An '03 with a 25rd Magazine???

[wksinatl]

I saw this on GB today. I have never seen one like this. I thought it might be a “bubba-ed” () project but looks like it was the real deal. Anyone seen or know anything about this?

Looks like it is NOT a detachable setup and you would load it with stripper clips?

thanks,
Keith

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=332536857

 

[BasraBoy]

These were developed during WW1 to increase firepower and gain an advantage in trench warfare.....trouble is the Germans had them for the 98 first! Worth doing some research...got a feeling 1903 originals are pretty rare?

As far as I can find out the Springfield ones were not detatchable.

There is a section devoted to this magazine in Canfield's "'03 Springfield Service Rifle" if you want to check it out - it indicates/speculates that usage was mainly limited to periscope rifles and aircraft mounting

We Brits also got in on the act with a 20 round magazine being approved for the SMLE in April 1918. 200,000 were manufactured by September that year with up to 120,000 of these issued in France by the end of August 1918.

 

[Comber]

I was familiar with the German "Grabenmagazine" for the 98, but didnt know about the US and English counterparts.

A friend of mine ran a repro version from Numerich (I think) on a M98K in .308 with great success in Manual Open Division/IPSC over here for a couple of seasons.

 

[Anvil_X]

dang. thats cool. curious if anybody knows, is the bottom metal of a 1903 interchangable with a 1903A3? this would be pretty neat to have, and might fix the last-round-jamming issue I've been having

 

[lyman]

dang. thats cool. curious if anybody knows, is the bottom metal of a 1903 interchangable with a 1903A3? this would be pretty neat to have, and might fix the last-round-jamming issue I've been having

yes,
you can take a 1903 milled trigger guard and use it in a 1903A3 w/o issue,

you may just need a new mag spring for your rifle,

 

[Trigger Monkey]

They have an example of the Springfield with 25 rd magazine in the NRA Museum which is pretty cool to see and interesting in that large capacity magazines for bolt action rifles isn't that new of an idea.

 

[armydog]

As I remember it was developed for the Air Corp to use from planes.