2020 September Premier, Volume I

BOTH SIDES PICTURED
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED
IN THE BOOK THE SPRINGFIELD
1903 RIFLE BY BROPHY
LOT 407
Desirable Documented Springfield Armory
Model 1903 Heavy Barrel International Match Bolt
Action Rifle with Rare Schuetzen Stock - Serial no. 1285607,
30 06 cal., 28 inch bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This Model 1903
Style B International Match rifle was manufactured by Springfield
Armory c. 1928 and fitted with a schuetzen style cheek-piece.
This rifle is illustrated and briefly described on page 138 of
“The Springfield 1903 Rifles” by LTC. William S. Brophy. Brophy
states that this rifle is: “One of three known unusual Springfield
Armory heavy barrel style “B” international-type rifles. All rifles are
identical in all respects, even to not having front sights. It is very
possible that these rifles were assembled for use in long range
competitions such as the Wimbledon Cup and Herrick Trophy
matches in which telescopic sights were allowed.” The rifle has
a standard Model 1903 receiver with armory polished bolt with
headless cocking piece and reversed safety. The bolt is not serial
numbered and has a “J5” steel lot code on the bottom of the safety lug. The receiver is fitted with a Lyman 48
micrometer sight. The rifle has a standard trigger. The 28-inch heavy barrel is 1.2-inch in diameter at the breech
and 1.0-inch in diameter at the muzzle. The barrel is secured by the same modified Model 1917 rifle special barrel
band utilized on the Springfield Style T heavy barrel rifles. The barrel has no provision for a front sight.
Unertl telescopic sight bases are mounted on the barrel and receiver. The rifle is fitted by a non-period Unertl 15X
target scope with fine wire cross-hair and aluminum target mounts. The rifle has a 1924 International Free Rifle
style stock with adjustable Swiss buttplate that has been modified by removing the upper half of the butt and
cheek-piece and replacing it with a schuetzen style cheek-piece. The modification is precisely done and clearly
Springfield Armory work. The stock is stamped with an encircled, block “P” proofmark on the face of the pistol
grip. The receiver has the standard Springfield Armory markings which are partially covered by the rear sight
base. The markings on the safety and magazine cut-off have the correct block letters. The underside of the barrel
is stamped “SA/512” opposite the front sight base. There are no other markings on the barrel. The barrel, barrel
band, receiver, trigger guard, floor plate and bolt sleeve have the same blue finish found on M1903 Sporters
manufactured for commercial sale. The bolt and extractor are polished and the bolt has the distinctive armory
polishing marks on either side of the safety lug. The safety lever has the late casehardened finish. The stock is oil
finished black walnut. All of the heavy barreled target rifles manufactured by Springfield Armory are rare. This
rifle is quite possibly the rarest of all the Springfield heavy barrel match rifles.
CONDITION: Excellent. The rifle retains 95% plus of the original blue finish. There is some slight wear on the edges
of the muzzle and on the sides of the barrel. The blue on the trigger guard and buttplate is thin. The Lyman 48
sight shows significantly more wear than the other components and has 70% of the blue finish. The stock is very
good overall and shows only light to moderate handling wear with the exception of the right side of the butt
which apparently has been glued and roughly varnished to reinforce the schuetzen cheek-piece joint. The blue
finish on the Swiss buttplate and hardware has aged to an even blue-brown patina. The Unertl target scope and
mounts are in excellent condition with clear optics. This is an excellent example of a Springfield Armory Model
1903 Style B International Match Rifle that is illustrated and described in “The Springfield 1903 Rifles”.
Estimate: 7500 - 12000
BOTH SIDES PICTURED
324
LOT 408
Excellent and Very Scarce Documented U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1903 Special
Target Bolt Action Rifle with Star Gauged Barrel and Springfield Research Letter - Serial no. 1266635, 30-06
Springfield cal., 24 inch round bbl., parkerized finish, walnut stock. The included Springfield Research Service letter confirms
the model and serial number and states that the rifle was as a “Special Target” model to the Dickinson County Rifle Club of Abilene,
Kansas on May 19, 1927. Fitted with a National Match spec “star gauge” marked barrel dated 4-25” with blade front and adjustable
ladder rear sights (without volley notch) with polished face, standard markings on the receiver ring, parkerized bolt, and standard
smooth trigger. Straight grip stock with grasping grooves, dual reinforcing bolts, circled “P” on the underside of the wrist, boxed “D.A.L.”
inspection cartouche on the left side, and coarse checkered steel, trapdoor buttplate with oiler in the trap.
CONDITION: Excellent with 90% plus original parkerized finish remaining overall, some scattered light edge wear, and surface nicks,
visible cycling wear on the bolt body and extractor, and light edge wear on the buttplate. The stock is also excellent with very sharp markings, some small scattered dings, and some
small chips at the toe. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 3500 - 5500