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Innovative U.S. Rock Island Arsenal Model 1903 Guiberson Periscope Rifle Designed for World War I Trench Warfare
LOT 1480
Extremely Rare Documented U.S. Rock Island Arsenal M1903
Guiberson Periscope Trench Rifle - Serial no. 131036, 30 06 cal., 24 inch bbl., blue finish, walnut stock.
This is an extremely rare all original WWI era Guiberson Periscope Trench rifle fitted to an early 1909 dated Rock Island Arsenal Model 1903 bolt action rifle. At the onset of WWI the US Army and USMC infantry was plagued with fighting from the trenches in France. There were 2-3 trench type periscope rifles designed and patented, the most known was the Yazzi and the Cameron model that uses a standard M1903 fitted to a highly modified frame system, with a lower mechanically operated bolt with a large heavy side mounted trench periscope. Both were successful on a very limited basis with an estimate of less than 10 ever manufactured. This model was a completely different design in that it used a standard M1903
fitted to a completely and highly modified M1903 service
rifle stock. The stock itself was almost completely hollowed out and was then attached to a heavy cast and machined aluminum frame that had a hinge just behind the lower barrel band. This allowed the stock to separate and open up behind the rear tang area. This design concept is somewhat similar
to the aluminum bedding blocks installed in fiberglass bench stock today. This same model is shown in the book “The 1903 Springfield Rifle” by Bill Brophy on page 217-220 along with the two other noted Trench rifle designs. That example was written up in an article in magazine “The Man At Arms” in April 1917 by Capt. E.C. Crossman. It was fitted to a Springfield Arsenal M1903 while this example is actually fitted to a Rock Island Arsenal manufactured M1903. Obviously during the development the Ordnance Department wanted to make sure that if they approved this design, Rock Island Arsenal could be able to manufacture/adopt their rifles for this style stock.
SIMILAR EXAMPLES PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK THE SPRINGFIELD 1903 RIFLE BY BROPHY
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