March 1-2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/1/2018
According to the Springfield Research Service letter this rifle was shipped from the DCM on May 25, 1926, to one Mr. Charles N. Stark of Portland, Oregon and is recorded in the arsenal sales record. Barrel is dated "10-25" with "SA". Most frequently called the NRA Sporter, its official designation is Rifle, U.S., caliber .30, Model 1903, Sporting Type, star gauged, fitted with Lyman No. 48 receiver sight, and was first announced in January of 1924. Listed in the 1925 DCM sales list for $49.50, it was last listed in 1932. The action of this rifle is hand-fitted and identical to the National Match action, except runways are not bright. Bolt and extractor are polished and electro-pencil marked with serial number (no longer visible). The barrel is blued and has star gauge marks on muzzle. They came with a half-stock, pistol grip, two stock bolts, no checkering, with a special checkered steel buttplate with no trap. Between 1925 and 1932, only 5,538 sporting type 03's were manufactured. All were finished in a commercial blue finish. The sporter could be special ordered drilled and tapped for telescopic blocks. This rifle is equipped with the case colored blocks and additional two tap holes to move rear mount. Rifle retains approximately 95% of the commercial high polish blue finish with some light plum. Stock is in near mint condition with barely any storage marks. Buttplate has 95% original blue. Comes with a period sling. ME reading: .75. Fine, clean bore and in working order. Barrel never had a factory cut for a sporting sight. The NRA special 1903 sporting rifle was considered one of the finest bolt action sporting rifles of its day and was used world-wide by many famous and notable shooters, hunters and writers alike. This was the premier sporting rifle of the 1920's. Include a fine condition Fecker tube scope, Serial No. 3115. CORRECTION: This has Springfield research paperwork included.