M1903 Rifle (RIA #411289) - Vietnam War Trophy - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:37 PM

Here is a U.S. military issue M1903 rifle that I picked up at a local gunshow yesterday. I believe the rifle to be of WWI-era production, reworked at Springfield Arsenal c. 1942 (possibly seeing use in WWII and/or the Korean Conflict), then supplied by the U.S. as military aid to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam ("ARVN"). Based on the "Capture Papers" that came with the rifle, I assume that North Vietnamese forces must have captured it from ARVN forces, with the U.S. military (and/or ARVN) later re-capturing it from the North Vietnamese. Finally, the rifle came back to the U.S. c. 1973 as a trophy of a U.S. soldier's service in the Vietnam conflict.

Particularly with the help of the Capture Papers, coupled with the history of the rifle that can be ascertained from its physical characteristics, I think this rifle really speaks to us in terms of having been part of and/or related to all of the major conflicts during the 20th Century.

Given the WWII connection, I thought it appropriate to post the M1903 rifle in this section. I have, however, recently become interested in the Vietnam Conflict and you may have seen the Chinese Type 56 rifle (AK-47 type) that I posted in the Indochina Wars section not long ago.

Any thoughts on how to interpret the rifle and/or paperwork would be appreciated.

Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:37 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:39 PM

War Trophy document

Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:40 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:41 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:42 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:42 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:44 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:44 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:46 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:47 PM

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Alan Smith · 07-08-2012, 05:49 PM

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blitzkrieg gsd · 07-08-2012, 06:58 PM

I say your thinking on the rifle is rite on the money. It's cool how these guns get around think of the story's this old girl could tell.

Johnny Peppers · 07-09-2012, 10:49 AM

Alan,

The "scant" stock was originally cut for the 1903 rifle, and does not have the cut just ahead of the receiver for the hand guard retaining ring for the 1903-A3. Does your stock have this cut, and are there any marks in the cutoff recess. Eventually all the stocks had the cut so that they would fit either rifle, brought on by the manufacture of the 1903-A3 beginning in late 1942.

This might give a clue as to when the rifle was rebuilt.