Philippine Ordnance Depot rebuild stamp

[RCS]

The Philippine Ordnance Depot rebuild stamp P.O.D. was used since WW1 and located in Manila. You have to wonder if any of the "new" M1 rifles that arrived in the Philippines before the war were cycled in for repair or inspection at this facility. If any M1 rifles were, and it could have happened, they would have received the P.O.D. stamp with inspector initial. The Japanese took Manila early in
1942 and the P.O.D. facility was gone for good and never came back.

Photo shows an early Springfield 1903 with the P.O.D. stamp and later BA-WL when it came back. You can find other weapons with the P.O.D. stamp too

[RCS]

During the 1930's and into early M1 Rifle production, the SA over SPG cartouche was in use, but there was another stamp also used, the SA over JFC. Very uncommon to find this stamp today, and never faked.

Photo shows both stamps

[jak]

I never knew those existed. Very interesting...Thanks for sharing.

[RDS]

I never knew they existed. Very informative . Thank you for posting the photos.

[RCS]

I heard years ago some Model 1917 Enfield rifles had the POD rebuild/inspection stamp as it was the standard issue for the Philippine Army, but few have surfaced in the USA. the Philippine Scouts had both the Model 1903 and early and late M1 Rifles. Charles Redfield once came across a HOD stamp on a SA GHS stock (Hawaiian Ordnance Depot) for an M1 rifle, also quite rare to find

[RDS]

Robert were there gas trap M1s still in use in the Philippines when the japs invaded or had P.O.D. converted them all by then?

[RCS]

There was a mix of both gas trap and gas port rifles in the Philippines before the war. Like the rifles in the US, there wasn't a need to change the gas trap to gas port until cycled in for rebuild or repair.
The Philippine Scout units were converting to the M1 rifle while the regular army and reserve used the Model 1917 Enfield. Estimates off the number of M1 rifles in the Philippines were under 10K when
the war started (closed to 6000 or 7000 rifles from some estimates) and always a shortage of clips.

The 26th Cavalry (Philippine Scouts) converted over to the M1 (both gas trap and gas port) before the war started. Interesting that the Model 1913 Cavalry Saber was withdrawn from use in 1935 and that the cavalry was not issued the Model 1905 bayonet. It was decided to issued the Model 1915 bolo bayonet to the 26th Cavalry before the war as it would fit the standard Model 1903 rifle plus provide an edged weapon to the cavalry. Photos and drawings of the 26th Cavalry show both gas trap and gas port M1 rifles and this unit was the last mounted cavalry to fight on horseback