Messed Up M! Garand

[TheOldBishop]

Hello all,

I have discovered an M1 Garand in very good condition of WW2 vintage. It was in the closet at the American Legion I belong to and has been buried with it's brother in a corner for 17 years untouched.

However, in all my years of gunsmithing I have never seen one fixed like this. The gas lock has been staked to the gas cylinder with a stake about 3/16" diameter. It looks like someone drilled a hole that was exactly centered on the line where the gas lock meets the cylinder and was drilled thru until it made contact with the gas cylinder lock screw. The hole may have been threaded, cant tell yet, and a screw or bolt inserted and the the head ground off. It was not ground off smooth but is laying there like a big "welding lump" on the bottom of the gas cylinder about 2.4" forward of the bayonette stud ... that's about the best way I can describe it. I'm sure it's not welding but it is very irregular in shape, like the screw or bolt was filed in many random directions and then beat down with a hammer.

I cant imagine why this was done because the rifle appears to be near perfect in every way, fully operable, correct receiver, bolt, op-rod etc. All from 1942 according to the drawing numbers on the parts. It is a real dandy if it's not a counterfeit .. which I dont think it is and it is definitely not a reweld.

Does anyone have any idea what this is or more importantly why it is there. When CMP started releasing these, they were never boogered up unless they were going to ROTC and then they de-pinned the bolt and welded it so the pin could not be replace. I have not test fired it (I'm not that dumb yet) so I cant tell if the gas cylinder works correctly because I cant get it apart due to the "staking". I could drill it and replace with a correct cylinder of proper vintage because they are still available thru GCA and others, but want to be cautious about how much work I do on this thing due to its historic value.

Any info will be much appreciated.

Del Murray,
Chaplain and Gunsmith, Post 240 American Legion

 

[triggerman770]

the mods may have rendered the " historic value" moot. I have never seen anything like this. There is an adjustable gas system available that has a screw in the center of the plug to reduce gas pressure so heavier bullts can be fired. Can you put up a Pic?

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree with triggerman, the originality is gone, all you have left to do is to scrounge a new cylinder and other parts of the right period to replace the boogered up stuff and get it back to "correct."

I see no way to determine who, what, and why such a modification was done at this late date.

 

[Slamfire]

I have discovered an M1 Garand in very good condition of WW2 vintage. It was in the closet at the American Legion I belong to and has been buried with it's brother in a corner for 17 years untouched.

I have a bud whose job at Anniston Army Depot was to convert Garands for blank firing for the VFW.

I will have to ask him what he did to the guns, but he did tell me the conversion ruined the rifle in terms of originality.

He told me that they would have an order of lets say, 12 Garands for the VFW, and a lot of 300 Garands would be pulled. (numbers are approximate). He had to gage the Garands and verify that the blank conversion guns were within spec for an issuable rifle.

He then altered 12 Garands.

The rest of the lot went to the shredder.

Because he was a gun nut, he tried to convert the rarest and most valuable, at least something would be saved.

 

[zoom6zoom]

I'm trying to picture the setup... but it sounds a bit like a gas trap Garand.

 

[TheOldBishop]

I'll post a pic tomorrow. I dont believe there is any such thing as an "original", only "correct" M1s. THey were all altered in some way, some many times before the war was over. It may have been doctored after the war but I dont think so because all the parts have drawing numbers that are "correct". I'll try to upload a pic in the morning, first I have to rust a shotgun barrel.
Thanks for the responses so far.

 

[stanger04]

Actually if you could find out why this was done and possibly by whom, it could make the gun more valuable. Think about it any gun that can have a documented history such as bring backs, make them more desirable to collectors. Collectors want antique guns for the history and the more history proven makes it more of a note worthy piece.

Just like anything else in life measure twice and when in doubt leave it be.

 

[Jim K]

Whether that rifle is "valuable" or "collectible" is probably a moot point since it is a good bet it doesn't belong to the American Legion or to you. It did not come from CMP. With a very few exceptions*, M1 rifles in the possession of service organizations (AL, VFW, etc.) were loaned to them by the Army and the Army retains title. (And they have a file showing who has the rifles by serial number.)

In short, I would not do anything to that rifle except clean it as best you can. Cutting any welds or attempting to restore the rifle to a condition where it can fire live ammunition would violate the terms of agreement with the Army and could subject the Post and you to severe penalties.

* I know of one AL post that purchased M1 rifles from Interarms back in the late 1950's; a couple of years ago, an officious Army major showed up demanding that they store "the Army's" rifles at a military base under a new program to "keep guns out of the wrong hands". They showed the pompous major their sales receipt and the door at the same time.

Jim