doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Griffin & Howe Custom 1903

The Las Vegas Antique Gun Show always has wonderful firearms that cause me to do impulsive things... The pictured rifle belonged to a friend that shares many of the same "addictions" as myself. We saw each other in the hotel lobby before we were able to load in. After talking about what we had brought, he discovered I had something he dearly wanted & needed....a Unertl USMC 8X sniper scope. He said come and check out my table... There is was in all it's wondrous glory (for me at least) a spectacular Springfield 1903 Sporter by Griffin & Howe. The barrel is serial numbered 665. It has the G&H 1/4 rib w/ express double sights. Horn fore arm tip. G&H butt pad. LOP is 14". Lyman 48 receiver sight w/ filler. Post war G&H two lever scope mount w/ Weaver scope... which will soon to be replaced with mint 1931 G&H 26mm Windage mount w/ Hensoldt 4x scope. Overall, in wonderful condition... after a couple hours of friendly, no-pressure negotiation, we came to a mutually agreed upon solution. The result, we are both very happy... and that's the best result that can happen between friends. I've emailed Griffin & Howe to get a letter of authenticity and who it was made for. Two more days at the show and who knows what will show up next.... (post edited for corrections & content)

Beautiful rifle! I love the express sight rail and the forend tip. Thanks for sharing pictures of it.

Did we get the wrong picture? I see a really cool old G&H 03 Springfield? G&H number 665 would probably have been built before the model 70 was introduced. Regardless, I like it, thanks for sharing.

John

Yep a nice 1903 Springfield with a very cool model 70 style 3 position safety. Great find!

Winchester style safety likely fitted when they changed over to 1in rings to use the newer weaver scope.

You are correct... long day at the show and I wasn't paying close attention. The Lyman 48 is on the wrong side to be a Winchester... I'm still very happy with my new G&H... waiting to hear back from G&H regarding getting a build letter....

The early records burned up. I don’t remember the cutoff but I have #950 and there were no records for it.

I heard back this week from G&H... their records only show the serial numbered rifle w/ qtr. rib was made in 1927. No "noted" customer. He said that they no longer offer "letters of authenticity". It will join my G&H .220 Swift, Sedgley .22 Hornet, Sedgley 30-06, Jaeger 30-06... got a half dozen 1903's still in original military configuration. Looking back, I wish I had been able to connect with Michael Petrov before he passed. I have both his books and reference them often. Side note: I sent a message & called the G&H engraver to investigate the cost to engrave the bold knob of my .220 Swift with a 4 petal panel and also put scrolling on both sides of the bolt housing. I ran into a young man at the Colorado Collector's show a few years back that said he was related to Michael... the firearms addiction has genetic implications...

I would be interested to know what they estimate for the cost of engraving the bolt knob. I’m also considering some engraving in the future.

So G&H was able to find an entry in their ledgers for No 665? This is great news!

They must have found a new stash of records. I remember talking to Bob Beach on the phone regarding my G&H #950 and he told me the records didn’t exist for the early rifles. I don’t remember what he told me the earliest serial numbers were they had records for at that time. Seems like 1200-1300 is where they began.