I watched that one and the Winchester 1917 sporter with the Christy sight. Both was very interesting, but I still have a lot to learn about custom sporters.
Too bad about the bulged barrel.
The only thing identified with Niedner on that rifle was the scope mount. I have a 1922 Newton rebarreled by Niedner, and it is clearly marled with Niedner Rifle Corporation on the barrel and numbered, revealing it to have been installed in 1935.
Very true! The action looks to have been replaced as well, meaning it was likely built with a low number action. The stock is American black walnut, and it sure looks like a Shelhamer stock to me.
Here is a link to some Niedner-Shelhammer 1903's
Niedner-Shelhammer 1903's While I see a lot of similarities, I see some differences, in particular the area around the magazine cutoff. I wonder what the new buyer will do with it.
It was sold by the DCM as a 1903A1 on July 7, 1936 to Dr. Vernon C. Branham, FALLSBURG, NY.
I want to find out about the original purchasers of three of my Springfields. Tell me what to do. Thanks
Agree- my guess- a cleaning patch might have been trapped in that area, and when a round was fired, the bulge was a possible result. I've seen that on a few 1903's, also a few K98 WW11 "duffel-bag bringbacks"--
I know nada about the seller, but I will give him credit for detailing that defect-not all gun dealers are that honest, IMO.
Paul, look up "Springfield Research Service".
Could be a S. A. Leonard stock.................
irs:
Was S.A. Leonard an American stock maker? I ask because I have a British sidelock ejector with S.A. Leonard's name on the rib and the action and New York and Birmingham indicated as his locations. I've been unable to find anything about him and, in the absence of other data, had concluded he might be related in some fashion to the Leonard family that built the Jeffries double rifles, among other guns.
If you have any more information on him, I'd love to have it.
Thanks.
Rem
Yes he was a British Stockmaker that moved to the US. There is some info about him in Petrov’s books.
Thanks. I have at least one of those books, maybe both. I’ll check to see what it says.
Looks like this rifle went through Griffin and Howe at some point.
Very possible- It has been sold-- I'm still using the older (1939) M70 SG 30-06 my Dad left me in 1980-- He had it scoped in 1948- the pre-War M70's didn't have the rear receiver ring D&T'd-- I replaced the older Weaver 4x scope with a Zeiss 2x7 , which I still use today for deer. If I wasn't fortunate to have inherited the M70-- I would have bought that 1903- in USMC parlance, it is a "Dinger"-- RWTF
My last post was incredibly vague. The serial number is listed as being in the Griffin and Howe archives. The last few years I've been using a well worn 1937 Model 70 30-06 for my deer hunting. It has proven to be hell on deer with 3 shots accounting for 3 bucks. The 2 1/2 power Lyman Alaskan with the Lyman dot reticle is still a pretty darn good scope.