This is an absolutely near new, as issued "1911" dated Model 1903 service rifle (not NRA Sales rifle) that was manufactured by Springfield Armory. The rifle has a blued barrel, bolt, barrel bands, buttplate, trigger guard and floor plate. The receiver is casehardened with a dark oil-quenched finish. The safety lock and magazine cut-off have a water-quenched casehardened finish with vivid case colors. The walnut stock and handguard are oil finished. The Model 1905 folding leaf rear sight has a polished face and 2,850 yard volley notch centered on the top of the leaf. The sight has the small binding screw with concave face and grooved knurl used to about serial number 509,000. The sight base has the second pattern windage knob with large (.575 inch), concave face and grooved knurl. The rifle has the early pattern, smooth, thin trigger used through 1911. The safety lock has the serifed "READY" and "SAFE" markings that were utilized until 1914. The "OFF" and "ON" markings on the cut-off have the serifed letters used through late 1914. The "ON" side of the cut-off is polished bright. The buttplate has the fine checkering adopted in 1910. The straight handle bolt is stamped with the steel lot code "J 1" on the underside of the safety lug. The upper barrel band has a niter blue finish, and the right side is stamped with a block "U" facing the muzzle. The bayonet lug on the upper barrel band is stamped with the "H" found only on Springfield Armory bands. The face of the front sight base and the front sight movable stud are stamped with a matching index mark that indicates the parts were aligned during manufacture and have not been moved or replaced. The upper barrel band, trigger guard and floor plate have a high polish blue finish used on early Model 1903 rifles. This finish was replaced by a more subdued finish in 1914. The Type "S" straight wrist stock has grasping grooves below the front sight base, single reinforcing bolt and the sloping contour below the receiver ring adopted in 1910. The "high-hump" hand guard has the sight relief cut and spring clips introduced in 1910. The receiver is roll-stamped "U.S./SPRINGFIELD ARMORY/MODEL 1903" in block letters above the serial number "480976". The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "S A" above the Ordnance "Shell and Flame" insignia and the date "4-11" behind the rear sight base. The left side of the stock is stamped with the Ordnance final inspection mark which consists of the initial "J.F.C." in a rectangle below the magazine cut-off recess. A circled script "P" proof mark is stamped on the underside of the stock behind the trigger guard finial. An "L" and "D" sub-inspection marks are stamped in the cut-off recess, and "10" is lightly stamped between the trigger guard and the proof mark. The rifle is complete with a nickel plated oil and thong case in the butt trap that contains an original pull through. The Springfield Model 1903 rifles manufactured up to about 1914 have the best fit and finish of any U.S. martial arms; the quality of the finish on these rifles equals or exceeds that found on most contemporary custom rifles.