Springfield Model 1903 National Match (NM) rifle manufactured in 1921. The rifle has the post-WWI black-green parkerized finish, Springfield Armory polished bolt and oil-finished black walnut "S" stock with straight wrist and grasping grooves. The rifle has the lower profile hand guard fitted on post-WWI M1903 rifles and fine checkered buttplate used on all M1903 rifles until 1924. The rear sight has a polished face and the top of the sight lacks the 2750 yard "volley notch" that was used until about 1919. The lower barrel band has the correct blue finish. The trigger is grooved with cross-hatched tip. The bolt, extractor, bolt races in the receiver and the top of the magazine follower are polished in accordance with NM specifications. The distinctive Springfield Armory 'feathered' polishing marks are present above and below the safety lug. The bolt is correctly not etched with the rifle serial number (Springfield Armory began to electro-pencil the rifle serial number on the bolts on NM rifles around 1924). The receiver is fitted with a Lyman, Long Slide No. 48 micrometer rear sight (the more common Lyman 48B rear sight was not introduced until late in 1921). All of the sight components have the matching assembly number "2U". The sight mounting and stock inlets are identical to those on Springfield Model 1922 rifles with Lyman 48 rear sights. The front sight blade has been replaced with a Lyman hooded globe front sight with post insert. The original front sight is in the rifle butt trap and could be quickly re-installed. The rifle receiver is roll-stamped: "U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/MODEL 1903." in four lines above the serial number "1229240". The top of the bolt handle is stamped with the correct "WL/3" steel lot code. The safety and cut-off lever have the correct block letter markings and the "ON" side of the cut-off is polished bright. The barrel is roll-stamped with "SA" above the Ordnance 'Shell & Flame' insignia above the date '5-21" behind the front sight. The rifle muzzle is not stamped with the familiar star-gauge mark; this marking was introduced in Fiscal Year 1922 (late 1921). The star-gauge number "1852" is stamped on the right side of the barrel just ahead of the rear sight base (1921 production NM rifles were the first NM rifles that had the star-gauge number stamped on the side of the barrel; all subsequent NM riles had the star-gauge mark stamped on the muzzle and the star-gauge number of the barrel. The left side of the stock is stamped with the Ordnance final inspection mark that consists of the initials "D.A.L." enclosed in a rectangle. An encircled. Block "P" proof mark is stamped on the underside of the stock behind the trigger guard. A small "R" sub-inspection mark is stamped in the cut-off recess. A significant number Model 1903 NM rifles with early 1921 barrel dates were fitted with Lyman Model 48 Long Slide sights; Lyman 48 sights are rarely found on Model 1903 NM rifles made after 1921. The dates and quality of the sight installation on these rifles indicates that the Lyman 48 sights were installed by Springfield Armory technicians at the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, after the rifles were purchased by competitors. Although Springfield Armory manufactured limited numbers of NM rifles for use in the National Match competitions from each year from about 1910 onwards, 1921 was the first year that Springfield manufactured Model 1903 NM rifles as a specific rifle type for sale thru the Director of Civilian Marksmanship.

Excellent with 97% plus of the original parkerized finish. Wear is limited to some minor scratches on the front sight base from the front sight cover and some very light handling wear on the trigger guard and floor plate. The bolt has all of the original Armory polish. The markings on the barrel and receiver are crisp. The stock and handguard are in excellent condition with only very minor handling wear. The edges of the grasping groves are sharp. The "DAL" final inspection mark and "P" proof mark are crisp. This is an excellent, original example of a 1921 Springfield NM rifle with Armory installed Lyman Model 48 Long Slide.