Pictures of the engraving would be nice to see. The only Pope I have knowledge of is H. M. Pope a barrel maker. Does the barrel have the standard barrel address? As a guest you have to upload the photos to a third party host site and link to them otherwise you can email them to me at the below address.

Bob

steve004 said
I'm wondering about the customers who purchased these carbines - if they gave any thought to the variation from the standard carbine?  The model 1894 and model 94 went through many variations - so it wasn't all that unusual for a carbine to show up that wasn't identical to earlier versions.  I suppose that the variation that used the musket barrel, and had a magazine tube that didn't reach to the end of the barrel, would logically have attracted the most notice. Maybe when they showed up a dealer's stores, those dealers might have noticed?  And is it possible they were discounted in some way?
  

Steve,

I'm thinking so. Especially during that time period. Travel back then, wasn't what it is today. My point is that they we're mfg in 1928, and even towards the end of that year, they we're in the General stores, of the times, and in the dealers presence for sale during some tough economic times. A discount of some sort back then, for all the above and obvious reasons. IMO.

Tony

Chuck said

Bert H. said
Just as an FYI, it is not possible to "rechamber" a 30-03 barrel to 30-06 without first cutting the entire chamber off of the barrel.  
 
Bert
  

Not true.
"Military .30-03 barrels can safely and functionally be converted to .30-06 by unscrewing the barrel, setting it back (milling a small amount off the breech end), re-threading, and re-chambering. This requires a qualified gunsmith with a lathe and the proper reamer."
This is what the Military did and that is why finding a 03 Springfield in 30-03 is rare. 
  

Chuck,

The cost in both the time and labor to do the work necessary to convert a 30-03 barrel to 30-06 would be greater than simply installing a new barrel. 

In addition to milling .2" off of the breech end of the barrel, then rereaming the chamber to the correct dimension, that is not all that would have needed to be reworked. 

The rear sight mounting holes would need to me moved further forward, the barrel fitments to the stock would also need reworking/moving.  I simply do not believe that the Springfield Armory would have wasted all of the extra time needed to convert a 30-03 barrel versus simply putting a replacement barrel on the rifle.

Bert

The type l and ll with their 20 inch barrels, and the type lll and llll, with their M-95, 24 inch Musket barrels cut down to 21.75". It makes me wonder how and why they came up with that number, for the length on the barrel, and not a more even, or rounded number. I guess it really doesn't matter, just curious is all.

Years ago the barrel length on the type lll and llll, was said to be 21.50, and 22 inches long, in earlier beginning surveys. We can see how that can happen as the breach measurements can be subjective to assuming something, in many cases, I suspect.

With all the updated information, it really gives the collector some more information to go on.

Tony

steve004 said

Interesting but pretty vague:  "not desirable."
  

Well, there are more books on these rifles and maybe more info in this book but I don't collect them. 

Chuck said
The Springfield 1903 Rifles by Brophy.
After a quick look through the 616 page book I found one paragraph on page 34. "The new cartridge had a neck that was .1" shorter than the original one, and although it would fit into the chamber, it was not desirable."
Page 38 states that the 03 barrels were 24.2" and the barrels modified to 06 are 24".
  

Interesting but pretty vague:  "not desirable."

After a quick look through the 616 page book I found one paragraph on page 34. "The new cartridge had a neck that was .1" shorter than the original one, and although it would fit into the chamber, it was not desirable."

Page 38 states that the 03 barrels were 24.2" and the barrels modified to 06 are 24".

One other thing is that the 150 gr Military bullet is a spitzer, pointed, bullet.  

steve004 said

Chuck said

Bert H. said
Just as an FYI, it is not possible to "rechamber" a 30-03 barrel to 30-06 without first cutting the entire chamber off of the barrel.  
 
Bert
  

Not true.
"Military .30-03 barrels can safely and functionally be converted to .30-06 by unscrewing the barrel, setting it back (milling a small amount off the breech end), re-threading, and re-chambering. This requires a qualified gunsmith with a lathe and the proper reamer."
  

Why would this be worth all the trouble when the .30-06 cartridge can be safely fired in the .30-06 chamber?
  

I don't know the answer to that.  I'll look at my 03 Springfield book and see what it may say.  All I know is the Military wasn't about to waste the barrels.

Chuck said

Bert H. said
Just as an FYI, it is not possible to "rechamber" a 30-03 barrel to 30-06 without first cutting the entire chamber off of the barrel.  
 
Bert
  

Not true.
"Military .30-03 barrels can safely and functionally be converted to .30-06 by unscrewing the barrel, setting it back (milling a small amount off the breech end), re-threading, and re-chambering. This requires a qualified gunsmith with a lathe and the proper reamer."
  

Why would this be worth all the trouble when the .30-06 cartridge can be safely fired in the .30-06 chamber?

Bert H. said

Just as an FYI, it is not possible to "rechamber" a 30-03 barrel to 30-06 without first cutting the entire chamber off of the barrel.  

 
Bert
  

Not true.

"Military .30-03 barrels can safely and functionally be converted to .30-06 by unscrewing the barrel, setting it back (milling a small amount off the breech end), re-threading, and re-chambering. This requires a qualified gunsmith with a lathe and the proper reamer."

This is what the Military did and that is why finding a 03 Springfield in 30-03 is rare.