Pedersen Device
 

This had come up before. Finally found some good photos. What do you think that set up would be worth?

rk

http://www.france-collection.com/1903/1903page6.htm

The last one I saw for sale was in the $30,000+ range. This was the rifle, device and ammo. There is an advanced 1903 collector near to me that has one.

My Springfield 03 has a Pederson stock but naturally the device itself is missing. Real low double heat treated numbered original 1918 model.

I am ready to start the process of acquiring a Springfield 1903. Where is a good source of collectible rifles? What is the best book to start my library with?

Wes, I think CMP is still selling M1903's. They are not in top condition, but would be OK for a starter. Check www.odcmp.com for info.

You can also hit the shows, but be careful of both faked up guns and fake stories. Also a reminder that single heat treat (SHT) rifles (aka "low number" with Springfield serials below 800,000 and Rock Island serials below 285,507) were not always heat treated properly and some have burst. Most collectors recommend not firing these, both because of the collectibility and because of the potential (if low) risk.

As to books, Brophy's is the best and is still available. I think it is called just "The Model 1903 Springfield". Good books are pricey, but the cheap ones are often full of errors and sometimes almost unreadable. Real research takes time and money and we should be willing to pay for that. The cheapie guys just regurgitate stuff from the gunzines and from other books, almost always without credit.

Jim

Brophy's book is the best, I have looked over a copy but I don't own one. My 1903 Library consists of a $3.00 NRA Reprint that is an excellent condensation and still available from the NRA, A "Collector's Only" copy of Joe Poyer's 1903 Springfield Rifle soft cover book, at about $16 it's an excellent in-depth examination of the 1903's mechanics and available from North Cape Publications, and a copy of Bruce Canfield's "A Collector's Guide to the '03 Springfield," also soft cover. Not an expensive collection but still provides many hours of entertaining reading and great referances. My '03's serial is 801XXX and has a nice smooth action. I really enjoy shooting it.

Poyer's book is not highly thought of because it has a number of errors. It is OK for general info, but I would not depend on any details. Canfield is good. There is also a book by Jesse Harrison that has some good info, but also has so many errors that it really cannot be depended on. (As one glaring example of an error, Harrison shows {line drawings} rifles marked "Rock Island Armory", when the actual marking is "Rock Island Arsenal".)

Jim