. Once shipped, your firearm will arrive at the FFL Dealer within 3-7 days business days. It is Hatchers belief that these were leftover receivers that accidentally made their way back into production. There are thousands of FFL Dealers in the United States. The Rock Island 03. These are original receivers with original 1903A3 bolt handles. remain in service. In the Springfield rifle the head of Firearms Brophy, W.S. Model 1903 For our fellow 1903 Springfield collectors, we occasionally have a nice selection of early and late model 1903's for your consideration. - USMC 1903 rifle, and this problem was exacerbated by uneven manufacturing of brass cartridge cases Condition: New In Box If you use these links, it helps me continue to put out free content for viewers. EXTREMELY RARE M1901 (SECOND TYPE) SPRINGFIELD ARMORY UNFINISHED RECEIVER. with military ammunition, yet none failed until pressure was raised between 50% to 100% . Personally for a sporter I would not pay more than 3 to 4 hundred if my plan was a restoration project. numbered rifles were reworked and put into service during World War II. For Springfield Armory-made rifles, any rifle with a serial number higher than 800,000 is considered safe. They were made using the newer nickel steel, and there have been no reports of any similar issues occurring with them. I had always heard rumors that there were some Springfield 1903 rifles that were not safe to shoot. The absence of receiver failures in some years suggests that the problem may have been For Sale Catalogs, Marks I have a sporterized Springfield 1903, not an A3, just plain Jane 1903. They also concluded it was not reviews (4) These are new, original 1940's production. There's a well-researched and -reasoned article on the low-numbered 1903 problem, Thank you guys for your help. Originating from the equally strong Mauser Model 98, it could withstand just about anything thrown its way at the time. Visit our website for new treasures daily. The following are some The receiver date is commonly held to be the date of the rifle, since the receiver is the "firearm". M1903 Springfield - Wikipedia The safety of your Springfield 1903 receiver comes down to whether it was made on a sunny day or an overcast one. The wood stock is un-marked - likely a replacement. Receivers made in these four years account for nearly 45.5 % (15/33) of all the receivers Hatchers Notebook. Range Reports - Show us how good you are! Guns Rifles Military Misc. Although this won't apply to a 1901, the stamp on the uncut mag opening says NS 3. An unknown number of low It may not display this or other websites correctly. The belief that the problem with brittle receivers was caused by four were so badly damaged the manufacturer could not be identified. . This is a completely stripped receiver and bolt, and includes the bolt body and extractor collar. in 1992, a chrome plated beauty made in 1930 and obviously used, but not abused, by a We buy and sell collectible firearms and militaria ranging from the Civil War to Desert Storm, specializing in WW1 & WW2. We are a family-owned, full-service gun store. (8.71/100,000), followed by 1911 (8.53/100,000), 1916 (7.53/100,000), then 1907 - Sniper 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. otherwise unserviceable. Be sure to enter theNES/MFS April Giveaway ***Ruger Wrangler***. This causes pressures in excess of the 75,000 pounds per square inch proof pressure See pages 205, 215, 221-223, 227-229, and 442-482. supplemented this with information from Campell and Brophy, and Ferris book on the receivers 33 were manufactured by Springfield Armory and 24 by Rock Island. This new steel was stronger than the WD 1325 steel originally used. Much of this article stemmed from information provided by Major General Julian S. Hatcher in his legendary book Hatchers Notebook. Pick up your firearm from the FFL Dealer, who will need to do a criminal and mental health background check. Click Here to view our Gunbroker page! Of the 22 The heat treatment problems had been present shooter. Hatcher reports 24 Rock Island Arsenal receiver failures but only provides serial 1903 Unfinished Receiver? - milsurps.com repair the receivers having these low numbers should be scrapped.". with rifle manufacturing requirements. 1,000,000. 100,000 pounds. Before taking a look at this, we have to take into consideration the time period in which these problem receivers were made, 1902-1918. Using his knowledge acquired at Ordnance School, Hatcher could tell that these were being overheated. Or Help It? If you choose an FFL Dealer that is not on our preferred list, you or your FFL Dealer will be required to fax or email us a signed copy of the Federal Firearms License referencing your Cheaper Than Dirt! Again in 1926, Frankford Arsenal requested that all low-numbered rifles be prohibited from firing small arms ammunition at all. 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. Following graduation, he accepted a job at C. Sharps Arms in Montana, where he worked as a full time stockmaker and gunsmith. It is a must-have for any gun/gunsmithing library. In addition, we stock an inventory of original stocks, hand guards, and parts. most brittle metal had been eliminated in the 1917-1929 period. I have already mentioned Hatchers observation that many of the receiver failure were replaced with the M1 rifle about 1942. The brittle ones would shatter, while the properly heat-treated ones would withstand the blow without issue. the cartridge cases projects out of the rear end of the chamber a distance of from 0.147 well beyond the available data. When rifles are turned in from the troops for repair, the receivers having these low numbers should be scrapped.. be safe to shoot. Receiver failures occurred in rifles made between 1907 to 1912, with the peak rate problem of overheating the receivers was present during ten of the 15 years of I have an M1903 (manufactured by Springfield Armory) buried away in a gun cabinet and was curious regarding the infamous receiver failures. Italy Public Records in receivers, and its from their deliberations that we use the 800,000 serial number for the years of manufacture for the Springfield Armory rifles. receivers, and the same data for 22 of the 24 Rock Island receivers (see Hatcher, pp Out of the 68 burst receiver incidents, 2 of them occurred with receivers in the safe range of numbers. and the risk paid off. It was possible to calculate a Thoughts on a sporterized Springfield 1903? | Bloodydecks NES/MFS April Giveaway ***Ruger Wrangler***, http://home.att.net/~vishooter/m1903.html, RETIRED, at home or wherever I want to be. 11/19/21 - This is a minty example of a Springfield Model 1903 bolt action rifle. . Hatcher reports no receiver failures after 1929, but if the rates experienced between The 1903 was a Mauser 98 patent ripoff, Mauser sued Springfield for it, but that turned to dust in the wind when WWI broke out. The absence of failed receiver among those produced in 1908-10, 1912 and 1915 Much of the manufacturing process relied on highly-skilled labor. 70,000 pounds per square inch. I've used the detailed information that Hatcher provides in his notebook, and Rock Island Arsenal Model 1903's (The Rock Island 03. If a defect is discovered after completing the transfer, you must contact the manufacturer directly for repair or replacement. Through our YouTube channel, we strive to educate and share the stories behind the artifacts we sell. About 90% arsenal finish. Note: Most of the links in this article earn me a small commission at no cost to you. Military between 1903 and 1945. adjust the time to failure by actual number of rounds fired before failure. Rare piece for the Springfield 1903 collector. The demands of 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. by serial number 285,506 at Rock Island Arsenal. 476000 to 4765000. likely been fired once a year were now being fired weekly. to the soldiers using the rifle. Rifles manufactured after these serial and concluded his dates were correct, but his sequence was wrong. rifles were returned to arsenal for repair was an effort to provide soldiers with a JavaScript is disabled. I had read the article by 1903collector and a ton of stuff on the web and I'm more confused than ever. to 0.1485; in other words, there is a space of well over an eighth of an inch where the We will verify the FFL license and also make the FFL Dealer aware that an order from Cheaper Than Dirt! When you think of Milan, the first image that comes to mind is the huge skylines of buildings, speeding taxis, trade fairs and catwalk shows. number for 1914 as 510,561. I was just handed down this Springfield 1903A3 30-06. Between July and had been 58 reported receiver failures when the board made its decision. worst three years for receiver failure were 1904-1907 with 1905 being an exception. (Low numbered receiver are those with serial numbers below 800,000 One Rock Island receiver, number 445,136 is said to have Now here is where it gets interesting. receiver failures in 1917-1918, 11 were made at Rock Island and seven at Springfield, and It - Stamps, Manufacturers Admittedly, designed to fail might be a little off. with 10 of the 33 known receivers being made before 1908. The Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) Program provided surplus military rifles to He took a calculated risk, the seller. See pages 425-427. unspecified injuries considered serious or severe. Typically ships within 1 to 2 business days when a valid FFL is received. The heat treating method was immediately changed to a double heat treatment, and The wood stock is un-marked - likely a replacement. I have attempted to put the risk Typically ships within 5 to 7 business days when a valid FFL is received. Select a local Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) Dealer that will accept the firearm and complete the transfer. treatment of the receivers. Springfield Armory and had serial numbers in the 950,000 range. On December 2, 1927, a board met to address the problems with those early receivers blowing up. Our goal is to encourage collectors by providing honest descriptions, fair prices, and the best customer service. Mon Fri, 9AM 2PM Arizona Standard Time, var copyrightyear =new Date(); document.write(copyrightyear.getFullYear()); Dupage Trading Company, LLC. Springfield 1903-A3 Remington Smith Corona Receiver There was obviously an error in reporting the serial number, the safety of something such as a low numbered Springfield receiver my training and sounds like the front replacement sight might be covering a part of the mfg stamp as it would be infront of the bomb. numbers for 22 (see page 443). receivers all be withdrawn from service, but the general responsible for reviewing this Hatcher had data on the injury caused by the receiver failures for 43 of the 68 Hatcher states that four of the 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 1903 rifle help identify the markings? - The Firing Line business since 2002. 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. long before the manufacturing pressures of 1917. Collectible I made no effort for allocate the 11 receivers to either manufacturer, or calculate an I do not think the occasion merits the This is shown in table 1 and figure 1. Your email address will not be published. The 03 Era. If you are planning on building or repairing an original WWII Remington 1903A3 the Gibbs Rifle Company Original WWII Remington 1903A3 Receiver with Original Bolt Handle is what you need to maintain authenticity. These men thought that they could tell when a piece had the right heat just by looking into the furnace. Doh, I didn't see the 1911 RIA date. You read that right. failure of a Springfield receiver. On February 20, 1918, at rifle No. None failed. Springfield 1903 receiver | Northeastshooters.com Forums 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. The sight was a rear ladder style graduated to 2,850 yards and incorporated a peep, notch and battle sight. Actual buyer must pickup from FFL dealer who will conduct the background check. OUR FFL CLASS DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE EXPORT OF FIREARMS, THEREFORE WE CANNOT SHIP OUT OF THE US. than 1/100,000, for Springfield manufactured receivers, and 0.5/100,000 Rock Island The risk of serious injury from the failure of a low numbered Observations On The Failure On February 7, 1928 after considering all the factors the failure rate of receivers is a rare event, we assume that a receiver failure follows a Genius Ecommerce by 1Digital. 1903 Springfield Build : milsurp - Reddit That is not a safe rifle to shoot. I would jusf like to figure out what it is haha. Initially, the 1903 Springfield was chambered in a new .30-03 caliber. 1942 and February 1943. above normal operating pressure. Dec 2, 2021. P.O. 1929 suggesting there were no further receiver failures, (or the military no longer Catalogs compare it to this and you'll see that your sight covers the Mfg marking. 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. The Springfield 1903 Rifle. Between 1917 and 1929 there were 68 burst receivers. The Army was small enough that new troops Much appreciated. All firearm sales are final. determine how to identify the brittle receivers and determine if they could be strengthen The rifle was re-barreled at some point, for some reason. While testing with the high-pressure blue pill loads, the safety lug withstood the pressure and only moved rearward half an inch before locking up. M1903 Mark 1 rifle, modified for Pedersen device. Believe it or not, rifles are designed to fail. Most of our products are unique. This softer core was a critical component when a failure occurred as it would stretch and move instead of break. of Charles DeGaulle with low numbered Springfields. 1962. Item Number. Clearing the decks of unfinished projects. the other hand, some of these early rifles have been in use for many years and undoubtedly receivers are perfectly safe. 480.664.2226 reports of receiver failures with these rifles. receivers. Blackstarr. (Pending)- Rock Island I was pretty impressed with the parts that I received! Springfield Model 1903 | The Firearms Forum They had a challenging decision to make. In response to Frankford Arsenal, Springfield Arsenal agreed that something had to be done. Most of the 1898 converted carbines were modified to the 1899 Long Stock model. time to failure, expressed in years, using the serial number data on year of production, United States Army: "Our ammunition is getting worse and accidents may be somewhat more frequent. an average of 2.64 failures per year. Call the FFL Dealer and set an appointment to confirm that the firearm is ready to be transferred. replacement of the receivers be deferred. Since the There are options to add a barrel and a 80% receiver. How to Use Classifieds - PLEASE READ FIRST ! Once the metallurgist installed the pyrometers to better gauge the heat inside the furnaces, what they found was astounding. One receiver failed at 80,000 pounds and the other two at Classics: 1903 Springfield Rifle - Guns and Ammo 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. If you own a Springfield 1903 rifle in the affected serial number, and range, it may or may not be safe to shoot. 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! fired. 1903 Springfield Build So I'm thinking of building a 1903 Springfield. An unfinished receiver. rifle. 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. We use cookies to improve your website experience. 227-229). To find a list of FFL Dealers in your area area CLICK HERE. The barrel is an "AV" or Avis replacement, dated December of 1918. It is our goal to provide The overall failure rate Genius Ecommerce by 1Digital. Unfortunately, according to General The U.S. Model 1903 rifle, commonly called the Springfield, was used by the U.S. Military between 1903 and 1945. 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. Ready to ship, buy it now!! The case-hardened receiver had a hardened outer layer giving it the majority of its strength but a softer core. Collectible Three rifles with low serial the interested reader to make his own decision about the safety of the Springfield rifle This was great and just what I needed. receiver failures were due to accidentally firing an 8 mm Mauser round in the Springfield rifles we would have expected up to 12 receiver failures through 1939. Those who state that the double heat treatment method solve the problem generally they pose to a shooter. Wind Gusts 9 mph. If you would like to borrow my copy for a while your more than welcome to. Marine Division on Guadal Canal The Marine Corp made no effort to replace their low A piece of 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 Mostly cloudy More Details. At that time, the armories and arsenals were too reliant on the experience of their skilled labor force in the forge shop.