Springfield 1903- 1919 National Match

[dadx3]

I just picked up this Springfield 1903 that I won in an auction on Friday. The description didn't mention anything about it, but I recognized it as a 1919 National Match. These photos are as I received it, I haven't even wiped it down with a rag yet. It is dark and raining so I will have to get some better pics after it is cleaned up a little and the weather is better so I can take some natural light photos. It looks like it has barely been used since 1919. The muzzle gauges under 0 on my muzzle gauge. The rust on the buttplate and a little on the trigger and cocking piece are actually much less than how it shows in the pics.

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[MILSURP Collector]

NICE!

 

[alleycat]

Amazing find sir

 

[palmettomoon]

 

[Medic1957]

Wow !!! Nice.

 

[7pt62THOR]

Awesome!

 

[Lawdog734]

Beautiful Springfield. For those that don't know - what made you immediately recognize it as a NM rifle?

Serial Number hit?
Star gauged muzzle?
Serial Number etched into the bolt?
Hand-Stippled buttplate?
6 o'clock bed?

 

[dadx3]

Beautiful Springfield. For those that don't know - what made you immediately recognize it as a NM rifle?

Serial Number hit?
Star gauged muzzle?
Serial Number etched into the bolt?
Hand-Stippled buttplate?
6 o'clock bed?

The early National Match rifles didn't have the star gauge mark on the muzzle(or the star gauge number stamped on the barrel), serial number etching on the bolt, etc. Those didn't start until after 1921.

The identifying features for the 1919 and 1920:
-Serial Number in the Mark 1 range, but not a Mark 1(there were also some non-Mark1 rifles in the 1.113 serial range that were Special Target rifles that do not have any of the following features)
-Polished rails
-Polished J5 bolt marked on the lower lug
-Fine milled buttplate
-Serrated Trigger
-Magazine cut-off is from Rock Island(SA was only making special Mark 1 cut-offs)

 

[dadx3]

These also do not show up in the SRS or DCM sales documents because they only go back to 1921.

 

[palmettomoon]

These also do not show up in the SRS or DCM sales documents because they only go back to 1921.

I've read that all NM rifles were marked with inspector Daniel A. Leary's initials in the boxed cartouche. Is that so?