Helping a friend who is looking at a Rock Island Arsenal 1903. SN#343xxx. Manufacture date I believe is 1919. Nio sling.

Rebarreled 7/33. Boxed cartouche OGEK. Ogden Arsenal Elmer Keith?

Real nice stock. Dark red. I would say the rifle is about 85-90% condition. Small AU on side under the ladder sight.

Any idea on what it is worth? I know when it is not original the value goes down fast.

Thanks.

550-650. Dave

1917 eddystone on CMP forums, 525 shipped. Just saw it. Dave

Thanks Dave.

I would have figured after WW1 the military would have stopped buying firearms for a while since I thought they downsized the military when the war finished. So they would have had a large surplus of firearms already available.

Even though the Armed Forces were reduced, they still had to train and barrels wore out. The gunsmiths still had to make repairs.

Hm, that's above the serial number cutoff for the weak recievers, so it's a shooter. Most all M1903's have been rearsenaled at least once. RIA shut down production in 1919, that serial number is on the tail end of production. Rearsenaled in 1933 by Ogden Arsenal eh?

 

Ogden seems to be Elmer Keith for your rifle, yes.

 

http://m1903.com/isstamps.htm

 

¨RIA PRODUCTION OF MODEL 1903

 

1903‑1‑7500

1904‑7501‑16000

1905‑16001‑28000

1906‑28001‑75000

1907‑75001‑130000

1908‑130001‑165000

1909‑165001‑178000

1910‑178001‑201000

1911‑201001‑210634

1912‑210635‑217801

1913‑217802‑234830

1914‑PRODUCTION TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

1915‑PRODUCTION TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

1916‑PRODUCTION TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

1917‑234831‑257061

1918‑257062‑326935

1919‑326936‑348414

TOTAL: 346000

 

Introduction of improved heat treatment at SN285507.

Introduction of nickel steel at SN319921.

 

http://www.bowerswea...ER%20RANGES.htm

 

That rifle is worth right about what Dave stated, as long as it's still in original condition like you state. Modify them and they quickly become $150 rifles. That particular rifle is interesting, as it is one of the last produced by Rock Island Arsenal before production ceased. A 1933 rearsenal means it was certainly used for inter-war training and didn't sit around in an armory at all. The Feds were VERY tight on money during this time, and tried to save money wherever they could. Army Chief of Staff MacArthur even offered his resignation when Roosevelt tried to cut the Army budget down to practically nothing in '34 or '35.

Last year I picked up a 1917 Winnie, with a weaver scope on it. It had been sportered, orig stock with a new barrel. It is a dream to shoot and VERY accurate, $300.

Thanks Murphy!

Thanks Murphy!

 

You are most welcome! I have a '27 Springfield myself, American rifles are somewhat addicting. You might find that more suddenly appear next to this one!