This Springfield Model 1903 rifle was manufactured c.1911. This rifle is fitted with a pre-WWI commercial Winchester A-5 telescopic sight in an rare off-set mount patented by W. Bennett and manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms Co. A Bennett off-set mount is pictured on page 503 of "The Springfield 1903 Rifles" by William S. Brophy. The rear sight has been removed, and the mount is attached to the rear sight base and the barrel. The handguard has been period modified to accept the front sight base which is drilled and tapped to the barrel. The five power A-5 telescopic sight has a blued body with target style micrometer mount and "grasshopper" spring, fine wire crosshairs and rubber eyepiece. The Winchester legend and patent markings are roll-stamped on the scope tube in two lines. The rear scope base is roll-stamped: "PAT. MAY 24. 1910." The off-set scope mount was designed to allow the rifle to be loaded with stripper clips. Similar off-set mounts with Winchester A-5 scopes were installed on SMLE rifles by the British Army c. 1914-1916. Winchester A-5 Telescopic sights in over-bore mounts were tested by the U.S. Army prior to WWI and purchased in limited numbers by the U.S. Marine Corps for competition shooting prior to WWI and for issue to snipers in 1917-1918. The rifle is a pre-WWI Springfield M1903 with an "SA/1-11" marked barrel. The barrel, front sight, upper and lower barrel band rear sight base, trigger guard, floor plate, bolt, and bolt sleeve are blued. The receiver, cocking piece, safety, cut-off and buttplate are have a dark casehardened finish. The rifle has a smooth pointed trigger, fine checkered buttplate, stock with single reinforcing bolt and "high hump" handguard. The safety and cut-off have serif markings. The receiver has the larger, block letter, markings. The left side of the stock is stamped with a block "J.F.C." final inspection mark with a rectangular border, and the underside of the stock wrist is stamped with and encircled script "P" proofmark. The bolt safety lug is stamped with a "J1" heat lot code. All of the components appear to be original to this rifle. This rifle was probably fitted with the A-5 telescopic sight and Bennett off-set mount for competitive shooting prior to WWI. The rifle, scope and mount are all the same 1911-1913 vintage.

Very fine. The rifle retains 90% of the original blue and casehardened finish. The reoiled stock is in very fine condition with sharp inspection mark and clear proofmarks. The A-5 telescopic sight and Bennett mount are in the same very fine condition as the rifle and show the same limited wear. The scope lens is clear. The telescopic sight mount is a period installation that saw only limited subsequent use. This is a highly desirable variation of a U.S. Springfield Model 1903 rifle with rare pre-WWI Winchester A-5 Telescopic Sight and Bennett off-set mount.