The M1903 that U.S. military collectors love went through numerous changes before its adoption. Even after it became the standard service rifle, the Ordnance Department continued looking for ways to make a better performing, more efficient weapon. Two such examples are on this unique Springfield M1903 bolt action.
Most noticeable are the offset scope mounts for the Winchester A5 telescopic sight. These Bennett patent adapters offset the scope to the left and permitted the use of stripper clips for loading. The smaller and incredibly rare second feature of this rifle is the experimental Bassel and Blenker rear sight which utilizes a small rotating disc with five apertures.
While the B&B rear sight wasn’t used for the M1903 rifle, it was considered the best of options in its 1908 testing, and selected to be scaled up in size and utilized on several machine guns such as the Browning M1917, the Marlin M1917, and the Benet-Mercie 1909. Finding this diminutive version mounted on an M1903 is a rare treat for an U.S. military collector.
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