page_title: M1903 Springfield
section_title: Variants
hierarchical_section_title: M1903 Springfield / Variants
caption_attribution_description: English: M1903A1 made by Springfield Armory in 1930
context_page_description: The M1903 Springfield, formally the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903, is an American five-round magazine fed, bolt-action service repeating rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century.
  It was officially adopted as a United States military bolt-action rifle on June 19, 1903, and saw service in World War I. It was officially replaced as the standard infantry rifle by the faster-firing semi-automatic eight-round M1 Garand starting in 1936. However, the M1903 Springfield remained in service as a standard issue infantry rifle during World War II, since the U.S. entered the war without sufficient M1 rifles to arm all troops. It also remained in service as a sniper rifle during World War II, the Korean War, and even in the early stages of the Vietnam War. It remains popular as a civilian firearm, historical collector's piece, a competitive shooting rifle, and as a military drill rifle.
context_section_description: There were four main variants given official nomenclature, though there are a number of important sub-variants:
  M1903 (1903): developed for the .30-03 (also known as the .30-45) cartridge. Used original Type S stock.
  M1903 Bullpup (1903): experimental bullpup conversion for the USMC.‹See TfM›
  M1903 (1905): changed from a rod type bayonet to the knife type Model 1905 bayonet and to the improved Model 1905 sight.
  M1903 (1906):  modified again to specifically fire the new M1906 .30-06 cartridge ("Ball Cartridge, caliber 30, Model of 1906").
  M1903 NRA (1915–1917): sold to National Rifle Association members and stamped NRA on the forward tang of the trigger guard.
  M1903 Air Service (1918): issued to aircrew with permanent 25-round magazine and modified Type S stock forend designed as backup for if a plane's machine gun jammed in combat.
  M1903 Mark I (1918–1920): modified for specific use with the Pedersen device.
  M1903 NM (1921–1940): selected rifles produced at Springfield Armory for National Match shooting competition. Production barrels were measured with star-gauges, and those meeting specified tolerances were stamped with an asterisk shaped star on the muzzle crown. These barrels were fitted to selected receivers with hand-fitted and polished parts. The bolt was left unblued while the receiver and barrel were finished with a black Parkerizing process. Some bolts have the safety direction reversed to prevent it from striking the nose of a right-handed shooter, and those made from 1924 to 1929 have the knurled cocking piece removed to decrease lock time. Early rifles used the type S stock until the type C stock became standard in 1929. Rifles made for sale to NRA members (priced at $40.44) were drilled and tapped for a Lyman 48 receiver sight and had either a type B (or NB) stock with no grasping grooves and a noticeable drop at the heel for a long pistol grip, or a special National Match stock with a high comb and pistol grip. Total production was 28,907. Most were issued to service teams and 25,377 were reconditioned at Springfield armory after one year of match use. Reconditioned rifles have a large gas-escape port drilled into the left side of the receiver.
  M1903 Bushmaster carbine (1940s): the barrel and stock were cut down 18 inches (460 mm) for easier use in Panama; 4,725 such rifles were made. It was a training rifle and saw no action. After World War II most were dumped into the ocean and surviving pieces are rare.
  M1903 with 'scant' stock (1942): in late 1941, before the 1903A3 was standardized, Army Ordnance wanted to standardize on a pistol-grip stock for all M1903 rifles. There were thousands of stock blanks that had been sized for the old straight stock. They weren't deep enough for the full pistol grip of the Type C stock, so they were modified to allow a "scant" grip that was the largest grip they could form. These "scant" stocks would only fit on a 1903, and would not fit an 03A3. Springfield only rebuilt existing M1903 rifles using this stock in 1942 and marked the cut-off seat with a small "s".
  M1903A1 (1929–1939): changed from a straight stock to a pistol grip type stock (Type C stock). The pistol grip stock was conducive to improved marksmanship and was fitted to National Match rifles until World War II. Pistol grip stocks became standard for later M1903 production and were subsequently fitted to older rifles. The Army considered any rifle with a pistol grip stock an M1903A1, but M1903 receiver markings were unchanged.
  M1903A2 (1930s–1940s): basically a stripped A1 or A3 used as a subcaliber rifle with artillery pieces.
  M1903A3 (1942–1944): sights were changed to an aperture (peep) system mounted on the receiver, and the rifle was modified for easier production with stamped metal parts and somewhat different grip and stock (late model Type S stock; no finger grooves).
  M1903 (Modified) (1941–1942): Transition production of M1903 rifles by Remington Arms until the M1903A3 design was implemented involved modification of various parts creating a hybrid between the M1903 and M1903A3.
  M1903A4 (1942): an M190
caption: Springfield 1903A1 rifle
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