I inherited two Springfield 1903's from my My Fathers, Cousins, Father. I assume he never got around to them because they were still in their shipping boxes, still wrapped in cosmoline wrapping. (Shipping Date is worn off, but the boxes are obviously pretty old, they were sent by rail). One was from the Springfield Armory, the other was from Rock Island Arsenal. The rifle in question arrived from Rock Island Asenal like so....

http://www.x-plane.org/users/agro/SawedOff1903.jpg

Now, can anyone give me any information as to why this might have been done? I saw a picture on the internet of another one that had been done this way, but no good information was given as to why. Also, the remaining stock seems alot heavier than the other springfield. I can't figure out what the stampings on the stock might indicate....

On the left side of the rifle behind the magazine cut-off switch is "A A Q"

On the bottom, on the front of the pistol-grip is a "P"

Forward of the magazine box, there is a "F"

And infront of the rear sling swivel, stamped rather small, is "D1836-4"

The Reciever serial number is "317****"

And the Date on the barrel is "5-42"

I'd appreciate ANY information that might be provided on this.

Don't have the books in front of me but as best I recall:  AAQ is an Augusta Arsenal rebuild stamp.  The circle P is a proof stamp, the gun or at least gun in that stock at one time was proof tested.  The serial number is in the Remington 03 range I believe. Check the receiver markings, I think it should say "Remington Model of 1903".

I doubt the rifle came from RIA with the stock cut down.  Its a about a five minute project to convert a perfectly good 03 into a "sporter" and a lot of them suffered that fate.

..Nice stocks can be had from boyd`s....to put them back to "normal"

RA 5-42 would be about right for Remington serial # 3,17x,xxx. Finish looks about right and as sporterized 03's go this is one of the easiest restorations there is ! As is it's worth about $ 250, restored maybe $ 500.
 The stock is pre-war Springfield Type C and would be worth about $ 200-300 on E-pay if it wasn't cut down !

Thanks for the info guys! Some of it I knew, some of it I didn't, but it was all helpful. It still irks me that of all the Springfield stocks he had, that this one of them all got hacked. But like some of you said, it should be easy to get it into the same shape as the other one. Thanks alot!