Collectible 1911s and Springfield M1903 on Shooting USA Today

Today’s episode of Shooting USA TV has two interesting reports. Fans of 1911 pistols will enjoy the report on America’s leading collector of this classic handgun. In addition, Shooting USA has an informative feature on the Springfield Model 1903 bolt-action rifle, which served the U.S. military in two World Wars.

Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.

America’s Most Notable 1911 Collector

Today’s Shooting USA episde features a notable collector of rare and extremely valuable 1911s from as far back as the Military Trials in March of 1911. He even owns the Savage that competed for the contract and lost to John Browning’s design made by Colt. Plus, he has 1911s with official documents to prove they don’t exist, but they are very much present in his collection. At a location in Indiana, behind a 1300-pound door, rests a stash of 1911s that would make any museum proud.

The 1911 pistol, the most famous of John Browning’s classic pistol designs, served as the standard pistol of the US Military for 75 years. More than two and a half million were made for U.S. forces, and civilian versions are still in production today. The 1911 is one of the most popular for collectors, because of its rich history, and the many variations by different gun-makers.

There are so many different variations of the war era 1911 that it’s hard to keep track of all the versions. In fact, some 1911s are known not by the markings they have but rather the markings they lack. Collectors call them “lunchbox guns”, pistols that made their way out of the factory (maybe in somebody’s lunchbox) before they got a serial number and proof markings.

History’s Guns — Springfield Model 1903-A3 Rifle

Mention WW II and instantly folks will remember the M1 Garand. But at the start of the war, there weren’t enough of them. So, thousands of American soldiers instead carried the Model 1903 Springfield, left over from World War I. And Remington got the contract to make more and make them quickly. That brought changes, lots of them, and a new designation, the U.S. Model 1903-A3. This legendary rifle is featured today on Shooting USA’s History’s Guns segment.

M1903 Springfield shooter at Camp Perry. From GarandThumbBlog’s 2015 CMP Games Video.

Similar Posts:

• Shooting USA Worth Watching This Week — Multiple Features
• Springfield Armory SA-35 NRA Publications’ Handgun of the Year
• Utah Legislature Approves J.M. Browning Holiday
• New History of the Gun TV Series Features Factory Tours
• Top Shot Season 4 Premiere Episode on History.com

Tags: 1911 Collectibles, John Scoutten, Model 1911 Pistol, Shooting USA, Springfield 1903