Manufactured in 1928 and later refitted in "sporter" configuration, this rifle is identified by serial number in an included shipping form/invoice as having been sold from Springfield Armory inventory in 1954 to Major General E.S. Gruver, as well as an additional letter from a member of General Gruver's family verifying the information and an NRA 1903 Rifle Series medallion. Earl S Gruver was born in Pennsylvania in 1898, graduated from West Point, and entered the Army in the inter-war years as an Ordnance officer, performed gunnery testing at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, supported mechanized cavalry operations in Fort Knox, and served as an ordnance/gunnery instructor at West Point. In 1942, he was appointed the Ordnance Officer for the U.S. Military Mission in Cairo. Gruver and his team were also responsible for getting British forces up to speed on American-made Lend-Lease equipment. Later in the war, he was stationed in England, performed additional Ordnance work, including as the Ordnance Section Chief of the Planning Division. Afterwards, he served as Chief of the Industrial Activities Division and as ordnance officer for the Panama Canal Department and the U.S. Army in the Caribbean. The rifle is fitted with hooded blade front and Lyman peep rear sights, with a "5-42" Springfield barrel, polished "NS" bolt with "R" marked components, a brown leather "BOYT/44" sling and an unmarked pistol grip stock with a checkered steel buttplate.

Fine as arsenal/armorer refurbished, with 95% of the parkerized finish, showing some light handling marks and edge wear overall, some mild pitting on the rear sight and light wear on the barrel band. The bolt is hand-numbered to a different rifle. A hairline crack is present on the top of the stock wrist, and there are a few mild dings and scratches overall. The sling shows some light scratches. Mechanically excellent.