M1903 with *factory* polymer stock?

[History Prof]

So, a few weekends ago, my wife and I took our annual pilgrimage to one of those "world's biggest swap meet" kinda places, where vendors come in their RVs from all over the country to sell their wares. She has family near-by, which is why we go every year. Well, many of these vendors also have firearms (some have enough that I suspect that the ATF might start asking questions if I mention where this is).

One lady had a 1903 Springfield that caught my eye. It was in great shape, looking like it had been rarely fired. The finish wasn't blued, though, it looked more parkerized (possibly REfinished?). But the stock seemed odd, so I started knocking it it, and sure enough, it was PLASTIC! The woman told me it was factory. I looked at the manufacturer, and although I can't, for the life of me, remember who made the thing, it was a major manufacurer like Remington or Winchester or someother... Anybody ever seen a 1903 with a polymer stock? The stock looked like it was probably 1970s manufacture. She wanted $525 for it (I only had $200 on me). Did I miss a good deal?

 

[Hoppy590]

no. its not factory stock atleast not on a legitamate US military Model 1903. i dont think there was any major post ww2 production, so 1970 wouldnt be a possibility

are you sure it wasnt a Remington Model 70/700 a common bolt action rifle that was a popular sniper rifle around the vietnam era those come with synth stocks

 

[mp510]

There is a number of M1903 drill rifles that have plastic stockson them. The drill rifles were M1903 springfields that were modified such that they could not be fired. They were used by JROTC units, and some are currently being surplussed by the CMP. The synthetic stock dummy rifles are running $100 right now.
http://www.odcmp.com/Services/M03_03A3DrillRilfes.htm

This is either a dummy rifle or a live fire rifle that somebody dropped into one of the synthetic stocks.

 

[glimmerman]

The 1903 rifle DID!! come with a plastic stock but only for drill rifles, also for some of the rotc and vfw posts. The rotc rifles were the ones that were deactivated by welding the mag cut off and a steel rod was welded into the barrel. also the barrel was welded to the bottom of the reciever. The drill rifles were fully funtional but where only used for parades and military honors and fired with blanks. The barrels on these rifles are usually junk because of the corrosive blanks and they were never cleaned.

 

[History Prof]

Of course! Drill rifles! Now it makes sense. This lady told me it was Zytel, and I had to supress laughter at that. I'm no plastics expert, but I do know the difference between zytel and basic PLASTIC. This stock was basically a full sized version of my old GI JOE brown plastic rifles with a real receiver in it.(y'all remember 12 inch GI Joe?) Guess I didn't miss out on much. Right next to it she had a sporterized stock that she had labeled 1917 Enfield, and told me her husband had bought that to see if it would fit the 1903. I opened the bolt and didn't see any signs of demilling. But I didn't take too much time to really inspect it either since I didn't have anywhere near what she was asking.

Thanks for the info, guys!

 

[mustanger98]

Those plastic stocks... I've heard they don't hold up to firing when installed on functioning rifles.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

The 1903 rifle DID!! come with a plastic stock but only for drill rifles, also for some of the rotc and vfw posts.

Well, wait a minute. In WWII about the only plastic they had was Bakelite, and that stuff is hard as a rock and becomes brittle with age without serious care. When you say

The 1903 rifle DID!! come with a plastic stock

Do you really mean "were converted to", not came with?

 

[wcwhitey]

During my time in Navy Bootcamp all the 1903 drill rifles had the stock you describe. They were drill only, non functioning, with the parts welded as described above. Each barrack had 80 of them racked in the center of the floor.

 

[Mk VII]

Such stocks were indeed procured by the Navy as wear-and-tear replacements for the drill rifles used in boot camp in the 1960s. They were not intended for firing rifles.

 

[dfariswheel]

I seem to remember years ago the surplus places selling FIBERGLASS 1903 stocks that were USGI-made.

 

[270Win]

Interesting post!

$525 sure sounds like a ripoff on that particular gun...

 

[mustanger98]

$525 sure sounds like a ripoff on that particular gun...

It's a ripoff if it's a drill rifle.

I seem to remember years ago the surplus places selling FIBERGLASS 1903 stocks that were USGI-made.

I can recall reading about plenty of USGI stocks- fiberglass or polymer- for the M-14... some guys said they remembered Woodstock... said it turned mushy in the humidity in 'Nam. They said then they got synthetic M-14 stocks and they worked reall well.

The stocks I previously said didn't work too well... I'm not sure what kind of plastic they are.

 

[History Prof]

It's a ripoff if it's a drill rifle.

Even with a functioning receiver, I don't think I'd have offered more than $350 if I had that much on me. Again, it looked parkerized, which just kinda said refinished. I never got a chance to check the bore.

Last year when we went to this "worlds biggest swap meet" some guy had a model 1898 Krag-Jorgensen stamped 1904 that looked to be in about 85-90% (or better) condition. I guess it didn't get used much because of the introduction of the 1903. He wanted $1000. Man, there are times when I wish I had that kind of spending money.

 

[mustanger98]

Even with a functioning receiver, I don't think I'd have offered more than $350 if I had that much on me.

On drill rifles, it's not just the receiver that's disabled. The barrel is cut into as well. That and the bore's plugged. And the bolt face is welding and the firing pin shortened. It's made to do the manual of arms for drill and ceremony, but they fix it so it'll not be made to fire from two or three angles.

 

[glimmerman]

03 springfield should be parkerized!!! replacement parts where blued

 

[History Prof]

03 springfield should be parkerized!!! replacement parts where blued

HUUHHHH?!?!?!

Well, dang! If I had known that, I would have taken a much CLOSER look! If the finish was original, and it wasn't a de-mill, it might have been worth something, even with a plastic stock.:banghead: