USMC rebuilt M1903s are often noticed with “stippling” on their smooth buttplates. With no further mention of any attempt to checker the smooth buttplates through machine milling, an unofficial solution appears to have taken place. This option ultimately appears to have been scrapped, as no further correspondence with Brown & Sharpe is recorded. The Brown & Sharpe company was consulted as to whether they could furnish the Marines with the needed form cutters which would have provided a rough and nonuniform result, albeit a satisfactory one. As they would find out, the production answer was fairly in-depth and intricate, and most importantly the price of obtaining the multiple form cutter machine which operated from a master die was “itself almost prohibitive,” according to long time Marine ordnance officer Colonel Seth Williams. Marine ordnance officers first began correspondence with the ordnance staff at Springfield Armory as to how checkered buttplates were made and the process in which they were finished. With checkered buttplates limited, the Marines began exploring options to modify the tens of thousands of smooth buttplates that resided on the majority of their rifles. The buttplate on right was hand stippled after being worn thin (Tim Plowman collection). This disparity would make it possible for the more favorable items like the checkered buttplates to be cherrypicked for active duty rifles.įinely checkered buttplates on USMC M1903 rifles. At the time, the Marines had roughly 55,000 M1903s service wide with just over 14,000 in use, the rest were in storage as war reserve. The Marines decided that their active duty forces should make a priority of utilizing these buttplates, and that the Depot of Supplies in Philadelphia should use them whenever possible. The advantage of the checkered design was a coarse surface that could be firmly planted in the shoulder of the shooter, as the smooth buttplates were prone to slip.

Due to the necessity of mass production for World War I, the Ordnance Department discontinued the checkering process, but would begin doing so again in 1920 through the end of production. Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal had begun producing checkered buttplates in 1910, as the Marines were in the process of outfitting all units with the M1903. The first change to come about in the mid-30s would be prioritizing the use of checkered buttplates. Noticeable in this picture is the bright bolts of National Match rifles, as well as the addition of pistol gripped C stocks, which the rifle teams service wide adopted in the late 1920s (photos: NARA). (6) Springfield Armory subinspection marks.The Marine rifle team in the 1930s drove many of the decisions for how standard service M1903s would evolve. (4) The subinspection mark of a Remington machinist. (3) Bolt was made for a mid-production Remington M'03-A3. (2) Bolt was made by Remington and proof tested in an assembled rifle. (1) Receiver was proof-tested as part of an assembled rifle. (**) Barrel was made at Springfield Armory in March, 1929. (**) Indicates barrel was proof tested separately in a fixture prior to assembly. (2) Stock was made at Springfield Armory. (1) The overhaul inspection stamp of the Augusta (Georgia) Arsenal.

** Under front sight theres S A flaming grenade and date stamp 3-29ġ.)Theres a defined punch mark under the SNĢ.)On the underside of the bolt handle is the letter R and a punch markģ.)On the top of the bolt handle is the number 8 also theres the number 8 on the underside of the cut off lever.Ĥ.)Rear of bolt handle is a rectangle with something I can't distinguish insideĥ.)The middle sling swivel has the letter R stamped on itĦ.)Under side of barrelon flat area near the receiver is the letter r and other marks.ħ.) Left side top of receiver by front mag well defined punch mark THANKS TOM

** Backside of barrel 16 inches from muzzle P (serif) about 5/16 tall Ll I can get my son over to help me post pics,Iwould like to see if you could help me identify markings if I describe them.ġ.) Left side of butt stocks Theres the letters AACĢ.) Left side in the shallow well for the magazine cut off is the letter S (serif)ģ.) By grip under side theres the letter PĤ.) this one is Top of butt stock where the barrel/ receiver meet the wood theres what looks liks the letter E (serif) it is about 5/16 inchs tall the top and bottom leg of the E extend back beyond the vertical leg of the E then the end of the top leg turns down and the bottom up.The middle leg of the E turns both up and down WHEW!!!! Ive just aquired my first 1903 Springfield rifle, sn-1292715.

M1903 serial numbers