Springfield Variant?? (Sniper)

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sobo4303

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I had posted a reply in the Ruger Gunsite thread about my father-in-laws rifle and now it has me thinking.

I have seen the rifle, held it and looked closely at it (but not that close) and shot it - albeit a very long time ago (1986 ish).

Here's the deal. I just talked to him and he is adamant that the rifle is an old timer, he says it is a "Springfield Sniper". He had to replace the stock, as it had a crack in it and he told me that it was a special ordered custom job.

Anyways, it is a 30-06 bolt action. The barrel is long (26" to 28") and it holds 9 rounds in the magazine chamber - 10 rounds with one in the pipe. The magazine chamber is wide and sort of reminds me of a Garand chamber (from the outside) as it is flat with the stock. It has open sights and is an incredible shooter. The gun is heavy and the barrel blued.

It is not an Enfield style either.

My question, has anybody heard of this rifle and have any history that can be shared? I cannot find anything "Springfield" that fits the description of this rifle.

I will be getting some markings off the rifle when I visit him next, but in the meantime, any input would be appreciated.
 
You're right. The Springfield magazine only had a five round capacity.
 
some of the ww1 98 mausers had a 20 round capacity- i remember seeing an ad in the old numrich arms catalogue for the conversion kit- just a matter of replacing the floorplate really- no reason you couldn't do it with a springfield and use a bar magazine
 
There was an experimental '03 with a 20 round magazine during WW1. Nothing to do with sniping, though.
IF the rifle were one of these, it would be rather valuable. One is being auctionned in the US soon.
 
No such thing I'm afraid is the likely answer, a couple tips would be that often a lot of people think they have a 'sniper' variant simply on account of the guy that sold it to them said it was. Also, there is an 8 round capacity Springfield, an odd number for magazine capacity shared by few other rifles, that being the ubiquitous M1 Garand. It was made in a sniper variant, the M1D. As for an 8 round mag bolt action, no such luck to my knowledge, just the semi auto Garand.
 
Ardent said:
No such thing I'm afraid is the likely answer, a couple tips would be that often a lot of people think they have a 'sniper' variant simply on account of the guy that sold it to them said it was. Also, there is an 8 round capacity Springfield, an odd number for magazine capacity shared by few other rifles, that being the ubiquitous M1 Garand. It was made in a sniper variant, the M1D. As for an 8 round mag bolt action, no such luck to my knowledge, just the semi auto Garand.
Click to expand...

Agreed. People slap a scope on an older hunting gun/milsurp and call it a sniper.
 
"...barrel is long (26" to 28") and it holds 9 rounds..." Isn't a 1903A4. Those have a 24" barrel with a 5 round internal mag. This is a 1903A4. http://news.webshots.com/photo/1110685554053165030itUcEK
Like Ardent says, there's no such thing as a 9 round capacity, 26" to 28" barreled, bolt action, 1903 Springfield. All of 'em, except extremely rare trial rifles, have 24" barrels with a 5 round internal mag.
Might be a bubba'd Pattern 17. It has a 26", but still with a 5 round internal mag.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/m1917/specifications.asp
 
It seems to me I did see a picture at one time of a 1903 Springfield rifle fitted with what may of been a BAR magazine. Whether or not the US military fielded such a beast I don't know, perhaps a few were made up experimentally, after all they figured out how to shoot .32 caliber pistol ammo out of that thing. I'll see if I can find a pic or some information. It would be interesting if the OP could provide a picture of the rifle he refers to.
 
Well, I will keep everyone posted. I am going to get some pics of the rifle, particularly the markings on the rifle. Just going by what he told me, from the shop he bought it from back in '62 that it was a "sniper" variant....for what it's worth.

Thanks for postings so far.
 
UPDATE - I examined Rifle

Well gents, I did not bring my camera, but examined the rifle close up.

It is a US Eddystone 1917. The serial number states that it was manufactured in September, 1918. From that time, it has been sporterized. The markings on the bolt, barrel, receiver, etc are accurate. Including the circle with the flames. It does have that goofy (Enfieldish) bolt, where it cocks on closing. The barrel is 26"

I did not load it, but I did measure the magazine depth, and it appears that it can hold 8 rounds + one (chamber) into the magazine, so it is quite obvious that (as I think Sunray indicated) the magazine has been modified with the sporterizing. The front sight has been changed to a ramped blade. He is adamant the it hold nine, and has waon several bets over the years and had a CO warn him that the rifle was illegal without a plug for the following year of hunting - that year was the last he ever used it for hunting.

The original rear sight was removed and replaced with a wing style mounted on the barrel. The original magazine capacity was 6 +1. It is a heavy rifle, almost as heavy as my M14.

He will be bringing it up here to shoot sometime this summer, so I will put it through it's paces and confirm whether it is 6 or 8 in the magazine.

There you have it, it is not a Springfield, rather it is a modified 1918 Eddystone.
 
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