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extent the Army, installed Winchester A5 telescopic sights on a few Model 1903 rifles
in the 1914-1915 period for testing and use in competition. The Marines took some
of their telescopic sighted Model 1903 target rifles to France in 1917 for issue to
snipers. The scope blocks are mounted on top of the receiver ring and on the barrel
with a modified opening in the standard handguard. In his book “’A Collector’s Guide
to the 03 Springfield” author Bruce Canfield lists serial numbers for Model 1903 rifles
fitted with A5 telescopic sights in the 470,000 serial number range with some seen
as late as the 600,000 range. This rifle also features an incredibly rare experimental
Bassel and Blenkner (B&B) rear sight that has a slide with five apertures in a revolving
disk consisting of one open notch and four peepholes. The B&B rear sight was first
submitted in 1908 by the Ordnance Department to the School of Musketry for testing against four other experimental rear sight designs, and was considered the most promising of the group tested. This sight
design would subsequently be scaled up to become the standard style of rear sight used on the Marlin
Model 1917, Browning Model 1917 and Benet-Mercie Model 1909 machine gun platforms used by the
military. The top of the barrel is stamped with “SA” above the Ordnance shell & flame insignia and the
date “2-13”. The safety and magazine cut-off have the early style Roman markings with serif letters. The
trigger is serrated with a cross-hatched tip. Circled “P” proof marked behind the trigger guard, boxed “J.F.C.” inspection cartouche stamped on the left wrist of the one-bolt straight grip stock. Fitted with a period padded buttplate. The Winchester A5 telescopic sight has a commercial blue finish with a post and cross wire reticle. The top of the
scope tube is roll-stamped with the two-line Winchester address and patent dates followed by the model designation “A5”. Includes a Rock Island Arsenal M1907 brown leather sling. Reference pages 501-503 of “The Springfield 1903 Rifles” by Lt. Col. William Brophy for a description and pictures of William Bennett’s patented offset scope adapter, and pages 465-466 of the aforementioned book for a description and pictures of the experimental B&B rear sight.
CONDITION: Extremely fine, retains 85% original Springfield Armory blue finish with areas of smooth brown patina, scattered moderate freckling on the bolt handle, trigger guard and floor plate, and some patches of moderate corrosion visible on the rear sight. Stock is excellent with defined edges and crisp grasping grooves, some light handling marks, and an exceptionally crisp cartouche. Mechanically excellent. Scope is excellent with 98% original blue finish, and mostly clear optics. A fine example of a U.S. Springfield Model 1903 rifle with an incredibly rare experimental B&B rear sight and offset mounted Winchester A5 scope!
Estimate: 5,000 - 8,000
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LOT 424
Unique Pre-World War I U.S. Springfield Model 1903 Bolt Action Rifle
with Incredibly Rare Experimental Bassel and Blenkner Rear Sight and Offset Winchester A5 Telescopic Sight - Serial no. 544854, 30-06 Springfield cal., 24 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This pre-World War I U.S. Model 1903 rifle was manufactured by Springfield Armory in 1913 with receiver rails polished in the style known to have been done by the factory on early National Match rifles, and is fitted with a Winchester A5 telescopic sight mounted in Winchester scope rings, seated on Bennett patent adapters offset to the left of the center line of the rifle to allow access for loading via stripper clip. The Marine Corps, and to a lesser
SIMILAR PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLES BY BROPHY
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