Question. I found a 1903 Springfield with Sedgley Sporter barrel markings built on a Rock Island action serial number 75,xxx. It has been my understanding that Sedgley never matted their receiver rings on Rock Island actions and they bear their extant serial numbers. The rifle has obviously been restocked. My question...did Sedgley always put an action number in the tang raceway or was this just done on rifles, where the Springfield number was matted out? The rifle in question has no number in the tang, does this mean it is simply rebarreled with a Sedgley Sporter engraved take off barrel later or is it more likely, a Rock Island Sedgley Sporter that has been restocked. Any sure way to tell? Thanks in advance. Jerry

Jerry, I have a Sedgley Springfield, #99951 that still has the Springfield markings on the action. There is no serial on the tang, Sedgley stocks are pretty easy to spot, check for the triangle checkering behind the tang, the shape of the comb nose, usually have a schnable forend tip, some good photos in MPs book

I seldom say "Never" because as soon as I say that along comes Never.

I have about given up on any rules when it come to Sedgleys. First there is no way to know where the actions came from without removing the barrel when they are unmarked.

I suspect but don't know for sure that a rifle that still has the serial numbers were the customers actions.

If the action still has the serial number a few I have seen had three or so of the numbers in the raceway and on the back of the bolt. Others had nothing.

Remember that Sedgley would do ANY custom work you wanted so it was possible to have them just re-barrel a rifle.

Michael: Do you believe that when a person provided their own action for a sporter to be built, it was heat treated? Was there any mark to indicate heat treatment? TIA JERRY

I don't know and if they marked them in any way, if they did I'm not aware of it.

Sedgley did heat treat some low-number actions but it was not a big deal like it is today.

One issue with heat treating and marking is that the best time to mark would be before when it is soft, but we don't mark things before we do the work...

An action of mine will be going out for heat treating soon, and I'm sure it won't be marked, I doubt if that was a common practice at any time. But it is at the engravers getting matted, while it is soft...