RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Just saw a post on YouTube of Veteran day celebration. US Army flag team still used 1903 Springfield rifles!
Veterans day YouTube
- Thread starter RicinYakima
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richhodg66
Well-Known Member
In my JROTC program, we still have four which are demilled 03A3s. Makes me want to cry eveytime I look at one.
At drill meets, I have seen at least one school which had demilled Garands, seems it was a Navy program if I recall. The vast, vast majority of the drill rifles used were made to be drill rifles from the beginning, but mimic the weight and feel of an 03A3 pretty closely.
At drill meets, I have seen at least one school which had demilled Garands, seems it was a Navy program if I recall. The vast, vast majority of the drill rifles used were made to be drill rifles from the beginning, but mimic the weight and feel of an 03A3 pretty closely.
Thumbcocker
Active Member
A friend of mine told me there was a long concrete sidewalk on a U.S. military base that had used Springfields for rebar.
oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
My HS ROTC/Navy had 03s. Can't remember which variety now. I graduated in 1980. We had probably 40 of them. All demilled of course... Now makes me cry. And we also had a rifle team (I was a member) with Remington 513s and 40Xs. Loved shooting that 40x. We had sabers too. IIRC, I heard once that is took an act of Congress (literally/special permission) for us to have the 03s. But not sure. They sure are a nice drill rifle.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
I was in JROTC '80-84. Our rifle team actually shot on the S.C. State College ROTC range, but we used 40Xs. In the late 90s, I think, a young man was killed in a shooting accident at Missouri Military Academy and now, all JROTC units are restricted to only air rifle teams. I was kinda sore about it when I started teaching JROTC in 2012, but now I'm cool with it. Just as much of a learning experience and requires just as much skill and I can set up a range in a normal 2x4 and drywall room (and have done so). The rimfire shortage during the Obama years would have shut us down, too. Both the schools I have worked at now had no problems with me shooting air rifles on campus, but a lot of school districts won't allow it.