I remember once-upon-a-time when —

12 year olds were expected to baby-sit younger kids. Since I was 12 and the oldest of this particular assemblage of kids, I was entrusted with their care AND because there was a big old deer that came out in an adjoining field, a 1903A3 as issued and a box (not just a mag full but a BOX!) of .30-06 ammunition. The home in which this rifle resided (and I hope it still does) was that of a WV game biologist. Now that is the good old days for me.

No, the deer never came out and yes, all the kids survived my dictatorship.



The U.S. Model 1903 Springfield Rifle replaced the Krag-Jorgensen and was the primary U.S. battle rifle until 1936, when it was replaced as the primary battle U.S. battle rifle by the M1 Garand. In 1942 Remington Arms redesigned the 1903 rifle using some stamped parts and that model was designated as the U.S. Model 1903A3.