Springfield Model 1903 rifle in original rod bayonet configuration manufactured c. 1904. The rifle has the distinctive, rod bayonet components which include: (1) retractable rod bayonet, (2) front sight base with two lightning holes, (3) longer 24.206 inch unmarked barrel, (4) rod bayonet stud on forearm tip, (5) upper barrel band, (6) second style stacking swivel with flat face, (7) solid lower barrel band, (8) one-piece handguard with interior spring secured by two rivets, (9) first type rear sight base with spline at the upper front of the base, (10) Krag style, tangent, rear sight, (11) bolt with bright body and blued extractor, (12) "S" stock with no reinforcing bolts inletted for rod bayonet stud, and (13) smooth buttplate with small butt trap and "58" assembly number stamped inside the butt trap door. The bolt has the second style safety lock adopted in 1904. The rifle has a standard Model 1903 follower rather than the short, square-ended follower utilized on Model 1903 rod bayonet rifles and is fitted with a post-1905 trigger guard. The top of the receiver is roll-stamped: "U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/MODEL 1903/36938" using the small, serif letters used until serial number 60,463. The markings on the safety lock and cut-off switch also have serif letters. The left side of the stock wrist is stamped with an illegible Ordnance final inspection stamp that consists of three script initials enclosed in rectangle. An encircled, script, "P" proof mark is stamped behind the trigger guard. Springfield Armory manufactured approximately 74,500 Model 1903 rod bayonet rifles from November 1903 to January 1905. Following President Theodore Roosevelt's criticism of the rod bayonet design in January 1905, production of Model 1903 rifles ceased pending redesign of the bayonet. Following redesign of the rifle to accept a conventional knife-bayonet nearly all of the completed Rod Bayonet Model 1903 rifles were altered to accept the Model 1905 bayonet. Experts estimate fewer than 100 original configuration Rod Bayonet Model 1903 rifles exist in museums and private collections today.

About good. With the exception of the trigger guard and magazine follower, the rifle has all of the correct rod bayonet components. The barrel, receiver, barrel bands, blued bolt components and buttplate have evidence of being reblued, now covered with a dark patina with light pitting over the remaining blue. All of the distinctive rod bayonet components have a similar finish. The bolt body has been cleaned and shows pitting below the polishing marks. The stock and forearm have been sanded and reoiled and are in good overall condition. The Ordnance final inspection mark on the left wrist is visible but illegible; the proof mark behind the trigger guard is clear. This is a substantially original example of a rare Springfield Model 1903 Rod Bayonet rifle. Completely original rod bayonet rifles are rarely available for sale. Most of the restored rod bayonet rifles lack key components; the original 24.206 inch, .30-03 barrel and unaltered rear sight base are rarely encountered. This is a solid representative example of a Model 1903 Rod Bayonet rifle that would be an impressive addition to any collection of U.S. military firearms.