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Title:	RIFLE, MILITARY -  U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903 .22 SN# 303308
Maker/Manufacturer:	SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
Date of Manufacture:	1908
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 5577
Measurements:	OL:109.8CM 43 1/2" BL: 60.9CM 24"

Object Description:

U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903 .22 SN# 303308
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. - Model 1903 Gallery practice rifle. Blued finish. Smooth buttplate with well for cleaning rod, etc. M1905 rear sight. 6-grooves chambered Hoffer-Thompson cartridge holder. Weapon is complete and in very good condition.

Markings:
Receiver: U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/MODEL 1903/303308. (T, T, 3, A, A, d, J, l, l)
Barrel: (J18).
Stock: 30.
Triggerguard: S.
Cuttoff recess: C/U.
Band: U.

Weapon listed as being here in special inventory of March 23, 1933.

Notes: "The Hoffer-Thompson Cartridge Holder was shaped like the .30-M1906 cartridge but with a long neck in place of the bullet. The .22 caliber short cartridge was inserted into the holder which was then placed int he M1903 Springfield. The bolt's firing pin struck the back of the cartridge holder which in turn drove a spring-loaded double firing pin to strike the rim of the cartridge. The new system was adopted in 1907 and designated the 'U.S. Gallery Practice Rifle, Caliber .22 Model of 1903.' The rifle was a standard M1903 except for the barrel which had a .22 caliber bore and the receiver's chamber which was slightly shorter and wider in diameter to prevent the accidental chambering of .30-06 cartridges. The cartridge holders in turn, were slightly larger in diameter that the .30-06 cartridge. The advantage of the Hoffer-Thompson system lay in the fact that the cartridge holders could be loaded into a magazine one at a time or inserted into the cartridge clip. Also, with the exception of the barrel and receiver, all parts were standard M1903 parts which kept costs down. Some 3,000 rifles were manufactured in late 1907 at the Springfield Armory. Special clips with bronze springs and no tabs were used with the Hoffer-Thompson cartridge holder. Twenty-five holders were issued with each rifle, also an ejection tool which was essentially a straight rod with a screwdriver style handle to remove the spent cases from the holder. The rifles were marked '22' on the receiver bridge and other parts such as the bayonet lug, bolt safety lug and the front of the stock - but not consistently.
The Hoffer-Thompson cartridge holder system did not work as well in practice as in theory. It was a pain in the neck to load the holders and even worse to unload the empties. The salts in the rimfire cartridge primers caused excessive corrosion and rusting, no matter how carefully they were cleaned and oiled. After several rifles had inadvertently been shipped overseas and other mistakes in issue had been made, many of them were restocked with birch stocks finished with a light oil in the hope that the difference in color and wood grain would prevent further mixups.
The Hoffer-Thompson system continued in use through World War I, supplemented by a purchase of 4,428 falling block .22 caliber rifles from Winchester, known as the Winder Musket. A further 2,000 Hoffer-Thompson rifles were ordered in 1919 and issued to DCM affiliated clubs. Many of these muskets continued in use through 1928. The majority of Hoffer-Thompson rifles and military issue Winder muskets were recalled in the 1920s and destroyed. Gallery practice was already being conducted with a special .30-M1906 low-power cartridge designated Cartridge, Gallery Practice, Cal..30, M1919 fired through the standard service rifle." - Poyer

"This practice rifle differed from the standard issue '03 as follows: the barrel bored and rifled to .22 caliber, the breech chambered for the Hoffer-Thompson cartridge holder, the rear sight graduated to 240 yards, the mainspring shortened, the stocks generally found without cross bolts or the circle 'P' on the underside of the pistol grip. Receivers are produced 1903 are usually marked with '22' on the top of the bridge. About 15,525 rifles were produced at the Springfield Armory between 1907 and 1918." - Schwing

"These rifles were manufactured from Springfield Armory's assigned .30 Cal. serial number blocks and used the same parts except for the Cal..22 barrel. Except for the absence of
"Gallery Practice Rifles Model 1903. No more repairs - issue to permanent establishment to be discontinued upon issue of G.P. reloading outfit cal..30 - O.O. 474.8/799 - S.A. 474.8/1384 - 8/13/1920 - see all F.S. Bull, change #26 2/14/1922, of Nat. Rifle Assn. and others authorized to purchase Ord. material. All sales to civilians to be made as directed by the D.C.M. Sales to officers in usual manner - O.O. 474.3/209-11/28/1921-S.A. 400.3294/382500-OPJ 2116965-P.M. 16207-X.O. 3040. Available for sale to all persons authorized to procure Ord. material - O.O. 400.12/1882-S.A. 474.3/68- 1/4/1922.
Rifle, Cal..22 Gallery Practice - declared surplus - not required by regular army - F.S. Bul., - change #25, 7/4/1922/ Declare obsolete - S.A. 474.3/55-1/4/1926." - Brophy

"May 17, 1914
No. 39091/163
From: The Chief of Ordnance
To: The Commanding Officer, Springfield Armory
Subject: Making allotment and directing procurement of gallery practice rifles, caliber .22.
1. A special allotment: $18,130.00 has been made.
Appropriation: SMALL ARMS TARGET PRACTICE, 1915 and 1916.
To manufacture
1,0000 Gallery practice rifle, caliber .22 @ $12.28 $12,280.00
25,000 cartridge holders, @ .20 5,000.00
1,000 ramrods @ .02 20.00
1,000 cleaning rods, caliber .22 @ .18 180.00
2,000 cleaning brushes, caliber. .22 @ .05 100.00
250 Arms Chests, gallery practice
rifles, Model of 1903 (4 rifles) @ 2.20 550.00
(References: Your estimate of stores to be manufactured during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915, dated May 6, 1914, O.O. file 17757/2004, Incl. 1, S.A. 77-69).
2. No obligation on account of labor should be incurred under the above allotment prior to July 1, 1914 by order of the C. of O.
Jno. T. Thompson.
39091/163 1st Ind.
Springfield Arm'y, Aug. 22, 1914 To. the C. of O.
1. Due to an increase in the cost of the rifle, an additional allotment of $1,335.20 is now requested in order to cover the cost of the work directed within. - Kenneth Morton, Major, Ord. Dept., Comdg."

References:
Brophy, William S. THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLES. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pa. 1985.
Campbell, Clark S. THE '03 ERA: WHEN SMOKELESS POWDER REVOLUTIONIZED U.S. RIFLERY. Collector Grade Publications Inc. Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. 1994.
Clark, David S. ARMS FOR THE NATION. Scott A. Duff. Export, Pa. 1992.
Flayderman, Norm. FLAYDEMAN'S GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AMERICAN FIREARMS...AND THEIR VALUES. 8th Ed. Krause Publications. Iola, Wi. 2001.
Harrison, Jesse C. COLLECTING THE '03 SPRINGFIELD. The Arms Chest. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 1993.
Poyer, Joe. THE MODEL 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE AND ITS VARIATIONS. North Cape Publications, Inc. Tustin, Ca. 2001.
Schwing, Ned. STANDARD CATALOG OF MILITARY FIREARMS. Krause Publications. Iola, Wi. 2001.