*EXTRAORDINARY COMPLETE & ORIGINAL SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 ROD BAYONET BOLT ACTION MILITARY RIFLE.

*EXTRAORDINARY COMPLETE & ORIGINAL SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 ROD BAYONET BOLT ACTION MILITARY RIFLE. SN 39314. Cal. 30-03. This one of a kind rifle was manufactured in 1904 and sold Nov. 4, 1904 to Mr. E.B. Meyrowitz who was the U.S. representative for the Carl Zeiss Optical Co. of Germany who used it as the prototype to mount a special “prism sighting telescope” as indicated in a copy of a letter from Mr. Meyrowitz to the U.S. Chief of Ordnance, dated Oct. 28, 1904, which accompanies this lot. A Springfield Research Service letter reiterates some of the above information and further indicates that the Ordnance Dept. “subsequently evaluated the Zeiss sight, but there is no information as to whether rifle No. 39314 was used in their evaluation”. A copy of this letter also accompanies this rifle. This rifle, therefore, is possibly the only one of its type in existence, or that ever existed, making it truly an incredibly rare rifle. This rifle is described as having standard 1903 configuration with 24.2″ bbl, front sight with two large holes and a thin pinned blade. Rear sight is late Krag-style with leaf graduated to 2,000 yards and a flip-up peep sight on rear edge. Receiver ring is marked in small block letters in standard markings. Bolt body is polished bright with dark case hardened handle & knob. Extractor retains traces of orig fire-blue with blued shroud & knob. Receiver, floorplate & trigger guard, along with smooth steel buttplate, are also blued. Buttplate has a trap which contains a nickeled oiler/cleaning kit. Stock & full length handguard are uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with riveted spring clip in handguard and is w/out reinforcing bolts in the stock. Handguard is secured with two grooved bands with rear band being the first type with solid bottom. Stacking swivel on upper band is of the later type with heavier, wider stud hole ring with a flat on upper side to allow clearance for the rod bayonet, as pictured on p. 27 of The Springfield 1903 Rifles, Brophy, and identified to this rifle by SN. Rod bayonet is blued steel, 23-1/2″ long, with square shoulder locking grooves and three dimples on pointed tip. It mounts through a solid block with spring loaded plunger on bottom of bbl. Lower band has a solid sling loop with a corresponding loop in buttstock. Trigger guard & floorplate are early style with thin catch and has the later style long follower. Stock has a crisp “FC” cartouche in a rectangle on left side of wrist with the stock inspector’s proof “P” below the trigger guard along with number “30”. Left side of stock, below receiver, is mounted with two 15/16″ square steel blocks inletted flush with surface and mounted with four screws and have mushroom shaped studs centered on each one, apparently the bases for the experimental Zeiss scope mount. Approx. 74,000 of the rare rod bayonet rifles were manufactured through Jan. 1905 with the majority of them subsequently altered to the 1905 configuration for the knife bayonet. This alteration consisted of shortening the bbl by .200″, re-chambering for the new cartridge and changing the front sight, shortening the stock commensurately with the addition of a new band similar to the old Krag front band for the knife bayonet. This is truly one of the most rare of unaltered, orig 1903 Springfield rifles. PROVENANCE: Bob Rosenthal Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & receiver retain most of their orig arsenal finish with light wear on front sight and sharp edges with some dulling on receiver finish. Bolt body is somewhat darkened and extractor retains traces of orig fire-blue. Trigger guard retains strong bright blue with floorplate a cleaned gray metal color with some light pitting. Buttplate is mostly a smooth gray metal color with strong blue on heel tang. Wood is sound with light handling & storage marks and retains a wonderful hand worn polished patina with crisp cartouche. Mechanics are fine, strong bright bore. 4-39202 JR2 (30,000-40,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1030	$33,925.00	EXTRAORDINARY COMPLETE & ORIGINAL SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 ROD BAYONET BOLT ACTION MILITARY RIFLE. SN 39314. Cal. 30-03. This one of a kind rifle was manufactured in 1904 and sold Nov. 4, 1904 to Mr. E.B. Meyrowitz who was the U.S. representative for the Carl Zeiss Optical Co. of Germany who used it as the prototype to mount a special “prism sighting telescope” as indicated in a copy of a letter from Mr. Meyrowitz to the U.S. Chief of Ordnance, dated Oct. 28, 1904, which accompanies this lot. A Springfield Research Service letter reiterates some of the above information and further indicates that the Ordnance Dept. “subsequently evaluated the Zeiss sight, but there is no information as to whether rifle No. 39314 was used in their evaluation”. A copy of this letter also accompanies this rifle. This rifle, therefore, is possibly the only one of its type in existence, or that ever existed, making it truly an incredibly rare rifle. This rifle is described as having standard 1903 configuration with 24.2″ bbl, front sight with two large holes and a thin pinned blade. Rear sight is late Krag-style with leaf graduated to 2,000 yards and a flip-up peep sight on rear edge. Receiver ring is marked in small block letters in standard markings. Bolt body is polished bright with dark case hardened handle & knob. Extractor retains traces of orig fire-blue with blued shroud & knob. Receiver, floorplate & trigger guard, along with smooth steel buttplate, are also blued. Buttplate has a trap which contains a nickeled oiler/cleaning kit. Stock & full length handguard are uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with riveted spring clip in handguard and is w/out reinforcing bolts in the stock. Handguard is secured with two grooved bands with rear band being the first type with solid bottom. Stacking swivel on upper band is of the later type with heavier, wider stud hole ring with a flat on upper side to allow clearance for the rod bayonet, as pictured on p. 27 of The Springfield 1903 Rifles, Brophy, and identified to this rifle by SN. Rod bayonet is blued steel, 23-1/2″ long, with square shoulder locking grooves and three dimples on pointed tip. It mounts through a solid block with spring loaded plunger on bottom of bbl. Lower band has a solid sling loop with a corresponding loop in buttstock. Trigger guard & floorplate are early style with thin catch and has the later style long follower. Stock has a crisp “FC” cartouche in a rectangle on left side of wrist with the stock inspector’s proof “P” below the trigger guard along with number “30”. Left side of stock, below receiver, is mounted with two 15/16″ square steel blocks inletted flush with surface and mounted with four screws and have mushroom shaped studs centered on each one, apparently the bases for the experimental Zeiss scope mount. Approx. 74,000 of the rare rod bayonet rifles were manufactured through Jan. 1905 with the majority of them subsequently altered to the 1905 configuration for the knife bayonet. This alteration consisted of shortening the bbl by .200″, re-chambering for the new cartridge and changing the front sight, shortening the stock commensurately with the addition of a new band similar to the old Krag front band for the knife bayonet. This is truly one of the most rare of unaltered, orig 1903 Springfield rifles. PROVENANCE: Bob Rosenthal Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & receiver retain most of their orig arsenal finish with light wear on front sight and sharp edges with some dulling on receiver finish. Bolt body is somewhat darkened and extractor retains traces of orig fire-blue. Trigger guard retains strong bright blue with floorplate a cleaned gray metal color with some light pitting. Buttplate is mostly a smooth gray metal color with strong blue on heel tang. Wood is sound with light handling & storage marks and retains a wonderful hand worn polished patina with crisp cartouche. Mechanics are fine, strong bright bore. 4-39202 JR2 (30,000-40,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010 Please Note:* All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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