My NEW "Typewriter" Smith-Corona M1903A3 Rifle

[GIZMO8Z]

Hello, all!

The other day I went to my local gunshop to purchase some ammo to celebrate my new job with some buddies. This minty Smith-Corona M1903A3 "Springfield" rifle ended up following me home! It's barrel is dated June 1943 and I've been told that the serial number range on the receiver matches that date.

As you see it is how it sat in the gun shop... it's still a little dusty! I can't wait to clean and lube her, and take her to the range for the first time! I have a feeling that it is as-issued an un-messed with.

For those of you that don't know, the Smith-Corona Co. made typewriters before the war.



I welcome all comments about this rifle! I was on cloud-9 after getting my new job... so I foolishly purchased this rifle without doing much research. Hopefully I did ok!

[Datrus]

Hello mate

Nice rifle indeed. Is it a Carcano variant? Sorry for asking maybe stupid Q's but i have never seen this one before.

Did you get that cool job we talked about months back or what??? Anyway congrats Joe.

All the best, Lars

[GIZMO8Z]

Hello mate

Nice rifle indeed. Is it a Carcano variant? Sorry for asking maybe stupid Q's but i have never seen this one before.

Did you get that cool job we talked about months back or what??? Anyway congrats Joe.

All the best, Lars

Thanks for the kind words, Lars! The M1903 "Springfield" was the main battle rifle that the U.S. used in World War I. It's actually a Mauser variant... In fact, I think it so closely resembles a Mauser that the U.S. had to pay royalties to the Mauser Corp. while this rifle was in production!!

During the early stages of WWII for the U.S., this rifle was used especially by the U.S. Marines against the Japanese in the Pacific on Wake Island, Midway, Guadalcanal, etc. Essentially, this was the rifle used until the Garand could be widely distributed. Even after the Garand was widely available, the M1903 rifle and it's variants saw use by special-forces groups like the Rangers, and with sharpshooters and snipers. I believe it was also used by the military police and by the guards in POW camps.

The job is a director position at a local university. I hope to be a professor there, too!

[GIZMO8Z]

Here are some additional pictures of my new rifle that I forgot to post!


The rifle is the same type that Pvt. Jackson used in Saving Private Ryan:

[samnev]

Hello mate

Nice rifle indeed. Is it a Carcano variant? Sorry for asking maybe stupid Q's but i have never seen this one before.

Did you get that cool job we talked about months back or what??? Anyway congrats Joe.
All the best, Lars

Datrus,
Carcano is the frequently used name for a series of Italian bolt-action military rifles and carbines. Introduced in 1891, this rifle was chambered for the rimless 6.5×52mm Mannlicher-Carcano Cartuccia Modello 1895 cartridge. It was developed by the chief technician Salvatore Carcano at the Turin Army Arsenal in 1890 and called the Model 91 (M91). Successively replacing the previous Vetterli-Vitali rifles and carbines in 10.35×47mmR, it was produced from 1892 to 1945. The M91 was used in both rifle and carbine form by most Italian troops during the First World War and by Italian and some German forces during Second World War. The rifle was also used during the Winter War by Finland, and again by regular and irregular forces in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria during various postwar conflicts in those countries.

The Type I Carcano rifle was produced by Italy for the Japanese Empire prior to World War II. After the invasion of China, all Arisaka production was required for use of the Imperial Army, so the Imperial Navy contracted with Italy for this weapon in 1937. The Type I is based on the Type 38 rifle and utilizes a Carcano action, but retains the Arisaka/Mauser type 5-round box magazine. The Type I was utilized primarily by Japanese Imperial Naval Forces and was chambered for the Japanese 6.5×50mm Arisaka cartridge. Approximately 60,000 Type I rifles were produced by Italian arsenals for Japan.

As Joe said the 03A3 is based on the Mauser design and the US did have to pay Mauser for pattern infringement when the 1903 was developed.

[Danmark]

The job is a director position at a local university. I hope to be a professor there, too!

Congratulations Director Joe ( don't tell them you are G.I. Joe as well ) ....... trouble is now in those Summer breaks, you wont have time to work at the plant!!!

Also, digging through rubbish is just NOT becoming of a professor .... unless he is a "Mad Professor"!!!!
Cheers, Dan

[Datrus]

Joe will fit the "Mad Professor" title just fine I remember now that you did not for some reason got the "cool" job you were talking about back then. I told you something better would come to you back then.

Congrats Joe

[GIZMO8Z]

Thanks, fellows!

[lithgow]

Good rifle-nice cartouches and marks on the stock-both the Carcano and the Springfield were Mauser action rifles-most military bolt action weapons were with the front locking lugs-the Springfield wasn't the primary US WW1 rifle however as the numbers available to the US on entry to the war in 1917 were inadequate for the new mass army that was to be raised-as mentioned in other threads, many and varied other Allied rifles were used in training and active service and the Enfield M1917 .30 was adapted from the British P14 .303 (yet another Mauser variant) to become the primary battle rifle of the AEF in France equipping over 60% by Nov 1918.

[GIZMO8Z]

Thanks for the info, lithgow!