1903 springfield value?

pothier33

pothier33

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All,

I'm picking up my uncles 1903 Springfield this august from my dad's place. not sure what to do with it or what its worth. it is a "low serial" one, I have fired it before with no issues and my uncle used it as a deer rifle for years so I suspect its alright. its a sportster stock, all parts (including stock) are serialized and matching, I have a bunch of pictures from when I took it apart to clean it last summer.

any ideas on what it's worth, what I should do with it, and/or any offers I guess. it would be available around mid august in Kingston, On area.

Springfield1903013_zps4bcb1745.jpg
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Nice old Springfield. Yours is a Sedgley Sporter, fairly sought after south of the border. So few Springfield sporters of any description sell in Canada that it is hard to come up with a value. I paid around $600 for a very nice one a few years ago but it was a high number which ups the value a little maybe. Someone may be hunting for a Sedgley, I would start at $1000 OBO personally. You can always drop your price, pretty hard to raise it. Others may have a different idea.
 
Low number sporterised '03's(it's not will it blow, but when.) don't have as much value here compared to the States. You won't ever be able to take it there though. Their Gun Control Act of 1968 stopped re-importing of Lend/Lease stuff. Even though it's not likely to be that due to the Sedgley stamp.
They do vary a great deal in value there too. The assorted auction sites have a lot of 'em, asking prices running between $400 and $1700US(mostly due to what was done to 'em. Really nice stocks etc cost more), so they're not exactly rare. Moreso in Canada, though. Doubt you'll find anybody willing to part with a grand for one unless they're a collector.
 
A Sedgley-Springfield could not possibly be a Lend-Lease rifle. The Sedgelys were made up in the 1930s.
"it's not will it blow, its when". Ooookay. Some low numbers did fail. There were about a million 1903 that qualify as low numbered, between Springfield and Rock Island. The things must be popping apart all over.
What was the failure rate? The US issued them through WW2. They went through rebarrelling and new bolts were fitted. Not one failed proof.
Here is a real worry. There are reports that Sedgley reheattreated receivers, and there are concerns that the rework did either no good, or did actual harm.
This particular rifle has obviously been used, since it was rebuilt as a sporter 80 years ago.
Anyone who wants to consider using it must make the decision.
It would probably be a good idea to research on US websites, and get opinions there.
 
Personally I disagree that EVERY low number Springfield is going to blow apart. My cousin has used a low number sportered Rock Island for 30 years with no signs of cracking or defects. Strictly with factory loads of course. I am of the opinion that if it hasn't let go by now it ain't gonna. You are talking 800,000 Springfield Arsenal produced rifles and 285,000 Rock Island guns, the failure rate is very low. Besides many collect Sedgley rifles in the U.S. and have no intention of ever firing them.
 
Thanks all for the info given,

obviously lots of conflicting opinions, however I expected that from the research I had done on my own. I think what I'll do is when I get my hands on it in about 3-4 weeks, I'll strip it down and give it a good look over then post some better quality pics.

Maybe then I'll get a better feel for what direction to take. While it does have a bit of sentimental value as my uncle has passed a long time ago, I hunt with a 308 and really don't need another .30 cal so I'll probably put it up for sale/trade to see if I can fund a marlin 45-70 for bear.

Again thanks all for the info, and stay tuned for better images when I get back home with it.

Lee
 
Okay, so I have the 1903 home. Looked it over and cleaned out some rust that was in the barrel. Overall looks in good shape. Cycles fine, fired fine. Here's some Pics of gun assembled ( bad ipad pictures) with sights.







What am I looking at for value?
 
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While original Springfield rifles tend to be overpriced, the real value to this one is that it is an ORIGINAL R.F. Sedgley Sporting Rifle. This puts it in a Class by itself and it has a value as a Classic Sedgley rifle. While it might bring $700 to $1000 (if in mint shape) in Canada, it would bring twice that in a U.S. Gun Auction.

While it is a low numbered receiver, this does not mean that you are touching off a bomb every time you pull the trigger, ( almost sounds like the Myths of the Exploding Ross Rifles,) and a lot of the "exploding Springfield" rifles get intermingled with the blown up Springfields of the National Matches of the early 1920s that were caused by the ammunition, rather than the rifles.
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buffdog said:
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While original Springfield rifles tend to be overpriced, the real value to this one is that it is an ORIGINAL R.F. Sedgley Sporting Rifle. This puts it in a Class by itself and it has a value as a Classic Sedgley rifle. While it might bring $700 to $1000 (if in mint shape) in Canada, it would bring twice that in a U.S. Gun Auction.

While it is a low numbered receiver, this does not mean that you are touching off a bomb every time you pull the trigger, ( almost sounds like the Myths of the Exploding Ross Rifles,) and a lot of the "exploding Springfield" rifles get intermingled with the blown up Springfields of the National Matches of the early 1920s that were caused by the ammunition, rather than the rifles.
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Click to expand...


fair enough, so what would you set as a price in EE? also, other than EE, where should I look at listing it?
 
The rifle has value to a collector of vintage M1903 sporting rifles, not as a MILSURP. There are various types of M1903 sporting rifles made by established firms incl Griffin & Howe, Pachmeyer, the NRA, Sedgley and others. You would really need to find a collector who is hot on these to get some serious money out of this, and I don't think that there are too many folks who are into these, otherwise it is just another sporterized MILSURP.

I've been into M1903 military models for a long time, incl a M1903 with a Sedgley replacement barrel dated 1945. I've always had an interest in either an NRA or Griffin & Howe sporter, but that is a matter of personal taste. A lot of M1903 owners, me incl, choose not to shoot a "low number" rifle, but again that's a personal choice. The rifle looks pretty clean. If the bore is good (free of pitting) and the wood isn't cracked behind the rear tang you might expect $400-$500 from it in the Canadian market.
 
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