Major General Earl S. Gruver U.S. Springfield 1903 Rifle

Manufactured in 1928 and later refitted in "sporter" configuration, this rifle is identified by serial number in an included Army shipping form/invoice as having been sold from Springfield Armory inventory on July 28th, 1954 to Major General Earl S. Gruver. Earl S. Gruver (1898-1963) was born in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1898, was a West Point graduate, and entered the Army in the inter-war years as an Ordnance officer, performed gunnery testing at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, supported mechanized cavalry operations in Fort Knox, and served as an ordnance/gunnery instructor at West Point. In 1942, he was appointed the Ordnance Officer for the U.S. Military Mission in Cairo. Gruver and his team were also responsible for getting British forces up to speed on American-made Lend-Lease equipment. Later in the war, he was stationed in England, performed additional Ordnance work, including as the Ordnance Section Chief of the Planning Division. Afterwards, he served as Chief of the Industrial Activities Division and as ordnance officer for the Panama Canal Department and the U.S. Army in the Caribbean. He eventually retired in 1955. The rifle is fitted with hooded blade front and Lyman peep rear sights, with a "5-42" dated Springfield barrel, polished "NS" bolt, an unmarked pistol grip stock with a checkered steel buttplate. Also includes a Springfield Research Service letter indicating the rifle was first sent to the State of Massachusetts on February 20th, 1933, and another included letter dated March 19th, 1968 from the son of Major General Earl S. Gruver confirms this rifle was procured by his father in 1954 and indicates this rifle was sold to an individual name Jerry Pregenzer in February 1968.

Condition

Very fine as arsenal/armorer refurbished, with 95% of the parkerized finish, showing some light handling marks and edge wear overall, and some light corrosion on the rear sight. The bolt has been polished bright. Stock is very fine with a few light dings and scratches, a small hairline crack on top of the wrist behind the receiver, and defined edges overall. Mechanically excellent.