The 30-1903 will not chamber in a gun chambered for the 30US. The 30US is the 30-40 Krag and the 30-1903 is about the same as the 30-06. I would bet if the old gun could talk it would tell about the time its owner didn't want to waist any ammo on a finnishing shot or ran out of ammo and used the rifle as a club to finnish killing what ever he had that he had fired a poorly placed shot into. I had a guy bring in a very nice LC SMITH with a broken stock and tang from clubbing  a dog he had shot . He had ammo in his pocket but didn't want to use it. I guess trashing a 5 or 6 houndred dollar shotgun is cheeper. I have never seen any of the old Winchesters broken that were NOT used as clubs. Some of those old sheep hearders were not very smart, or picky or they would not be sheep hearders and sleep with the sheep.

I guess in those days when a firearm was more of a tool it was accepted to use it just for that. Sad but true.

What's going on with that cut on the underside of the barrelabout half way out?  I've seen this before too.  I think the rifle began life as a musket, i.e. wood all the way out and this cut was for fastening a barrel band?

I think this gun came out of the custom shop, note the pistol grip shotgun butt stock, straight grip lever, pipe wrench engraving on the barrel shank, springfield front sight barrel band. I have one thats fancier than that. Someone carved a butterfly and a bunch of other stuff in the stock then filled them all in with plastic wood wood filler and varnished it over all of that. The crazy thing is it is about the most fun and accurate plinker I have but I hate to be seen with it. Kinda like sleeping with a fat girl or riding a jap motercycle, both great but you don't want your buddies to find out about it.

I think that do-hickey on the barrel is for attaching a ring that holds a loop for the sling.

Cimarron, that took guts to admit to having a rifle with butterflies on the butt.   

I have been going to have it restocked but can't be without it for 6 mos and the guy wants $300.00 to do it. Not that bad, just never get around to it. It is a full stocked German bolt act target rifle with dubble sets and very fine sights. It is chambered, of all things for 38 Spec. Shoots one hole @50yds and I have had it do about .625 @ a houndred.

CIM, LMAO,  tell them that your a scientist, and you grandaughter carved that butterfly in the stock, out of love for you. They wont say shit, if you say it with the right tone. I took 2 PINK bolt action .22's after I mounted 4X scopes on them, to give to my two favorite nieces, my brothers girls, to the range, instantly, started getting some "flack" from some of the guys there. When, in my "jethro bodeain/james earl jones voice, said, I'm doing this for my girls in Nashville,cause, they love their "uncle WALI"  they shut up, LMAO............. Try carrying 2 pink rifles to the range, and, see what you get. LMAO, again.......WALI.........................

Yeah, they shut up - right after they said, "There's that fairy with the pink earrings, and now he has a couple of firearms to match.  They gotta match up everythin', y'know." 

Plus Cimmarron got him excited with that "Kinda like sleeping with a fat girl or riding a jap motercycle" talk.

ROLLIN ON FLOOR...........WALI...................