1903 Pedersen Device

[Suo Gan]

Okay guru's and friends of the 1903, can you please shed some light on the Pedersen device, and more specifically if it affects a rifle modified for its use. I have zero experience with the 1903. I have a chance to own one at a reasonable price, it was made to accept the Pedersen device. Any advice, or any 1903 advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

[45nut]

You have the Mark1 version,, same 1903 I had lo' so many years ago as my first '03. It is pretty well outlined on the wikipedia article I think:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedersen_device
Made from 1918-20. No problems with the heat-treating on them, solid platform to build on, wish I still had mine,

[SierraWhiskeyMC]

I wouldn't pay a premium for an M1903 that was modified to accept a Pedersen device. There are some unscrupulous people who have modified standard M1903's in order to attempt to get a higher price for them.

However, a stock M1903 in good condition is a very fine rifle to have and to shoot.

The Pedersen device modification won't affect operation with .30-06 ammunition.

I have a low-numbered Winchester M1903 and a couple of Remington M1903A3's, one of them I've had for 40 years. My Dad had the other two for at least the last 30 years. He started to sporterize one of the M1903A3's, and when he asked me my opinion, I asked him to stop. It will only take replacing the bolt handle and barrel to return it to original condition. I have several un-issued WWII M1903A3 barrels that are correct for the rifle.

Some feel that it's important to make their mark on history. I prefer to preserve it.

[NickSS]

The peterson device replace the bolt of the 1903 springfield. This devide made the rifle into a 30 shot semi auto rifle shooting a 30 cal bullet from basically a straight walled pistol case. The idea was to use the device when attacking the enemy to provide a wall of bullets to advance behind. The only difference made to the 1903 rifle was to cut an ejection port in the left receiver wall. The army eventually scraped the devices and ammo after WWI and the actual device is very rare today. The Rifles modified for the device are less rare.

[Larry Gibson]

Okay guru's and friends of the 1903, can you please shed some light on the Pedersen device, and more specifically if it affects a rifle modified for its use. I have zero experience with the 1903. I have a chance to own one at a reasonable price, it was made to accept the Pedersen device. Any advice, or any 1903 advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

Other than the ejection port on the left side of the reciever and "MARK I" stamped above the serial number there is no difference between a standard M1903 rifle and a Mark I M1903. When the concept of the pederson device was scrapped all of the Mark I M1903s had the rifle specific parts for the pederson device replaced with standard M1903 parts. The Mark I rifles were then put back into service as M1903 rifles thue there is no "affect" to its use having been made a Mark I. Many Mark Is like many M1903s saw substantial use. I have had several over the years and they all have been as good a shooter as any other M1903. My current Mark I is in M1903A1 configuration and is a very fine shooter. If the price is right and the rifle is in good seviceable condition then there should be no problems.

Larry Gibson

[bob208]

a low numbered winchester 03 i would like to see that.

[shooterg]

Expect he meant to type "17" instead of "03" in re the Winchester and just already had "03" on his mind !

[StarMetal]

Other than the ejection port on the left side of the reciever and "MARK I" stamped above the serial number there is no difference between a standard M1903 rifle and a Mark I M1903. When the concept of the pederson device was scrapped all of the Mark I M1903s had the rifle specific parts for the pederson device replaced with standard M1903 parts. The Mark I rifles were then put back into service as M1903 rifles thue there is no "affect" to its use having been made a Mark I. Many Mark Is like many M1903s saw substantial use. I have had several over the years and they all have been as good a shooter as any other M1903. My current Mark I is in M1903A1 configuration and is a very fine shooter. If the price is right and the rifle is in good seviceable condition then there should be no problems.

Larry Gibson

Larry,

Was your 1903A1 re-arsenaled you think? What I'm asking is where the Pedersen device modified rifles carry beyond the 1903?

Joe

[TAWILDCATT]

I am going to answer the rifles were not modifid beyond WW1 as the device were destroyed.I have a 1903 serial 575***no cut.
the cartride was very much like the carbine rd.
what win 1903.they made enfield 1917 in WW1.the WW2 were made by rem.

[StarMetal]

I am going to answer the rifles were not modifid beyond WW1 as the device were destroyed.I have a 1903 serial 575***no cut.
the cartride was very much like the carbine rd.
what win 1903.they made enfield 1917 in WW1.the WW2 were made by rem.

I knew that was the answer, what I wasn't positive about was whether the 1903A1 came along after the Pedersen device era. Doing some research supposedly 1903A1's were Smith Corona's, but apparently Smith assembled them from a good number of Springfield receivers....or something like that.

Joe

[Rooster]

You are going to hate me for this but there are two coming up for sale in October. They are at the bottom of the page, just above Jesse James' revolver (wear a bib to protect your keyboard!). Linky: http://www.jamesdjulia.com/auctions/div_catalog_278_sh.asp

[Larry Gibson]

I knew that was the answer, what I wasn't positive about was whether the 1903A1 came along after the Pedersen device era. Doing some research supposedly 1903A1's were Smith Corona's, but apparently Smith assembled them from a good number of Springfield receivers....or something like that.

Joe

Joe

"Re-arsenaled"? Probably inspected but I doubt it was ever rebuilt. It is an SA with it's 9-19 barrel on it. I got it as a CMP rifle which was imported back from Greece. I asked for the Mark I in a C stock and that's what I got, perhaps it was "rebuilt" there to A1 configuration..

The M1903A1 designation is not a arsenal or factory designation that was stamped onto the reciever. No M1903 rifles are marked on the recievers as M1903A1. The "A1" is a configuration designation. Remington did start making them that way for a little while but the M1903 could be reconfigured to M1903A1 configuration at the arsenal, during rebuild and down as far as unit armorers. Basically, any M1903 in a C stock is then a M1903A1. All of this is not according to Larry but according to military FMs and TMs.

Larry Gibson

[StarMetal]

Joe

"Re-arsenaled"? Probably inspected but I doubt it was ever rebuilt. It is an SA with it's 9-19 barrel on it. I got it as a CMP rifle which was imported back from Greece. I asked for the Mark I in a C stock and that's what I got, perhaps it was "rebuilt" there to A1 configuration..

The M1903A1 designation is not a arsenal or factory designation that was stamped onto the reciever. No M1903 rifles are marked on the recievers as M1903A1. The "A1" is a configuration designation. Remington did start making them that way for a little while but the M1903 could be reconfigured to M1903A1 configuration at the arsenal, during rebuild and down as far as unit armorers. Basically, any M1903 in a C stock is then a M1903A1. All of this is not according to Larry but according to military FMs and TMs.

Larry Gibson

Thanks Larry. My main question was did they continue the Pedersen devices into the 1903A1, as you call, the 1903A1 configuration.

Joe