SOLD EXCEPTIONAL N.R.A. MARKED 7-11 PRODUCTION 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE

IN MINT EXCELLENT CONDITION, WE HAVE AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE VERY EARLY N.R.A. MARKED PRIVATE GOVERNMENT SALE US MILITARY 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE. This exceptional U.S. Model 1903 Springfield rifle was manufactured in July of 1911. The trigger guard finial is stamped with the Ordnance Shell & Flame insignia above “N.R.A.”; these markings indicate that this rifle was one of the Model 1903 rifles sold to NRA members between 1915 and early 1917 directly from Army inventory when sales were ended due to WW1.  ONLY A VERY FEW RIFLES WERE SO MARKED AND SOLD, AND THEY REPRESENT A RARE CHANCE TO OWN A PRE WW1 CLASSIC 1903 SPRINGFIELD SERVICE RIFLE IN PRE WAR CONFIGURATION. The rifle has a casehardened receiver, cocking piece, safety lock and cut-off. The bolt. rear sight base, barrel, upper and lower barrel bands, trigger guard, floor plate and other small components are blued. The rear sight has a polished face with 2750 yard ‘volley notch’. The rear sight binding screw has a concave face. The rear sight windage knob is the larger pattern with concave face introduced in 1909. The trigger is the smooth, thin pattern used thru about 1910. The cut-off markings have the early serifed letters, The safety lock markings have block letters. The receiver is roll-stamped: “U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/MODEL 1903.” in five lines above the serial number “478232”. The barrel is roll-stamped with “S.A.” above the Shell & Flame insignia and the date “8-11”. The rifle has an oil-finished, beautifully figured black walnut, 1910 configuration, “S” stock with grasping grooves and a single reinforcing bolt and ‘high hump hand guard with spring clips and a sight clearance groove. The stock has a fine checkered buttplate. The stock is stamped with the Ordnance “J.F.C.” final inspection mark on the left wrist and the encircled, script “P” proof mark behind the trigger guard finial.