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Title:	RIFLE, MILITARY -  U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903A2 .30 SN# 1361632
Maker/Manufacturer:	SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
Date of Manufacture:	1931
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 3595
Measurements:	OL: BL:

Object Description:

U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1903A2 .30 SN# 1361632
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. in 1931 - Modified Model 1903 designed to be mounted in the breech of artillery piece to allow the parent weapon to be used for training. Originally produced for the 3" Sea Coast Gun, it was later adapted to a number of artillery weapons. Barrel, receiver, trigger guard only.

Markings:
Receiver: U.S. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY MODEL 1903 1361362.
Barrel: SA/Ordnance bomb/4-18

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 14 October 1963.

Notes: "An early WWII adaptation of 'Springfield' rifles for special use, probably done locally in Ordnance shops (since some rifles involved were produced as early as 1918), should be mentioned here merely to keep this account of the Springfield rifle as complete as possible.
This was the conversion of Cal..30 and Cal..22 rifles from shoulder arms into subcaliber training devices by stripping them of stock and sight components to allow insertion into the Mount, Cal.22-.30 M6 or M14, or the Mount, Subcaliber, Cal..22-30 (D41072) for subcaliber firing in anti-tank guns. (A .994" diameter brass bushing was issued with each mount, and was installed in the field on the rifle to be used - Cal..22 or Cal..30 - in place of the usual front sight.)
The Cal..30 rifle, which had an A2 hand-stamped after the M1903 stamped on the receiver, was designated U.S. Rifle, Cal..30, M1903A2, while the Cal..22 rifle was designated Rifle, Subcaliber, Cal..22, M2A1.
After World War II, the subcaliber mounts were declared obsolete, and the rifles were reconverted to Cal..30, M1903A1 and Cal..22 M2 rifles, the A2 on the M1903's receiver being disregarded." - Campbell

"This was not a personal weapon, but the barrel and action of an M1903 rifle carried in mounting blocks, which enabled it to be mounted in the breech of an artillery piece to allow the parent weapon to be used for training at restricted ranges and at low cost. Originally produced for the 3-inch Seacoast Gun, the Model 1903A2 was later supplied for a variety of other weapons." - Schwing

"This was not a personal weapon, but the barrel and action of the M1903 rifle carried in mounting blocks, which enabled it to be mounted in the breech of an artillery piece to allow the parent weapon to be used for training at restricted ranges and at low cost. Originally produced for the 3-inch Seacoast Gun, the M1903A2 was later supplied for a variety of other reasons." - Hogg & Weeks

"M1903A2 - This is not a shoulder rifle; it is a barreled receiver used as a subcaliber rifle in various artillery pieces." - Ezell

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.
Ezell, Edward. SMALL ARMS OF THE WORLD. Barnes & Noble Books. N.Y., N.Y. 1993.
Schwing, Ned. 2000 STANDARD CATALOG OF FIREARMS. Krause Publications. Iola, Wi. 2000.