I have been told...

[eclancy]

Gentlemen,
..by many of the old timers that worked at SA in Ordnance on the M1 Garand that as many came back early after WW2 many of the early M1 Garand's below the 1 million mark were not repaired but destroyed. Could this be because of the changes in Receiver Steel done in June/July 1942 to the 8620 ? Could it have been because of the back of the receivers being changed i.e, stronger? Could it be because many of the lead-dip ones are hard to find? It's just some bits of data I have talked about with Ordnance people. I wonder what you guys think.
Thanks again
Clancy

 

[highorder]

I have a lead dip M1 #274427. March/May 1941?

 

[eclancy]

Sir,
That serial number on SA List/ shows June 1941.
Thanks for your comeback
Clancy

 

[gunnie]

pls define "lead dip"

i have a late '30's SA garand that was arsenal rebuilt in '43 and a lend lease to great britan that came home. still, i haven't heard the phrase "lead dip" before...whatcha talkin about?

gunnie

 

[James T Thomas]

tempering?

I do not know if this is what the poster means, but "lead dip" is a method of heat treating steel forgings by quench. That is dipping them in molten lead at some stage during their cooling. An old method.

 

[highorder]

sorry I dont have a pic handy, but some M1 receivers had the receiver heel dipped into molten lead to slightly anneal the forging. IIRC, this was done to rifles made before the steel spec was changed to 8620 steel. there is a great pic and more information in this thread from the CMP:

http://www.odcmp.org/new_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36253&SearchTerms=lead,dipped,

 

[gunnie]

thanks highorder

my take on the info supplied @ link is that it was used to slowly cool the rear reciever by insulating it from the rapid cooling applied to the rest. this would keep same from getting as hard as the fully treated forward portion. i had thought the lead dipping was some kind of plating process to prevent rusting. kinda like galvanizing without the zinc added.

next time i dig out the M1, will CLOSELY inspect reciever for signs of this localized treatment process. is pretty much a designated safe queen due to the rarity of the surviving pre-war models. this feature has gone completely past me on previous occasions.

interesting info, thank you for your reply.

gunnie