MY 1903 Springfield Armory

[dragonrider]

After reading another thread about these rifles I pulled mine out of the safe. It was sporterized many long years ago. It is a Springfield Armory serial #825xxx which if I read correctly puts it date of manufacture as 1918 after the introduction of improved heat treatment at serial #800000, also in 1918, but well before the introduction of nickel steel which began in 1927. I am not sure if the barrel is original but if it is it has two witness marks, one which lines up with a mark on the receiver and the other about 90 degrees off. I believe this suggests that the barrel was setback and rechambered. Other opinions on that?? In this pic you can see the marks that are lined up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/IMG_5766_zps8ba67108.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/IMG_5766_zps8ba67108.jpg.html)
In this pic you can see the other line
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/IMG_5769_zpsb2b99bf8.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/IMG_5769_zpsb2b99bf8.jpg.html)


No original sights only the front sight as seen below.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/IMG_5760_zpsfa2165f6.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/IMG_5760_zpsfa2165f6.jpg.html)

When I got it, it came with this mount and scope. The scope I am not crazy about because it has a post type cross hairs, I have since found another of the same type with the standard type of cross hairs I like, very fine.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/IMG_5765_zps808d3834.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/IMG_5765_zps808d3834.jpg.html)

I have the same mounts on my 8mm Mauser, I like them because you can move the scope from one rifle to another in seconds and retain zero on each one.

[Multigunner]

I see it has the Hatcher Hole in the ring, possibly a USMC WW2 era Springfield. They seem to have bored the Hatcher Hole in low number receivers, but its a welcome additional safety feature in a DHT action as well.

Outside of adding some tasteful checkering I can't see anything about this rifle that I'd change if it were mine.
A fine looking all American sporting rifle from the good ol days.

[dragonrider]

I'm unfamiliar with the "Hatcher Hole" but I will look it up. I never thought about checkering but now that you mention it I think it would look good.

[Gtek]

A Classic post WWII Sporter. The other "mark" is probably where the indexing pin was to align the 03' rear sight base. Should by now have a nice smooth throat in that four groove for some fat Boolits. Enjoy!

[Multigunner]

The Hatcher Hole was an additional oversized gas vent added to some Low number 1903 Springfields, mostly pre WW2 USMC rifles, in an effort to avoid catasthrophic failures in the event of a case head split or other case failure that would have blown up the LN actions.
The DHT actions were much stronger, but the Hatcher Hole is an excellent safety feature just the same.

Besides WW1 era soft caseheads some 1920's military ball was found to have caseheads that had been damaged by a defective primer staking die. These could split and ruin the rifle.
While recently made cartridges are less likely to suffer from such defects I have run across a few defective Winchester .303 British cases that split long ways even when fired in fairly tight chambers. There are lists of other manufacturers recalls of ammo due to defective cases or primer cups, so while such blow outs are rare its still good to have this extra safety feature.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

can I ask what the scope is , I picked up a 1909a3 with a tip off scope mount and no scope , but the scope can't have a the bulge around the turrets like modern scopes to fit the mount ,yours does not appear to have this I was wondering what make and model your scope is so I know what to be looking for If I try and use this mount

[Char-Gar]

I don't know what the scope is, but the mount system is an old Bausch and Lomb. The windage and elevation was in the mount and not the scope. B&L also made scopes with no internal adjustment just for these mounts. I suspect the scope may also be a B&L as the scope and mounts were sold together. IIRC these were sold during the mid-50s to mid-60s, plus or minus a few years. It was a good system, but costly back in the day.

[dragonrider]

The three scopes pictured below are all Balvar made by Bausch & Lomb. The one with the larger objective lens I haven't used yet but will soon.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/DSC05844_zps5106b941.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/DSC05844_zps5106b941.jpg.html)

This pic shows the crosshairs
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/DSC05847_zpsa81c5205.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/DSC05847_zpsa81c5205.jpg.html)

This pic shows the crosshairs of the one on the bottom of the first pic. A short vertical post, not my favorite.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/DSC05846_zpsa0e1ca8c.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/DSC05846_zpsa0e1ca8c.jpg.html)

This pic shows the crosshairs of the top one in the first pic, much like the one with the larger objective.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/DSC05845_zps49f2579c.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/PaulGauthier/media/DSC05845_zps49f2579c.jpg.html)

[Char-Gar]

I am old school and like the post reticule. One of the best for hunting up to 250 yards or so. Just think of the post as the front sight on the barrel, but clear and magnified.

[gpidaho]

Not old school, but I really like my Trijicon Aim Point. Very fast acquisition in the field. GP

[Char-Gar]

At one time in the very early 60's Bushnell offered a scope with a cross hair and also a flip up post, so a fellow had a choice. These worked very well and the point of impact did not change with the change in reticule. I had one of these in 2.5X on a Winchester 70 in 375 H&H.