The Long History of the 1903 Rifle

The Bullet:In

The 1903 is a rifle. Chambered in .30-06 (‘thirty ought six’), it’s made of wood, metal, and a firm butt plate and weighs a bit over 8 ½ lbs. It’s a bolt action rifle that has been around since (you guessed it) 1903. Originally named the “United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903”, it’s now colloquially (and officially) named the “Springfield M1903.” 1903 for short.

In this episode, I'll be walking through the many stages of development that the Springfield M1903 has gone through, from its initial roots in the early years of the 20th century, on through life as the 1903A1, 1903A2 (very briefly), 1903A3, M1941 (with a Unertl 8X or Winchester A5), and 1903A4 (with the M73, M81, or M82). This rifle has seen many years of service and innumerable alterations, from ammo (.30-06, M1, M2), to the stock (straight, scant, type C), to the barrel (4 groove, 6 groove, war emergency 2-groove).

If you've got a love for old wood guns, this is something you'll likely already be familiar with. I hope you find something interesting in here.

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