The Smith Corona rifle is very similar to the Remington produced rifles of the same period. Smith Corona rose from nothing to making five thousand rifles a month, an important contribution to the war effort.
Finally, in December 1942, the first five thousand rifles were turned out. However, creating the machinery and setting up production meant that the first rifles were not produced until late 1942. The Army’s confidence in the ability of the 1903 rifle was inherent in the following contract as the number specified was for some 380,000 rifles. The original contract was for some 100,000 rifles.
In February 1942 Smith Corona, a company primarily known as a typewriter manufacturer, was contracted to produce the 1903A3 rifle. As a result of war time demand the Ordnance Department shopped for a new vendor. Remington was already knee deep in the war effort. The new rifle was standardized as the U.S. Most of the preliminary work with the new rifle was undertaken by Remington. The new aperture sight was far more similar to the M1 Garand, and much simpler to manufacture compared to the original Springfield sight. The new rear sight was a better combat sight by all accounts. A parallel development in England resulted in changing the Lee Enfield rifle to a peep or aperture rear sight and a similar program was instigated with the 1903 rifle. This sight demanded several steps in machining. While in-stock wooden furniture was used in some rifles, new production stocks did not include grasping grooves.Īn important change in the 1903 rifle was the elimination of the original forward mounted sight. These changes included eliminating the bolt stop and using stamped steel rather than milled parts. As war time production demands mounted, numerous detail changes were made. These non essential features included the bright blue finish and careful polishing of the previous rifles. Some of the features of the 1903 were rated non essential. The Army looked at some of the parts in stock and decided that it would be a relatively simple matter to bring the Springfield 1903 back into production. Despite a program to refurbish 19 rifles, it was a foregone conclusion that more rifles would be needed. Remember, America foresaw aiding not only Britain but China and the Philippines and other allies as well.
With the handwriting on the wall and the war just over the horizon, America could not produce enough M1 Garand rifles to arm our own soldiers and Marines and the allies as well. Like the Smith and Wesson 1917 revolver and the 1917 Enfield rifle of the previous war, the Smith Corona rifle was a war time expedient but a very good one. The Smith Corona is a link between World War One production and World War Two, and is a prime example of the expedients taken with proven designs in order to decrease labor time and expedite production. One of the best bolt action battle rifles ever fielded was a result of a program undertaken just before World War Two.
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