Springfield M1 1903A3 Bolt action modified Mauser design fitted with an adjustable peep sight.Aaperture size are smaller compared to the Enfield No4 sight. One of the complaints GI's had with the Springfield's 03 and A3 was difficulty many soldiers had sighting the rifle in poor light conditions. They are one of the more accurate service rifles, slightly more accurate than its replacement, the M1 Garand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2L2mMvy ... re=related

Seeing as we recieved a consignment of 20,000 Irish Springfields, I wonder did any Springfields remain after the war or did they go the way of the No4 Mk11 IR Enfield.

Blackadder, These 20,000 Springfield rifles that our forces received from the USA,had they any unique markings or serial numbers or did our forces re stamp re number them very interesting story did any survive. THE 1903 Springfield rifle is in my opinion the nicest looking military rifle , that was ever made,dose any member of the VCRAI have one if so let us know how it shoots etc,etc i have never fired one, hopefully some day i will. Regards SNIPE.

marines had the bigger peep hole.

"in the latest CMP rule book for the "as issued" category, the aperture can be reamed out to a max of .100", which was the size of the Marine Corps aperture".


1903 A1 Peep Sight Aperture.For 99.9% of the populace with mortal eyes, that aperture is way too small
The Ordnance aperture came in 6 sizes, designated No. 4 through No. 9 inclusive. The number gives the size of the aperture in tens of thousandths of an inch, so a No. 4 aperture is .040" diameter, a No. 5 is .050" diameter, and so on. Pre-WW II production parts had the size of the aperture stamped on the front side (toward the muzzle) of the aperture slide. When the M1905 rear sight was adopted, the standard (or "default") size was No. 5. Because most troops had difficulty seeing through that itty bitty hole, the standard size was upped to the No. 6 (before WW I, I believe). When rifles came in for overhaul, the No. 5 aperture was reamed out to No. 6 size, and the figure "5" stamping was X'd out and the slide was restamped with a numeral "6". Between the wars, sizes 7 through 9 were available. I personally prefer an 8 or 9. I am reasonably sure that all WW-II production aperture slides had a nominal No. 6 aperture, but most are unmarked. I have never seen a 4, but I trust that they did exist.

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewto ... 6&p=488432

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewto ... &sk=t&sd=a

springfield rifle parts http://www.sarcoinc.com/springfields.html

Irish military records
Documented story of the design
http://www.trfindley.com/origstmps/index.html

http://books.google.ie/books?id=vb3dDN9 ... es&f=false

Dear Snipe, try to establish the U.S manufacturer of any Irish destined M1903 Springfields. Remington began in latter part of 1941 using old tooling taken from the Rock Island Arsenal. "First 9 months" Remington Lend-Lease shipment records are listed here with distinctive red band "Red Star" 03's designated as Home-Guard issue.

http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/jou ... Star/?na=5

World War II: Remington Arms Co. - Model 1903 Rifle
History of Manufacture, Inspection & Shipping
( First 9 months )
__________________________________________________________

RA Tested & Approved Ordnance Final Remington / Ordnance
Pdg. Ord. Inspection Inspection / Approval Warehouse Shipping Statistics
Month/Yr. Warehouse Inventory RA Payment Final Adj’d Inv per Ship per Ord. Apprd. shipmts
Ending Actual Cumulative Request Ord. Apprl. RA Invoice RA accounts Actual Cumula...
_______ ________ _________ __________ ___________ __________ ________ _____ ________
10/41 101 101 0 0 0 0 0 0
11/41 1,892 1,993 0 0 0 0 0 0
12/41 7,031 9,024 891 1,273*1 891 0 11*2 11
1/42 11,048 20,072 16,445 16,063 12,826 4,510 4,510 4,521
2/42 15,158 35,230 11,981 11,981 10,806 14,001*3 14,000 18,521
3/42 19,240 54,470 21,889 21,889 8,704 23,991 23,991 42,512
4/42 24,189 78,659 25,982 25,982 3,346 31,340 33,341*4 75,853
5/42 30,479 109,138 28,691 29,470*5 4,244 27,793 25,792 101,645
6/42 30,351 139,489 32,941 32,162 2,181 35,004*6 34,994 136,639


"all milled parts and four grooved barrels-only fired once"

Thank you for all the information FJH on the 1903 Springfield rifles, have you ever fired one if so what are they like to handle, i have heard the sights are very good rear sight can be adjusted for wind age,i hope one turns up at a shoot some day i would love to have a shot off one. Regards snipe

i'd fancy the springfield c stock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBqzhPsdt54

Bump