*EXTREMELY RARE AND ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 NATIONAL MATCH BOLT ACTION RIFLES.

*EXTREMELY RARE AND ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 NATIONAL MATCH BOLT ACTION RIFLES. SN 1182303. Cal. 30-06. Usual configuration with 24″ bbl marked “SA / 2-20” below front sight, with a flaming bomb in center. It has standard Springfield front sight with a Buffington rear sight and usual 1903 markings on receiver ring. The bolt body and receiver rails are polished bright. Mounted in an uncheckered 1-pc walnut stock with straight grip and checkered buttplate with trap. Forestock has grasping grooves with usual split front band/bayonet lug that has stacking swivel and a grooved middle band with sling loop and corresponding sling loop in buttstock. Left side of wrist has a clear, crisp “D.A.L.” cartouche in a rectangle with the “P” in a circle proof below the trigger guard. Trigger guard & floorplate are standard machined steel Springfield equipment. Accompanied by an orig duplicate U.S. Army shipping ticket dated Aug. 20, 1920 indicating a “Direct Delivery” to “Clarence J. Varian, / New York Civ. Team”. The block on the form “Name of Station” is filled in “Camp Perry, Ohio”. The warehouse location and most of the date are torn away. Body of the form identifies this rifle, by SN, with a list of accessories and it is signed & dated, in ink, by the esteemed Capt. (later General) Julian S. Hatcher, renowned as a military arms authority, prolific inventor and inveterate shooting authority. The text in the body of the form indicates that this rifle was “stargauged and specially selected for the National Match”. Close examination of the bbl disclosed that there is no star gauge mark on the muzzle nor other markings on the bbl but there is little doubt that this is the orig bbl and is one of the earliest known National Match rifles as they were not commonly available until after the National Matches of 1921. According to The ’03 Springfield Rifles’ Era, Campbell, page 63, the Ordnance Dept ordered 2,500 rifles be selected for the National Matches of 1920, later raised the order to 3,000. The order stated that these rifles were to have the shorter-throated chambers per pre-WWI specifications. A later endorsement, however seems to have changed that order and requested that the barrels be selected as in 1919. This may be the only known, identified National Match rifle that is positively documented to have been issued by Gen. Hatcher. Gen. Hatcher is pictured on pg 278 of The Springfield 1903 Rifles, Brophy, holding a “new .22 gallery practice rifle”. PROVENANCE: Bob Rosenthal Collection. CONDITION: Very fine plus. Metal overall retains most of its original armory finish turning slightly plummy brown on receiver and floorplate with bolt body and extractor retaining generous amounts of orig bright polish. Wood is sound with minor handling & use nicks & scratches and retains about all of its orig armory oil finish, hand worn smooth. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 4-39221 (6,500-8,500)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 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
	1057	$6,325.00	EXTREMELY RARE AND ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 NATIONAL MATCH BOLT ACTION RIFLES. SN 1182303. Cal. 30-06. Usual configuration with 24″ bbl marked “SA / 2-20” below front sight, with a flaming bomb in center. It has standard Springfield front sight with a Buffington rear sight and usual 1903 markings on receiver ring. The bolt body and receiver rails are polished bright. Mounted in an uncheckered 1-pc walnut stock with straight grip and checkered buttplate with trap. Forestock has grasping grooves with usual split front band/bayonet lug that has stacking swivel and a grooved middle band with sling loop and corresponding sling loop in buttstock. Left side of wrist has a clear, crisp “D.A.L.” cartouche in a rectangle with the “P” in a circle proof below the trigger guard. Trigger guard & floorplate are standard machined steel Springfield equipment. Accompanied by an orig duplicate U.S. Army shipping ticket dated Aug. 20, 1920 indicating a “Direct Delivery” to “Clarence J. Varian, / New York Civ. Team”. The block on the form “Name of Station” is filled in “Camp Perry, Ohio”. The warehouse location and most of the date are torn away. Body of the form identifies this rifle, by SN, with a list of accessories and it is signed & dated, in ink, by the esteemed Capt. (later General) Julian S. Hatcher, renowned as a military arms authority, prolific inventor and inveterate shooting authority. The text in the body of the form indicates that this rifle was “stargauged and specially selected for the National Match”. Close examination of the bbl disclosed that there is no star gauge mark on the muzzle nor other markings on the bbl but there is little doubt that this is the orig bbl and is one of the earliest known National Match rifles as they were not commonly available until after the National Matches of 1921. According to The ’03 Springfield Rifles’ Era, Campbell, page 63, the Ordnance Dept ordered 2,500 rifles be selected for the National Matches of 1920, later raised the order to 3,000. The order stated that these rifles were to have the shorter-throated chambers per pre-WWI specifications. A later endorsement, however seems to have changed that order and requested that the barrels be selected as in 1919. This may be the only known, identified National Match rifle that is positively documented to have been issued by Gen. Hatcher. Gen. Hatcher is pictured on pg 278 of The Springfield 1903 Rifles, Brophy, holding a “new .22 gallery practice rifle”. PROVENANCE: Bob Rosenthal Collection. CONDITION: Very fine plus. Metal overall retains most of its original armory finish turning slightly plummy brown on receiver and floorplate with bolt body and extractor retaining generous amounts of orig bright polish. Wood is sound with minor handling & use nicks & scratches and retains about all of its orig armory oil finish, hand worn smooth. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 4-39221 (6,500-8,500) Auction: Firearms - Fall 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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