This is an original U.S. Model 1922M2 .22 target rifle. It was originally manufactured at Springfield Armory in 1926. It was meant as a training rifle that simulated the M1903 .30-06 rifle and could also serve well in formal competition. It was converted to the later M2 type sometime before WWII. These .22 rifles are very hard to find now and can be very expensive when offered. I acquired this one many years ago when they were more available.

Further details and pictures can be found in the Pictures and Albums section on this forum.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/members...-22-rifle.html

John

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That is a envy generating rifle!

Ivan

My parents surprised my brother and I in the summer of 1975 by informing us they were sending us off to summer camp in the Catskill mountains,
Had a great summer of hiking, swimming, camping but my my favorite activity was the rifle range where as a 5th grader I received instruction on proper rifle shooting, all taught on one of several of those .22 lr Springfield Army training rifles.
Brings back fond memories....

Btw after they picked us up they asked "Did you have fun "?...we said YES... they said "Good, now pack all your stuff when we get home we are moving to another state"....Should have been suspicious as our normal summer vacation was GET OUT OF THE HOUSE and DONT GET HURT OR GET IN TROUBLE.

I acquired one of these many years ago, and happily I still have it. I took a buddy shooting one time and he absolutely loved it. I remember that he said something like "You could shoot this all day and never heat up the barrel."

Fine rifles are they and it looks like you have a nice one.

I have two of them. One has been used but it shoots exceedingly well and the other is just about unfired.

I also have the Lee Enfield No 7 .22LR trainer that mimics the No 4 Lee Enfield rifle. I've used them to train boy scouts to shoot. They just love shooting army rifles instead of the usual miscellaneous collection that they have access to.

Attached Images

Springfield 1922 M2-2.jpg (122.8 KB, 43 views)

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Keep your powder dry.

i also have one from long ago. are you sure there are 2 models? mine has a diferent stock. farther out with a bayont lug. could this be a fanken swpringfield?

John pretty much knows a lot about almost all guns.

There were four different Springfield Armory .22 rifles based on the 1903 action - the 1903 (unsuccessful and rarely seen), the 1922 and the M1 and M2 variants. As the last two were introduced the older models were often converted with the newer features, so receivers can be found stamped with "M1", "M2" (originals) and "MI", "MII" (conversions).

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Very nice!

As an aside, there were three common stocks used on these rifles. A sporting type stock with a semi-crescent but plate (of which I have one), the OP's type in his photos and the type used on the two that I have. See my original post.

I once saw an full length stocked M1 20 or so years ago. I should have bought it, but funds only allowed for a D Model Garand that day.

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Keep your powder dry.

The stock on my rifle in the OP was original to the M1 configuration; it was designed with more drop in the heel to make it more suitable for stand-up off-hand use. It's easily identified by the flat base of the pistol grip. When converted to the M2 version, they just kept the original stock.

A lesser-known gallery rifle was made from 1903 rifles and used from 1907 - 1918. It was a standard 1903, but equipped with a .22-caliber barrel. It used a dummy .30-06-style steel "cartridge" that accepted a .22 short round. When chambered and fired, the bullet went through the .22 caliber barrel.

This was the Hoffer-Thompson device; it's main advantage was that the devices could be stacked in regular clips so that clip-loading the rifles could be practiced. The Thompson who shared in its design was none other than John T. Thompson of Thompson SMG fame. I have one of these "cartridges," illustrated here. When the rifles became obsolete, almost all of them were re-converted to regular '03s with 30-caliber barrels. Those that were not re-converted are incredibly rare and seldom found today.

To prepare the device for firing, the internal spring-loaded breech, equipped with projections to ignite a rimfire cartridge, was pulled back with a fingernail, and a .22 short was inserted in its chamber. When the regular '03 bolt's firing pin impacted the base of the floating breech, it struck the rim of the .22 cartridge. After firing, the .22 case had to be poked out with a suitable .22 caliber rod.

I've fired this one in one of my '03 rifles - it worked, but of course the .22 bullet tumbled out of the .30 caliber barrel.

John

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Nice ! I have an original M2 and love it.

Sent from my SM-S506DL using Tapatalk

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Regards,
Bruce

I have an original M2. Oddly, the caliber stamp is upside down! Maybe the Aussie model!

Tim

Perhaps the chambering stamp was placed so it could be read with the left side showing on a rack? Curious.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

As am I! Maybe a Friday afternoon gun??

More probably Monday morning - someone suffering from a weekend bout with adult beverages...

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I have seen two others with the same upside-down marking.

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Good Shootin!!

Nice rifle - it's one of the early M2s that lacked the adjustable-headspace locking lug. These were only made for a short while. They are easily identifiable by the dogleg on the locking lug.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -