WWI Training Rifles

[rldarmstr]

A few weeks ago there was a very nice and informative post regarding WWII Training Rifles. I thought that perhaps there would be some who find the following information on WWI training rifles interesting.

The US Training Rifle Co. produced a non-firing training rifle during World War One. The United States Training Rifle Co. and the Wood-Art Machine Co. were involved in the production of the US Training Rifle.

The two pictured here are mine. They are 100% complete and original. The US Training Rifle was an accurate reproduction of the 1903 Springfield rifle, which was the standard US military rifle of the period. It was not designed to fire but had the same weight and balance as the 1903 Springfield.

 

On July 2, 1917, Ralph Earle, Chief of the Ordnance Bureau of the United States Navy, contacted the US Training Rifle Co. concerning their advertisement which had just appeared in the Army and Navy Journal. There were discussions within the Navy departments concerning value of a non-firing training rifle but it was determined that, due to the shortage of arms, it was the only available option. August 22, 1917 the Wood-Art Machine Co. agreed to produce 10,000 training rifles for the US Navy at a cost of $6.10 each at their factory in Woodbury, NJ.

 

These are two that I currently have. They are 100% correct and complete.

 

 

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The dark wood rifle has a stamped inscription on the receiver ring that reads;

U.S. Training Rifle Company
Philadelphia

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The light wood rifle has no such stamp. It is speculation but I believe that the rifles that do not have this stamp are for the civilian market or were produced after the Navy Contract ran out.

 

I have had several of these training rifles over the years and have noticed that most are missing or have substitution parts. The sling swivels and the barrel band seem to be the most common areas where substitution parts are found.

 

As can be seen in this picture, the barrel band has a definite arched profile.

 

 

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The barrel band from a 1903A3 rifle is sometimes substituted here and will work but it is flat metal band and is not correct.

 

 

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The sling swivels on these training rifles are unique in that they are formed from one piece of steel rod.

 

The correct/original sling swivel is on the left. The correct/ original upper stacking swivel is on the right. I have seen 1903 Springfield stacking swivels used on these training rifles and 1903A3 sling swivels used here when the correct/original swivel apparently was lost. The uniqueness of the originals makes them fairly unmistakable.

 

 

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Here is a picture of the swivels mounted on the rifles.

 

First the stacking swivel. Note also the bayonet lug. It is a two piece feature soldered together.

 

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Below is the sling swivel attached to the barrel band.

 

 

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This is a picture of the rear sight and upper hand guard removed from the rifle. The long threaded bolt in the picture goes through the spring that holds the rear sight erect, through the base of the rear sight, through the top of the receiver and through a hole in the simulated barrel, finally passing through the lead weight used to approximate the weight of an actual 1903 Springfield and terminating in a bolt inlet into the bottom of the fore stock.

 

Coincidentally, the rear sight on these WWI rifles is almost identical to the rear sight on the WWII NAVY Training Rifles though it is mounted differently and has no tension spring.

 

 

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Here is a picture of the barrel slid forward. You can see the hole the threaded bolt passes through. Note also the spring which is compressed by the barrel when assembled and which applies pressure to the operating bolt when it is closed.

 

 

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Below is picture of the lead weight in the bottom of the stock. The hole is where

 

 

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Another item that is often missing is the tension spring in the rear sight slide.
Both of these rifles have it but it has weakened and is more or less nonfunctional.

 

The little flat spring is arched in the middle and has the end turned over to keep it from slipping out the bottom. I have pulled it out part way in the picture. It was used to provide tension to the slide so that it would stay where it was positioned. It is easily lost and over time it could rust to the point that it would fall out very easily.

 

 

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Both of my training rifles weigh exactly 9 pounds. The sling on the one with dark wood appears to be a WWI period sling and is marked J. C. S. Co., Inspector C.E.B. with L.S. further up.

 

Enjoy!

[stealthytyler]

Nice! I need one of these for a display. Are they common?

[gomorgan]

Great posting, thank you for this information and the photos..

[thorin6]

I think I saw one of these at a Gun Show last year. I had no idea what I was looking at and passed on the $200 price.

Great post and good information, thanks.

[rldarmstr]

Nice! I need one of these for a display. Are they common?

 

I wouldn't say "common". You do see them from time to time. The dark wood rifle came from eBay several years ago. The light wood came from Auction Arms. I had a third partial rifle that I used to supplement parts that were incorrect. Luckily these two rifles were almost complete when I got them.

[Brian Keith]

Great informative post!

I think I have one of these, I'll have to dig it out to see if it matches yours.

Thanks much!

BKW