Since we're all well-versed on the rule against firing low-number 1903 Springfields
Specifically, those under serial number 800,000 at Springfield Armory and those under serial number 286,000 from Rock Island. While visiting my dad this last few weeks, he asked me about one of his special 1903's in the collection. He has what appears to be a Camp Perry or across-the-course match 1903, serial numbered in the low 400K range from Springfield Armory. It was obviously somebody's favorite target rifle, with a barrel date matching the 1910-vintage serial number, although the gun has been modified. It sports a C-stock, globe front target sight, and a Redfield target rear peep sight, mounted on the right side of the rear receiver ring. The rear sight mount sleeve on the barrel has been milled completely flat (so as not to interfere with the target sight picture), and the buttstock compartment has been filled with lead.
What makes me wonder about those brittle 1903 receivers is the fact that somebody drilled and tapped this particular low-number receiver. Since there was no such thing as tungsten carbide or titanium nitride twist drills way back when, a lot of those Springfields had to have the outer hard "skin" ground down a smidgen before drilling and tapping. Would the grinding, drilling, and tapping be enough of a stresser on the "brittle" 1903's to show the weakness of the poor heat treat?
Now, there are some folks a lot closer in age to the 1903's inception on this forum, anybody ever seen a 1903 at the matches that was configured this way? I'm of the opinion that this gun represented what was found in the hands of match shooters way back when, and as such, may have it's own historical significance.
My dad wants to find a replacement 1903 rear sight sleeve and sight assembly, a straight stock, and put the rifle back to it's issued configuration, save for the two small holes in the rear receiver ring (plug screws for that). I told him to hold off on that idea for now.
He says the gun shoots exceptionally well, even with M2 ball ammo as it comes straight from the DCM. I cringed when I heard that, he hadn't asked me about the serial number range of the rifle before he did it. He now knows gas-checked cast bullet loads are probably what he wants to feed this gun in the future.