A Springfield from my WWI collection.
Thanks for looking,
Joe

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OOOH and a Mark I too...dont guess you got a Pederson Device to go with it do you?? I love 03's

Great looking rifle!

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An added helmet. Do you know the division??? The rifle barrel goes with the last set of pictures.
Thanks for looking,
Joe

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I am jealous. Very nice!

80th Infantry Division, AKA "Blue Ridge".

That's a wonderful rifle. Its seen a lot of history I bet. You have a great piece there. Thanks for sharing that.

Great photos. Love the '03s.

I lucked out a while back. Found an old WWI book written in 1918 "Freedom Triumph" at a Garage Sale in Indiana. A couple years later I was showing the book to a friend of mine and in turning the pages found a crushed Poppy. Yes a real 'Poppy". Its one of my prised positions.

Finding the poppy reminds me of the poem "In Flanders Field, the poppies grow, beneath the crosses, row on row". And the Europeans have the gall to hate this country so vehemently today!

My Agency kept custody of six Model 1903s and six M-1 Garands in the armory for the local American Leigon post to use in parades and funerals.
One of the Model 1903s was a Mark I. All of the Model 1903s had 1942 barrels which I think were re-barreled for service duty at the start of WWII? The bores of these Model 1903s were pitted from the American Legionares firing corrosive blanks and not cleaning properly.
The Garands had the gas port plugs welded to prevent the rifles from being field stripped??
The Weapons Sergeant prior to Jimmy charged the Veterans $15.00 per weapon to maintain the rifles!! Jimmy charged nothing and considered it an Honor to maintain the American Legion rifles.

The 80th Division Infantry. I spent seven years in that division, 1965 through 1972. It is a Reserve Division and was responsible for Basic Training when I was in. I think it is now a "one station training unit" now which means they teach Basic and Infantry AIT. I spent my time running rifle ranges and on the Division Pistol Team. It is mostly in Virginia, Maryland and maybe a little bit in West Virginia. It was an active duty division during WWI and during WWII it was active and became an Airborne Division. It was known as "Patton's Workhorse".

My American Legion Post has M1 Garands and Krags for parade and funeral rifles. Our original rifles were 1873 Springfield Carbines, but they were stolen in the 1960's. We just quite using the Krags in the last 20 years when we finally used up the last of the 30 Gov. blanks. These must have been some of the last Krags made as most have 1902 dates stamps and clear cartouches on the stocks.

Neat rifle, and very cool helmet.

I don't remember hearing or seeing anything about the 80th being Airborne. They went to Europe about a month after D-Day.
80th Infantry Division - History

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

AFAIK no Mark Is made it overseas in WWI. They had a different sear and other parts to use with the Pedersen Device.

I'm not sure how welding shut the gas port of an M1 will prevent the weapon from being field stripped. It will, of course, prevent it from operating semi-automatically, although it could still be operated manually.

Handejector you may be right. I could not find any reference to airborne in the 80ths history that you cited. I recall, or at least I thought that I recalled, being told by one or more of our higher up officers that the division had been airborne at one time. Of course, I am trying to remember way back to 1965-1972 and my memory is slightly shorter than it used to be. My apologies if I am incorrect. I just did a bit more research and found the following history:

"Ordered into active military service 15 July 1942 and reorganized at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. Redesignated 1 August 1942 as Headquarters Company, 80th Infantry Division. Inactivated 4 January 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Redesignated 15 July 1946 as Headquarters Company, 80th Airborne Division. Activated 12 March 1947 at Richmond, Virginia. Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Reserve Corps; redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve. Reorganized and redesignated 10 May 1952 as Headquarters Company, 80th Infantry Division. Disbanded 6 March 1959 at Richmond, Virginia

Reconstituted 24 November 1967 in the Army Reserve as Headquarters, 1st Brigade, 80th Division (Training). Activated 30 January 1968 at Alexandria, Virginia. Inactivated 13 January 1995 at Alexandria, Virginia. Activated 16 November 1996 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland."

This indicates that it was, at some time, an airborne division at or around 15July1946. This history came from: http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...y/80d-1bde.htm

Nice rifle. Congratulations!

I believe that the welded part mentioned was the "gas port plug". There is no such thing in the nomenclature of the M1. There is a "Gas Cylinder Lock Screw Valve" but welding it shut will, as stated, not prevent field stripping. Welding it also won't prevent semi-auto operation. Unless a "blank firing adapter" is used, there isn't enough pressure bled into the gas cylinder to operate the bolt. Welding the gas bleed oriface in the barrel would be a precision job in order to let the gas cylinder be re-mounted on the barrel. It is probable that whomever welded whatever was welded knew nothing about the M1 or its operating system. Firing blanks without a blank-firing adapter means that an M1 is basically a straight-pull bolt action.

Am I the only one who thinks it odd that the VFW would consign their firing squad arms to the local police for "safekeeping". It is certainly not a knock on the poster who maintains them, bless you for doing so. Charging such an organization fifteen dollars a pop to clean them verges on disrespectful. Again, bless you for doing it. My father was buried to the sound of a firing squad salute; I would volunteer to maintain their rifles but I have no business there as I have never served. Pop had little use for any of the three organizations and never joined them; he never went to any kind of reunion and he never had any truck with the VA either. After his service, he never looked back. He never owned a firearm either and was slightly uncomfortable with my ownership of M1s and M1903s, never mind the handguns.

A belated Happy New Year to all.

Russ

If anyone is looking for a good WWI read during this cold winter check out Jeff Sharra's "To the Last Man". This book will keep you up all night and then you'll want to start reading it again. Written awhile back, but just excellent.
I had a distant relative who never made it home from Europe while fighting in WWI, the Wife and I are planning on going 'across the pond' for our 35th anniversary, big on the list is to find him and pay tribute. Also want to hit some of the battlefields and of course Normandy.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

great era to collect from.I have a us army training manuel from 1918 and several post cards 2 from verdun.a 1917 prayer book printed by the ymca for the troops.and a large picture of woodrow wilson. and at one time i had all the rifles used by every country in the war but sold them off over the years to fund S&W revolvers.

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God save the SOUTH

In our community, the burial detail's rifles were mint condition 1903A3s. Several years back they were called in by the Army and replaced with M1's and it was our understanding that these rifles were then turned over to the CMP for resale . They were picked up from tyhe Il. Veterans Home where they were stored and taken to the Police Dept. where they were held until shipment back.

Very nice! The Mark I was an interesting variation of the Model 1903. I have one with all the Pedersen device special parts intact, made in 1919. It still has the original finish, and the very rare 1927 sling.

You definitely have a nice piece of history there!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Excellent looking Mark I. Thanks for the pics!!

John, Your Mark I Springfield is very nice to say the least. Do you have any close up pictures?
Thanks for showing, (Do you fire your Springfield?)
Joe

I have a Mark I, somewhat bubbafied alas. An interesting piece of history, though I think a Great Idea That Wouldn't Have Worked.

Not as nice as the others, a mixmaster. 1944 barrel

Ladder13, Thanks for the close up pictures.You still have a very nice Springfield rifle. You don't see too many Mark I rifles around any more at least where I live.
Thanks for showing, Joe

Joe, I purchased this from the CMP about 10 years ago when they had a bunch of them.
The only 1903-03A example I need is the RIA. They've gotten way expensive lately.

Joe,

Sure. Here are some close up shots. And no, I haven't fired my Mark I; I have nine as-issued 1903 Springfields, and have only shot one of them. As most are nearing or have passed the century mark, I consider them more as collector items rather than shooters.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

A famous Tennessean putting one to use.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

John, Thanks for some "very nice" close ups of your Mark I. A very nice prize to have in any ones collection. I was debating shooting my Mark I. I'm still not sure.
Thanks again,
Joe

I seem to recall reading that York more likely was issued a 1917 Enfield and the truth of what he actually had was sketchy. If I remember correctly, in an interview his son was said to relate that York had told him it was a 1917 and not the Springfield, but I could be mistaken.

A recent NRA article states that archeological type evidence from the site suggests he may have actually used a 1911 more than the rifle.

In any event, Gary Cooper's portrayal of York prompted me to acquire a specimen of the 1903 years ago. Great shooting old gun and a wonderful piece of history.

In that same March 2005 American Rifleman his son Andrew emphatically insists that York used a 1903. Said he disliked the Enfields peep sight and somehow finagled to swap his issued Enfield for a 1903 Springfield. Though it will probably never be proved, it sounds quite possible since I'm sure you could find most any available firearm you wanted on the battlefield. How many thousands of Lugers made it back to the U.S.?

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

Thanks, Joe. Just as an aside, note the "OGEK" inspection stamp next to the cutoff on the left side of the rifle.

That's shorthand for the Ogden (Utah) Arsenal - and the inspector was none other than Elmer Keith!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

The HSc Mauser pistol (army marked) is one of my favorites from WWII. this pistol was manufactured in 1937 38 and it looks very futuristic. This took the place of the 1935 and 1910 Mauser pistols.
Thanks for looking,
Joe

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