Mine came with a black plastic hand guard which I removed. The man said it is safe to shoot, but then i showed him the small crack in the stock, and he told me to take it off, drill a mall hole and stuff it with glue. NO ONE has any idea when production stopped for the M1903 or what the last serial number was, or when the first 1903A3 came off the line. I have a SPringfield Armory M1903 with a 975XXX serial, which is considered a High Serial, so it is safe to fire it has to do with the forgings. Well, not every 1903 in those low number ranges was subjected to the overheating. What marketing strategies does M1903 use? A Brief History. So if you handload and do your best to duplicate the original 150 grain load at 2,700fps, you should be fine. My question relates to the decades old 'dreaded' early serial number receiver stories. 30-06 ammunition was around and I shot it quite a bit. there is also an early bolt and a late bolt you need the late one. check out the CMP websight at there you will find all of the info on your 1903. In view of the safety risk, the Ordnance Department withdrew from active service all “low-number” Springfields. The Magic numbers here are any rifle below 800,000 for Springfield Armory and 286,506 for Rock Island Armory. Name - Don Question - Have a 1903 Springfield, ser.#959896 Left Side of stock has AAD underside of fore grip S S Muzzle has RIA with flaming circle in cirle and the numbers 1-19. There is a lot of internet chatter about whether or not it is safe to shoot a “low number” Springfield M1903 bolt-action rifle.

Springfield 1903 serial number