1903a1????

[JSH]

I did a google search and nothing to answer my question. SHould have not wasted the time and just asked here.
What is the differnce in the 1903 and the 1903A1? I have some what of an idea, but would rather go look at this one and have my ducks in a row here. The gent already told me the stock had been replaced, no cartouche markings he could see. Excuse me as I am still in the learning stage, I feel fortunate to have at my finger tips the info you all provide.
Thanks
Jeff

[floodgate]

Jeff:

As I understand it, the 1903A1 of 1929 wasn't a real model change in the sense that any quantity of them were made new to A1 specs. It was applied mostly to rebuilds to which the Type "C" stock with pistol grip and 1/4" longer "pull" were fitted. The handguard was also modified slightly in profile, being straight from sight swell to lower band rather than slightly concave like the earlier ones.

Springfield had stopped making new rifles, and produced parts only from 1928 on. Clark Campbell's older (1978) book, "The '03 Springfields" says that even the rebuilds used the older straight-grip stock until they were used up. "It was not until about 1939, therefore that the Type "C" stock was furnished for replacement of damaged Type "S" stocks, so that rifles [re-]fitted-out as M1903A1's came into Service use. M1903A1 rifles were immediately made available for sale [in 1929], however, at about $2.50 more than for the M1903 rifle."

I have a M1903A1, with an 888,xxx serial (made early-1918; JUST barely into the DHT receiver era) re-fitted with a 1928 SA barrel and a Type "C" stock, which - like the one you looked at - has no cartouches showing, and it has an '03A3 bolt, so it is more likely a post-WW II re-re-build. Shoots better than I do, though - which isn't saying much...

floodgate

[Buckshot]

...............As Floodgate said, the A1 suffix just means a full pistolgrip stock. They had such a huge inventory of stock blanks for the old straight grip that there was no way they would be abandoned. Even with the obvious advantage and superiority of the pistol grip.

One thing they did do though, and that was to eventually utilize the older stocks to make as much use of a pistol grip as possible. This resulted in the so called 'scant grip' stocks.

http://www.fototime.com/8D6431C4F7EECD5/standard.jpg

This old Springfield sporter is in a scant grip stock. Looks kind of British that way :-). They weren't called anything different. Just M1903's .

..................Buckshot