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approximate age of a M1903 Springfield
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 12:35 am
by Cybrludite
I was at a roleplaying game at a friend's house, and his wife asked me if I could put them some knowledge on their old rifle. It's a Springfield made by Remington. It still has the magazine cut-off switch. Bluing is in excellent condition. Serial # is 3070XXX. Bore is dark, but the rifling is in top shape. Any guesses as to when it was made and what it might be worth? (For insurance reasons. They aren't looking to sell.)
Re: approximate age of a M1903 Springfield
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:08 am
by Kommander
A quick wiki search reveals it to be of early WWII vintage. More I can not say.
Re: approximate age of a M1903 Springfield
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:34 am
by randy
3,070,XXX does fall into the assigned serial number range for rifles produced by Remington (3,000,000 to 3,607,999).
In 1941, Remington Arms Co., anticipating a contract to produce rifles for Great Britain, leased the M1903 tooling in storage at Rock Island Arsenal. Remington production began, under U.S. contract because of the passage of the Lend-Lease Bill, in November 1941, at serial number 3 Million.
Model 1903 Springfield Rifles, NRA American Rifleman Reprint, 1989, Page 4.
So I would guess a production date of November -December 1941
Re: approximate age of a M1903 Springfield
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 11:05 pm
by Cybrludite
Cool. Thanks for the info!
Re: approximate age of a M1903 Springfield
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 3:14 am
by cu74
Go
here and type in the serial number.
Re: approximate age of a M1903 Springfield
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:35 pm
by NVGdude
Agreed it's probably 1941. Value is between $600 and $700 assuming it is unmolested (i.e. in full military condition). If the bore is completely scunged, maybe $450-500, there are plenty of 2-grove WWII barrels still in the wrapper.
If it's been modified in any way value drops rapidly in proportion to the cost of restoration. A sporter would be worth maybe $250.
Re: approximate age of a M1903 Springfield
Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 6:03 am
by cu74
NVGdude wrote:If it's been modified in any way value drops rapidly in proportion to the cost of restoration. A sporter would be worth maybe $250.
In today's Post-Obama market that seems about right, if it is in good condition. I have a "sporterized" Remington 1903A3 replete with a budget-priced scope that I picked up at an estate auction in 2006 for $175.
Just for reference, I paid three times that amount in 2007 for a 1910 Rock Island Armory Springfield 1903, in really nice condition. (I can bring either or both to Precison's February or CC's March Shootarooni if anyone is interested - let me know.)