03 Springfield Stock Question

ekim1999 · May 21, 2013, 05:24 PM

I have just bought a 03 Springfield, barrel dated SA 11-18. The stock has W.E.S. Inspection Initials, which I believe is correct for a 1918 Springfield. My question is the small R in the cutoff recess. The books I have read say it should be an S, or nothing at all. Can anyone give me input on this?

ekim1999

SIGSHR · May 21, 2013, 10:58 PM

Remember that many M1903s have been rebuilt over the years, there is "factory correct"-right off the assembly line, and out of the inspector's hands, and "period correct"-GI parts but not necessarily factory correct.

ekim1999 · May 22, 2013, 10:07 AM

Not sure what you mean by your answer. Everything on the rifle is true to the time period and serial number range, not saying at one time the rifle was not restored, using all the right parts. I would think that if this was done by the army there would be rework or additional inspector marks on it, there is just the one, W.E.S. I would think the small S, if it was there, would stand for Springfield, but the small R has me wondering. I thought maybe Remington, but the inspector mark is Springfield.

Thanks for replying,
ekim1999

tahunua001 · May 22, 2013, 11:34 AM

I could just be talking out my hind end but the stocks were not necessarily made at the same factory that made the rifle, I believe that a K for keystone is a fairly common one.

madcratebuilder · May 25, 2013, 08:29 AM

The cmp forum well help you with id'ing your stock. Almost all 1903's have been through at least one arsenal rebuild/repair. A original "as issued" rifle may or may not have the parts it had when manufactured, but is still correct.

May 21, 2013, 05:24 PM	#1
ekim1999 Junior Member Join Date: May 17, 2013 Posts: 3	03 Springfield Stock Question I have just bought a 03 Springfield, barrel dated SA 11-18. The stock has W.E.S. Inspection Initials, which I believe is correct for a 1918 Springfield. My question is the small R in the cutoff recess. The books I have read say it should be an S, or nothing at all. Can anyone give me input on this? ekim1999

May 22, 2013, 10:07 AM	#3
ekim1999 Junior Member Join Date: May 17, 2013 Posts: 3	1903 Springfield Stock Question Not sure what you mean by your answer. Everything on the rifle is true to the time period and serial number range, not saying at one time the rifle was not restored, using all the right parts. I would think that if this was done by the army there would be rework or additional inspector marks on it, there is just the one, W.E.S. I would think the small S, if it was there, would stand for Springfield, but the small R has me wondering. I thought maybe Remington, but the inspector mark is Springfield. Thanks for replying, ekim1999

May 22, 2013, 11:34 AM	#4
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	I could just be talking out my hind end but the stocks were not necessarily made at the same factory that made the rifle, I believe that a K for keystone is a fairly common one. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

May 21, 2013, 10:58 PM	#2
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	Remember that many M1903s have been rebuilt over the years, there is "factory correct"-right off the assembly line, and out of the inspector's hands, and "period correct"-GI parts but not necessarily factory correct.

May 25, 2013, 08:29 AM	#5
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	The cmp forum well help you with id'ing your stock. Almost all 1903's have been through at least one arsenal rebuild/repair. A original "as issued" rifle may or may not have the parts it had when manufactured, but is still correct.