I thought you guys might like this one. This rifle has a lot of historical value to the Marine Sniper program. This is likely the earliest Marine Sniper rifle that still exists.
If you are not aware, the first "official" US sniper rifle was the M1908 Warner Swasey. It was adopted in 1908 by Army Ordnance and was made by Springfield Armory starting later that year. The first production run of rifles, past a couple test rifles, were in the 352xxx and 353xxx serial range.
Basically, the whole premise of the Marine Sniper program started when the Marines decided to buy a handful of these first Army sniper rifles in 1909. This is the first time the Marines had tested an "official Sniper rifle" and from this ground work, it lead to the official Sniper program in 1917.
A neat point about this rifle. This is likely not only the earliest Marine Sniper rifle known, but it's also from the very first block of official Army sniper rifles produced. So it really served as the beginning of the sniper program for both branches.
Originally, the mounts for the Warner Swasey sights were staked on the inside of the receiver by Springfield Armory. Once the Warner Swasey sights became outdated, it was common in the era to remove the mounts and make the Snipers into a standard service rifle. Reading Ordnance docs of the time, they stated the staked screws were hard to remove and it was easier to just cut the mount off the receiver and leave the staked screw heads in place.
Even though I have never found the serial list of the 1909 shipment to the Marines, everything I have ever found leads me to firmly believe this was one of them. They would have for sure been in this serial range. I did find this rifle's serial number on a Marine Document from 1929 but it does not detail on the document if the serial is a SA or RIA number. But the odds are highly in favor that it is my rifle after the mount had been removed and it became a standard service rifle.
Looking at the rifle it has likely been rebuilt several times by the Marines, with the last time during WWII. It is a pretty stereotypical early WWII rebuild with a 1942 Sedgley USMC barrel.
Even though all that still exists of the original 1909 Sniper rifle, is the receiver, it's pretty likely the entire Marine Sniper program started here.
So far, this is the only known Marine Model of 1908 Warner Swasey that exists. There is one in the private collection of the Marine museum, but the receiver isn't original so I imagine it was put together for a display.
I feel very honored to be the caretaker of this rifle, and the legacy it left behind. I just wish this one could talk.
If you are not aware, the first "official" US sniper rifle was the M1908 Warner Swasey. It was adopted in 1908 by Army Ordnance and was made by Springfield Armory starting later that year. The first production run of rifles, past a couple test rifles, were in the 352xxx and 353xxx serial range.
Basically, the whole premise of the Marine Sniper program started when the Marines decided to buy a handful of these first Army sniper rifles in 1909. This is the first time the Marines had tested an "official Sniper rifle" and from this ground work, it lead to the official Sniper program in 1917.
A neat point about this rifle. This is likely not only the earliest Marine Sniper rifle known, but it's also from the very first block of official Army sniper rifles produced. So it really served as the beginning of the sniper program for both branches.
Originally, the mounts for the Warner Swasey sights were staked on the inside of the receiver by Springfield Armory. Once the Warner Swasey sights became outdated, it was common in the era to remove the mounts and make the Snipers into a standard service rifle. Reading Ordnance docs of the time, they stated the staked screws were hard to remove and it was easier to just cut the mount off the receiver and leave the staked screw heads in place.
Even though I have never found the serial list of the 1909 shipment to the Marines, everything I have ever found leads me to firmly believe this was one of them. They would have for sure been in this serial range. I did find this rifle's serial number on a Marine Document from 1929 but it does not detail on the document if the serial is a SA or RIA number. But the odds are highly in favor that it is my rifle after the mount had been removed and it became a standard service rifle.
Looking at the rifle it has likely been rebuilt several times by the Marines, with the last time during WWII. It is a pretty stereotypical early WWII rebuild with a 1942 Sedgley USMC barrel.
Even though all that still exists of the original 1909 Sniper rifle, is the receiver, it's pretty likely the entire Marine Sniper program started here.
So far, this is the only known Marine Model of 1908 Warner Swasey that exists. There is one in the private collection of the Marine museum, but the receiver isn't original so I imagine it was put together for a display.
I feel very honored to be the caretaker of this rifle, and the legacy it left behind. I just wish this one could talk.
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