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CUSTOM 1903 SPRINGFIELD SPORTER BY FRED ADOLPH.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:875.00 USD Estimated At:1,750.00 - 3,500.00 USD
CUSTOM 1903 SPRINGFIELD SPORTER BY FRED ADOLPH.

Cal. 30-06. S# 485468. Fred Adolph was a German gunsmith who moved to America in 1908 & built many fine custom bolt action rifles, mostly on Springfield barrelled actions for the likes of Townsend Whelen, E. C. Crossman, Charles Askins Sr., Henry Ford, George Eastman, & Roy Chapman Andrews. Nearly all of these rifles were not signed by Adolph, however his stockwork, especially checkering & carving patterns, are distinctive. This rifle has a checkering pattern almost identical to that on a rifle pictured in Adolph's 1914 catalog under "The New Springfield Sporting Rifle". This particular rifle was built on 1911 vintage Springfield action. Rear sight was removed from bbl. & rear portion recontoured. Front sight is a Sheard bead & Lyman 1/4" spacing block in original factory base. Action shows little alteration from its military configuration, except for the addition of a Lyman 48 Long Slide receiver sight. There are four plugged mounting holes from a one piece scope base on left side of action with 1" by 3/16" cutout in wood. There is some line engraving behind bolt stop which matches more line engraving on unaltered bottom metal which also is gold & silver inlaid with monogram "FWK" on trigger guard bow. Mag. follower has been altered to allow bolt to close when mag. is empty. Trigger has been altered to single stage pull. Sunburst horn capped pistol grip stock is made of a very attractive piece of well marbled & lightly fiddle figured European walnut & measures 14 7/8" over ribbed steel trap buttplate which also shows some line engraving. Stock features well shaped right hand cheekpiece & classic schnabled tip. Both of which are of a shape attributed to Adolph. The checkering is quite distinctive being of fairly fancy pattern with fluer-de-lis intrusions & incised carving. The checkered sidepanels are also a distinctive Adolph feature. This very rifle is pictured in "Custom Gunmaker's of the 20th Century Vol. I" by Michael Petrov on page 116. Another signed Adolph rifle pictured on the same page on a Mauser action has a very similar checkering pattern. CONDITION: very good to fine. Bbl. & action retaining approx. 80% of an old reblue w/ considerable subsequent silvering. Bottom metal retains about half of its blue & has some splotches of oxidation. Stock retains most of what appears to be its original oil finish, worn through at grip & with a large amount of marks, dings, scratches & bumps. The aforementioned scope base cut is on left side & secondary bbl. attaching screw & it's tearshaped escutcheon are missing. Bore is very good to fine with strong rifling somewhat rounded & a bit of throat erosion. Mechanically fine. (22-3319/MGM). CURIO. $1,750-3,500.