Father Knows Best
Member
I've finally gotten around to really closely examing the M1 Garand I bought from CMP a few years back. It was a "Service Grade", with a Springfield Armory receiver serial number 3828xxx. According to the sources I have available, that puts its production in approximately June of 1945.
I've known for a while that the stock is a post-war replacement. It is walnut and has the circle P under the pistol grip, but there is no SA or inspector mark on it. It has RRA stamped on the side, which indicates that it was replaced at the Red River Arsenal in Texas.
Many of the other parts look like they may be original, however, and that's what I'm trying to figure out. Here are the parts that have numbers:
Barrel 3 SA 6 45
Bolt D28287-19SA
Trigger housing D28290-14-SA
Hammer C46008-7 SA
Receiver D28291 35
Op rod D35382 9 SA
Follower Assembly 12
Safety SA 11
The rear sight does NOT have a locking bar. The trigger guard is stamped. The finish appears to be original parkerizing, is thin and worn on the edges.
I can't find my copy of Scott Duff's book on the M1 Garand in WWII (I have the Post WWII book). Looking at his serial numbers and data sheets booklet, though, it seems like all of those numbers above are correct for early 1945 Springfield Armory production.
What else should I be looking for in terms of non-original parts? If I put an SA/NFR stock on it, will I have a complete rifle as it left the Armory in the summer of '45, or do I need to replace some of the parts I listed above?
I've known for a while that the stock is a post-war replacement. It is walnut and has the circle P under the pistol grip, but there is no SA or inspector mark on it. It has RRA stamped on the side, which indicates that it was replaced at the Red River Arsenal in Texas.
Many of the other parts look like they may be original, however, and that's what I'm trying to figure out. Here are the parts that have numbers:
Barrel 3 SA 6 45
Bolt D28287-19SA
Trigger housing D28290-14-SA
Hammer C46008-7 SA
Receiver D28291 35
Op rod D35382 9 SA
Follower Assembly 12
Safety SA 11
The rear sight does NOT have a locking bar. The trigger guard is stamped. The finish appears to be original parkerizing, is thin and worn on the edges.
I can't find my copy of Scott Duff's book on the M1 Garand in WWII (I have the Post WWII book). Looking at his serial numbers and data sheets booklet, though, it seems like all of those numbers above are correct for early 1945 Springfield Armory production.
What else should I be looking for in terms of non-original parts? If I put an SA/NFR stock on it, will I have a complete rifle as it left the Armory in the summer of '45, or do I need to replace some of the parts I listed above?