Post-WWI US Rock Island Model 1903 .30-06 RIA CMP Bolt Action Rifle C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,130
WOA#: WY231111GW032
Make: Rock Island Arsenal
Model: M1903
Serial Number: 401426
Year of Manufacture: Post-WWI (February, 1944 barrel date)
Caliber: .30-06
Action Type: Bolt action, internal 5 round magazine
Markings: The top of the receiver is marked “U.S. Rock Island Arsenal Model 1903 411625”. The magazine cut-off is marked “ON” and “OFF”. The safety is marked “READY” and “SAFE”. The right side of the nose cap is marked “R”. The top of the barrel is marked “R A”, with a flaming bomb, and “2-44”. The underside is marked “P”.
Barrel Length: 24”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade atop a barrel mounted base. The rear sight is a u-notch blade attached to a fully adjustable sight ladder marked from 3-27. When flipped up separate notches and an aperture on the ladder can be used for sighting.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece wood stock has a straight grip, metal nose cap with bayonet lug and stacking loop, barrel band with sling loop, sling loop, two through bolts, and a metal buttplate with hinged door for storage. The stock has been refinished by the CMP. The buttplate has some light pitting at the heel under the new finish. There are light compression marks, scuffs, and scratches throughout the wood. There are some more noticeable scratches on the underside of the stock from the sling. The LOP measures 12.75” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Very Good overall condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Original to CMP refurbishment
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is defined. There is moderate erosion in the bore.
In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 5 out of 10.
Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950s.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 92% of its metal finish as refinished. There are light scuffs and scratches throughout the metal surfaces. The action and bolt show some operational wear. There is wear to the finish on the stacking loop, sling loops, and on the underside of the front sight hood. There is surface rust at the top of the bolt stop pin. The front edge of the bayonet lug is worn. There is a dried residue along the crease at the front of the receiver. The screw heads show light to moderate use. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with an Uncle Mike’s reproduction M1907 leather sling.
Our Assessment: During the Spanish-American war at the close of the 19th century, the U.S. Army was equipped with the Krag-Jorgensen rifle. The side-loading .30-40 caliber rifle was vastly outperformed by the Spanish M1893 Mauser, which had the ability to be loaded with charging clips and had a much more flat shooting and accurate round in the 7mm Mauser cartridge. Work to find a replacement for the Krag rifle was undertaken almost immediately during the war. It was decided to take the Mauser design from the 1893 and tweak it slightly to meet the needs of the U.S. military. This led to the M1903, which was originally chambered in the round nose .30-03 cartridge. This was quickly changed to the spitzer bullet .30-06, thus creating the M1903 that served as the primary service rifle of the U.S. from its introduction until being replaced by the M1 Garand in the late 1930s. Variants of the M1903 would continue to see service through the Second World War. This example was made by the Rock Island Arsenal sometime post-First World War. It was rebarreled with a Remington barrel in February, 1944. Eventually it found its way into CMP hands where they refurbished it completely. The stock and finish are mostly intact from the CMP refurbishment and there is very little wear, aside from the spot of surface rust on the bolt stop pin. The bore has seen some use, with a fair amount of erosion along with somewhat shallow rifling. This would be a good addition to any U.S. surplus collection. Please see our photos.
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