gunn308 Posted August 11, 2015 Share #1 Posted August 11, 2015 Title: 1903 Springfields Description: 2-1903 springfields USMC 1-serial# 476525 SA barrel date7-11 with grooved trigger 1-serial# 638092 SA barrel date 2-17 with smooth trigger note- serial# could be 658092 it is under scope base, scope is J. STEVENS scope base is stamped FZB even have stamp that was used looks hand made 1- model 1875 USMC officers sabre with ivory bolsters, blade engraved all items in wooden case w/USMC brass padlock ,case is marked outside; F.Z. BECKER Captain USMC inside; QMSGT Jordan Oct. 27, 18 Condition: rifles & sabre all original in excellent condition case has normal wear Origin: I inherited these from my great uncle Capt. Frank Z. Becker whom I am told was a range officer , and I am told he shot competively for the Marine Corps I am also told that these rifles may have been presented to him by the Springfield Armory and used in competition this I can't verify. I do know he was stationed at the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard for awhile because my grandfather lived with him then. I cannot find uncle Franks military records. Will post more pics later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovmilinsig Posted August 11, 2015 Share #2 Posted August 11, 2015 WOW!!! Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy.502 Posted August 11, 2015 Share #3 Posted August 11, 2015 Very nice!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybean Posted August 11, 2015 Share #4 Posted August 11, 2015 That is an incredible group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 11, 2015 Share #5 Posted August 11, 2015 What a treasure! Would love to see more of the 03 rifles. I have one similar to your scoped model.The front mounting block is mortised into the hand guard the same way. Was able to get a letter on mine stating it a Special Target Rifle as the serial number was recorded and was sent from DCM sales in 1926. Does your scoped rifle have the star gauged barrel? If it has a small looking stamp on the end of the muzzle that looks like a sun emblem thats the star gauge mark.Mine has it.Some were and some weren't marked both on National Match rifles and Special Target rifles. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted August 11, 2015 Share #6 Posted August 11, 2015 Title: 1903 Springfields Description: 2-1903 springfields USMC 1-serial# 476525 SA barrel date7-11 with grooved trigger 1-serial# 638092 SA barrel date 2-17 with smooth trigger note- serial# could be 658092 it is under scope base, scope is J. STEVENS scope base is stamped FZB even have stamp that was used looks hand made 1- model 1875 USMC officers sabre with ivory bolsters, blade engraved all items in wooden case w/USMC brass padlock ,case is marked outside; F.Z. BECKER Captain USMC inside; QMSGT Jordan Oct. 27, 18 Condition: rifles & sabre all original in excellent condition case has normal wear Origin: I inherited these from my great uncle Capt. Frank Z. Becker whom I am told was a range officer , and I am told he shot competively for the Marine Corps I am also told that these rifles may have been presented to him by the Springfield Armory and used in competition this I can't verify. I do know he was stationed at the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard for awhile because my grandfather lived with him then. I cannot find uncle Franks military records. Will post more pics later. Contact. ..mes... here on the forum. Mark can help you get your Uncles file and at a reasonable cost.Great inheritance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warguy Posted August 11, 2015 Share #7 Posted August 11, 2015 Thanks for moving the post here. An incredible collection of items for sure. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfcmac Posted August 11, 2015 Share #8 Posted August 11, 2015 Gunn308 I took the liberty of looking at the USMC muster rolls on ancestry.com for Frank Z. Becker. He had quite an interesting career. I didn't look at every entry, but did find the following: 1. He enlisted on 26 Oct 1899 at the Marine Barracks, Washington, DC 2. In Mar 1901 he was with Company D, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, at Cavite, Philippines Island. 3. Jun 1910 He was a Gunnery Sgt. at the Marine Corps Rifle Range, Winthrop, Maryland. 4. 3 Apr 1917 he was made a Warrant Marine Gunner (Warrant Officer); 5 Apr he took the oath for Marine Gunner and reported to Marine Barracks, Portsmouth, NH; 15 Apr he went to the rifle range at Winthrop, Maryland. It doesn't appear that he served in France during WWI but during this time he made 2LT, 1LT and Captain. More than one time during his career he was assigned to rifle ranges. The last entry was for 1-30 Sep 1926 while he was assigned to Headquarters, Western Recruiting Division, San Fransisco, CA 1-5 Sep 1926 - sick US Army Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Denver, CO. Article 554 Navy Regulation does not apply. 6 Sep 1926 - died at 8:45 AM from chronic tuberculosis. Death was in line of duty, Article 554 Navy Regulation does not apply. Remains shipped by express to Washington DC on 12 Sep 1926 for internment in Arlington National Cemetery. I don't know was Article 554 Navy Regulation is about. There are about 285 entries on the muster rolls for this Marine. Hope this helps. sfcmac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suwanneetrader Posted August 11, 2015 Share #9 Posted August 11, 2015 A wonderful inheritance. I see you live in England so I hope they (your laws) do not require you to demill and ruin these fine US rifles. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warguy Posted August 11, 2015 Share #10 Posted August 11, 2015 I think that is New England where hopefully the 2nd Amendment is still in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suwanneetrader Posted August 11, 2015 Share #11 Posted August 11, 2015 In my old age, I seem to be getting blinder as well as short of the mark in other areas. Please forgive and hopefully the 2nd will continue to survive. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric1913 Posted August 11, 2015 Share #12 Posted August 11, 2015 Superb, can't get much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightn5th Posted August 12, 2015 Share #13 Posted August 12, 2015 Excellent items. Thanks for sharing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunn308 Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted August 12, 2015 Here is some more info on these weapons: Both barrels are marked SA then the BOMB then the date and there is an H on the bayonet stud. Both have checkered butt plates with doors for cleaning kits. The scoped one has stamped in the stock behind the trigger guard, 1/8"tall numbers, the # 76, inside the stock the # 88, and inside the magazine it looks like the # 7 not sure about that one. With the stock removed the barrel is marked pJ50, the reciever is markedKCX and 78 6,and the barrel next to reciever has what looks like a backwards 3. The bolt has the # 2 stamped on it & the bolt lug has the # 15. The rear sight has a HESSIAN nickle sight cover, the scope is J. STEVENS ARMS & TOOL Co. CHICOPEE FALLS. MASS. U.S.A. Pat Pndg No. but there is no number , the only # on the scope is 8 and that is on the top front. Scope is 15 5/16" X 3/4". Got a 12 pt 225 lb white tail with it when I was 14 then found out from Bill Morrison that the first 800,000 wern't safe to shoot. The unscoped one has 90 behind the trigger guard& the bolt relief has the letter E stamped in it & the magazine is marked 5p there again it is hard to tell. Inside the handguard the barrel is stamped 15R & next to the reciever is B25, the reciever is marked in various spots with 3, A, V, U, 1 & C with a tail like Q . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunn308 Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share #15 Posted August 12, 2015 More pics. Thats all for today for now I'm only allowed 3 posts for a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hessian Posted August 12, 2015 Share #16 Posted August 12, 2015 UH.... Incredible. The scoped '03 must be worth a small fortune. Congrats and welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cplnorton Posted August 12, 2015 Share #17 Posted August 12, 2015 The scope has the Marine modified Mann Neidner mounts. They were modified in house by the Marines. Very, very neat! It also looks like it has a #10 front sight which was also made in house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 12, 2015 Share #18 Posted August 12, 2015 The scope has the Marine modified Mann Neidner mounts. They were modified in house by the Marines. Very, very neat! It also looks like it has a #10 front sight which was also made in house. Polished bolt too Stunning rifle What make is the scope? Winchester?Lynan?Fekkar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cplnorton Posted August 12, 2015 Share #19 Posted August 12, 2015 Polished bolt too Stunning rifle What make is the scope? Winchester?Lynan?Fekkar? I think the gentleman said it was a Stevens. Which is not a common Marine scope, but at that time period they were experimenting with so many target scopes, that about anything was possible. The mounts are from a Winchester A5 scope, that was modified by the Marines. But the mounts would be easy to put on that Steven's scope as they are basically just a plunger and spring setup and that scope looks to be very similar to the A5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC A5 Sniper Rifle Posted August 12, 2015 Share #20 Posted August 12, 2015 The unscoped rifle was part of the 1914 WRA lot of sales rifles made into sniper rifles for the Vera Cruz invasion, but was obviously not converted to a sniper rifle. The scoped rifle is one of the WRA modified WWI USMC sniper rifles in a replacement stock. It originally had a Win A5 scope which was replaced at some point. Both have their original barrels. These sniper rifles were issued to the 11th and 13th Regiments which never saw combat. There is a scope case floating around with your rifle's SN on it. Find that case and I can identify the sniper to whom it was issued if it still has all its markings. Find out if your relative was stationed at Guantanamo or the OSD during the summer of 1918 during WWI and let me know. Very odd that you would have a rifle from both lots of sales rifles found in the same case belonging to one individual. Congratulations. It is good to see these rifles continue to show up in private hands. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunn308 Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share #21 Posted August 12, 2015 USMC A5 Sniper Rifle, Uncle Frank was in Cuba 11/3/18 he was also in the Philippines this is what my grandfather said when my mother was putting family history to paper. Thanks so much for the info. Here is a pic of the scope. I will try to add more pics later am I still limited to 3 posts per day? Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunn308 Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share #22 Posted August 12, 2015 Pic of the sabre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunn308 Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share #23 Posted August 12, 2015 Does any body know if I can get in trouble for having real ivory? Hope not. Thanks for all the compliments and info. I know some of you hardcorp Marines are having a hard time with the unpolished brass my father who landed on Iwo on the 3rd day has left hints in the form of new cans of Brasso. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warguy Posted August 12, 2015 Share #24 Posted August 12, 2015 Gorgeous sword, is there a maker on the blade near the handle? The ivory pre-dates the restrictions so no you won't get in trouble but if you list them as being ivory on many auction sites, it would be removed. Nice that the blade is named. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted August 12, 2015 Share #25 Posted August 12, 2015 Does any body know if I can get in trouble for having real ivory? Hope not. Thanks for all the compliments and info. I know some of you hardcorp Marines are having a hard time with the unpolished brass my father who landed on Iwo on the 3rd day has left hints in the form of new cans of Brasso. Jerry Love your dad's hints...but DON'T polish the brass! There's one thing about new stuff being cleaned and polished...and then things that are supposed to have a patina from being in this world and surviving for many many years. That sword (and the rifles) fall into the latter category. Thank you for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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