ok, i hope this is not an overly stupid question. i have a 1903 springfield rifle that i got from my father. i don't know where it came from but the wood and metal are in great shape. but there's a problem....when i first shouldered it and looked over the sights, i thought the rear sight was on crooked. after a closer look i saw that the metal is all straight in relation to the other metal, but the entire barreled action is in the stock at an angle. as i look through the sights, the rear sight, instead of being in the 12 o'clock position, is in about the 11:45 position. the trigger guard, instead of being in the 6 o'clock position is in about the 5:45 position. i hope that makes sense. it's just slightly crooked but noticable.

is this normal, not normal but common, seen once in a blue moon, or do i have the only one like this on the planet? if anyone has seen this condition before or has any knowledge of it, please let me know.

thanks for any help.

Not normal, not common, not in anybodies blue moon and no, I've never seen such. I collect and restore M1903/03A1 rifles and currently have maybe a dozen in residence. You need to take the barreled receiver out of the stock and examine both groups carefully. Without seeing it I'd only be guessing at the problem or a fix.

No not normal. Sounds like the action isn't bedding properly or the stock was inleted wrong. I bet the action is bedded wrong. Take it apart and try each separately in the stock...that is just put the action in the stock with no trigger guard or screws and force it in till it seats and view it. Do the same with just the stock and trigger guard. Being the trigger guard isn't bedded deeply you should be able to eyeball the bedding there and see if it is incorrect.